Tragi-comedy of book-banning in the 21st century

 

The frantic reactions to Tommy Thomas’ memoir are a tragi-comedy in the making. It will make a fascinating Shakespearean play.

So much uproar, mindless babbles, and angry outbursts are being directed at one book in which the author is, quite simply, sharing some things of public interest about which he has both knowledge and opinion, from his perspective.

For those who strongly disagree with all or some of the contents of that book; what is stopping them from exercising their own freedom of speech, by giving cogent retorts, with facts and reasoned views, instead of dishing out frenzied paroxysms?

Excuse my lack of learning and sluggishness of thought, but I am only able to think of one reason – if the hat fits, wear it.

How absurd it has become, and ludicrous at the same time, that some (who themselves lack the force of reason) are attempting to invoke the repressive threat of criminal sanction, and the farcical route of book-banning?

Imagine this. If I were to write a nonsensical book about how Nicol David is completely undeserving of the accolades she has been getting; how many copies will it sell? Will dozens of police reports be made against it? Will the book be sought to be banned (and thereby boosting its sales on Amazon and Kindle)?

And will Nicol be the least offended, or worried, about a nonsensical book? If told of it, Nicol will probably just laugh, and not bother to read it – because only the truth can hurt, and she knows the truth about herself and her achievements. Her shining records stand before all Malaysians, untarnished in any way by any nonsensical allegations in the book.

It will be yours truly who will become the laughing stock of our society, and be shunned by Malaysians wherever he goes.

Therefore, the recent knee-jerk responses to Thomas’ memoir only go to prove that it is not a book of nonsense – that in it are plentiful credible facts and valid opinions. Otherwise, it would not have hurt so many, and so much as to draw forth such disproportionate and inane responses.

I am certainly not suggesting that everything in the memoir must be true or valid; for I am not in the position to know, or to verify them. Neither do I say that I agree with all the views and opinions expressed in it or the ways by which they are expressed; for I do not. This is, clearly, besides the point.

The point is, the more any government attempts to suppress freedom of expression, the more it reveals its own failures in either handling or facing up to the truth, or in explaining the truth to the people under their charge.

The value and power of freedom of speech (as opposed to tyrannical edicts) is that it employs only the force of persuasion; and it is available to all, including the oppressed.

Dictatorial edicts, on the other hand, are so bankrupt of reason that the only leg they have to stand on is the brutal persuasion of force. This is available, of course, only to the oppressors.

The only legitimate way to combat lies or half-truths is to disclose or explain the whole truth. The only justifiable way to discredit a wrong or misguided view is to present a counter perspective.

A society that cannot deal with critical views (and wrong views) in rational ways, and that has to resort to institutional threats and iron-fists, has little more credibility than North Korea or the Myanmar junta and what they are currently doing to their people. Is this the direction Malaysia wants to move towards?

Moreover, the tactic of book-banning is now late by more than two thousand years. Emperor Qin Shihuang tried it. It did not work, even then. He later died of over-consumption of mercury pills; which he believed to be an elixir for immortality.

If he had not banned books, probably one of the books he had burned would have made its way to him, to educate him about the poisonous nature of mercury.

In this internet age, book-banning will be as effective as the banning of all manual typewriters.

Or can it be a secret agenda of those who wish to hasten the fall of a regime, to which many Malaysians might not shed a tear if it happens?

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YEO YANG POH is a legal practitioner and former president of the Malaysian Bar. - Mkini

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.