Hypocritical to brand Dr M’s free speech bid 'hypocritical'

There is that old adage about the pot calling the kettle black, and a recent news report on BN leaders calling ex-prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad “hypocrite” for promising free speech, smacks of just that.

It is true that Mahathir may be seen by many to have started the practice of abusing the law for political persecution, namely the use of the draconian Internal Security Act 1960 to detain his political rivals and opponents.

But he has partially repented, with his “qualified,” “customary,” election manifesto- smelling apology, and said what is perhaps to him, the hardest word: "Sorry."

It may be symbolic, but it has even been accepted as political reparation by some in the family of his once-protégé-turned-nemesis-turned-political-ally-of-convenience, jailed de-facto opposition-slash-PKR leader, Anwar Ibrahim.

Some, like constitutional law expert Abdul Aziz Bari (photo), may yet count the former premier's sins, but at least Mahathir did what we once thought that only a team of full blooded Arabian race horses could drag out of him, kicking and screaming.

His sarcasm and wit may not have mellowed, but his ego seems to have been knocked down a notch or two, whether for political theatre or otherwise.

Now, BN on the other hand, played the rakyat for fools with their sleight of hand, repealing the ISA, provisions of the Police Act, the Emergency Ordinance and other repressive laws with much fanfare of “freedoms.”

Only to turn around and play the draconian orchestra with vague provisions that are open to more abuse in laws like the Communications & Multimedia Act 1998, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012, Prevention of Crime Act 1959, and the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015.

And contrary to their guarantee of not abusing these laws, their behaviour has proven otherwise.

No remorse

They may talk of free speech and freedoms in front of us with a smile, but saw no remorse in not only continuing to use the law to persecute and curtail those with political and constitutionally guaranteed dissent, but also enhancing the process to a much finer point when our backs are turned.

Mahathir may have been said to have a long memory and will hound those who are his political rivals, but the present administration will even hound cartoonists and people with yellow balloons or other implements of supposed “insult.”

Not to mention those who said the wrong word about this person or that subject online.

At present some 3,000 are being held without trial in the prison system, under the new draconian laws, courtesy of BN.

So yes, I am telling it as it is and, the BN leaders are the ones who are the real hypocrites. And worse, they won't even admit it, still talking to us like it is in the pre-internet days, when whistles were unblown and indiscretions unshared on the world wide web.

Indeed, some of the religiously inclined would even contend that the behaviour of the Malay-Muslim-led BN coalition government possesses attributes that not only coincide with the hypocritical, but also with the munafik.

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HAZLAN ZAKARIA is an ex-Malaysiakini journalist turned corporate working bee who is trying (unsuccessfully) to stay healthy by avoiding news about Malaysian politics.- Mkini