Art Harun condemns ‘nauseating’ hypocrisy in Malaysia

Lawyer says while PM preaches "wasatiyah" to an international audience, Malaysians are penalised for discussing topics deemed "inappropriate" by his government.

PETALING JAYA: The hypocrisy in Malaysia has reached the point of “nauseating”, said lawyer and social activist Art Harun when commenting on how the concept of governing the country with moderation was merely rhetoric as far as Prime Minister Najib Razak was concerned.

Art said this on Facebook this morning when commenting on the recent uproar over a suggestion by G25 spokesperson Noor Farida Arffin that Islamic laws on khalwat be reviewed.

Condemning the authorities’ decision to investigate her for sedition in connection to the suggestion she made, Art said, “We can’t discuss anything deemed inappropriate by this chosen government.”

“Little wonder that this country is fast descending into a labyrinth of mediocrity and irrelevance,” he said, adding that the government of the day preferred the people to see nothing, hear nothing and comment on nothing.

He also commented on how the police were on a “manhunt” to nab those responsible for breaking into the house of the deputy prime minister’s daughter and said he hoped the police would do the same for Noor Farida, now that she had received not only rape but death threats over her suggestion that khalwat laws be reviewed.

Condemning those who had issued the threats, he said, “The rise of religious extremism in Malaysia has almost peaked during the governance by this chosen government.”

He said that Najib preached “wasatiyah and moderation” to the international community but that back home, his government practiced extremism and divisiveness to the hilt.

“It is clear for all and sundry that within the walls of power, the seeds of extremism and divisiveness are sown, watered and fertilised.

“The hypocrisy is nauseating.”