I cringe every time I read how someone in politics complains of the country's image being tarnished when the worst damage is done by them, their political pals and corrupt cohorts.
Consider former government ministers and their supporters who do the real damage to the country by their acts of felony and with several now facing charges of abuse of power and corruption. Or the questionable court decisions that defy justice.
Have not leaders brought shame to the country by their white-collar crimes, including allegations of their role in murder? And unfair charges and court decisions since Anwar Ibrahim's court trials raise more questions than provide the answers.
The convicted felons have brought more shame to the nation, not to mention their race and religion and insulted the king before whom they took oaths of office to serve him and the country. The complainants are blind or simply mischievous.
Who can outdo the infamy when it has resulted in torrents of unprecedented shame raining down on the country? Politicians are endangering and endangered species. They are not a necessary evil, the corrupt among them, rather, are a toxic curse on the nation, causing untold hardships for everyone.
More good men and good women must act to save the endangered governance of their country. Only good politicians can deliver good governance. Or the antics of the evil will destroy the country. Everyone has to know how to pick and choose among politicians as between a good and bad durian.
So why are they still complaining that a book will tarnish an already tattered nation's image?
The suggestion that Tommy Thomas' book "My Story: Justice in the Wilderness" has tarnished the country's image is nothing more than a distraction.
The accusers of Thomas and Malaysiakini ought to take a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror. And when they look at their country, they may not like what they see: an already tattered image.
The Sheraton Move, the induced coma of Parliament by the declaration of emergency, the three-day quarantine rule for ministers and other questionable actions have raised global eyebrows and baffled Malaysia watchers on her democracy and the competence of her governance.
The Malaysiakini contempt judgment last Friday has got the world spotlight on Malaysia again for the wrong reasons. The court verdict, while not incriminating its founding editor Steven Gan, was received with negative responses around the globe.
The US, UK, EU and a host of other countries, through their ambassadors, have expressed their disapproval and concern. Suhakam wants the law to protect portals from users' comments. They all fear for the freedom of expression undermined by the court decision.
Such highly publicised criticisms have appeared in local and foreign media. Whither the image of Malaysia now? And they are worried over one man's story of events, many corroborated by others and on public record?
How much more bad press and punishment can the country endure before the world gets fed up and writes off Malaysia as a dark place, another flawed and failed state?
When will Malaysians write off and cut the country's losses with the politicians who have failed, betrayed, cheated and harmed their livelihoods, prospects and quality of life? They are a liability to the nation, a cause of national melancholy and international disfavour.
The proof is in the latest UN report card on Malaysia's poor performance at the near bottom of the class in attracting direct foreign investments. Even the Johor sultan has to step in now and try to attract investments into his state.
Sultan Ibrahim's comments that the Chinese are not pendatang are considerate and a psychological ang pow to the Chinese. In 2015, the former prime minister reportedly said the same thing. So why are ingrates who do not understand or appreciate the contributions of the Chinese still allowed to brazenly insult them?
It is time to make it illegal for anyone to call another Malaysian pendatang. That may be the only effective deterrent to the insult, especially when a jail sentence is mandatory with a hefty fine.
Migration counsellors report unprecedented inquiries from Malaysians wanting to emigrate. Every lost Malaysian abroad costs the country untold millions in human capital.
What's the point of wasting more money on a Talent Corp on a "mission impossible" to rein back the horses that have bolted? How many Malaysians did they say came back? Even Uncle Hashim ensconced in Australia only wants to come back to his beloved "Motherland" for a tourist visit.
If all Malaysians are to be given equal status, especially as "Bangsa Johor", it is time to look at the problem of discrimination. It remains the single most disunifying factor in the country. So let's hope that in the not too distant future, we might get to have a non-Malay menteri besar in Johor.
Target the source of the problem
When there is equality, then racism will die a natural death and Malaysia may have averted its present trajectory toward mediocrity and a damned future among the left-behind, backward nations.
But for the global distraction of 9/11 and terrorism, who knows if Malaysia would have been targeted as the next nation where apartheid and race discrimination thrive since the demise of the pariah South African apartheid regime?
Those who are concerned about Malaysia's image being tarnished should be targeting the source of the problem. If you don't want your country to be seen in a bad light, then get out of the darkness. Stop the bad acts that produce the "badass" publicity.
Imagine what the world will think if, instead of the negative, the positive headlines for the country begin to read, such as, "World's biggest kleptocrat jailed for 100 years", "The mastermind and accessory of the murder of Mongolian Altantuya Shaaribuu convicted and condemned to the gallows".
And what if more headlines portray such news as "Malaysia bans racial discrimination", "Freedom of religion honours Malaysian Constitution", "First Chinese prime minister elected by Malay voters", "Indian lawyer appointed chief justice", "Police pay increased, IPCMC established", "Media censorship and licensing abolished", "Malay achievers top rich list without government help", "Indian doctor heads Universiti Malaya" and so on?
What if the Malaysiakini court contempt case headline had read "Malaysiakini and Steven Gan: Found not guilty". But Malaysiakini faced the rough edge of justice and was fined a whopping RM500,000, not the RM200,000 sought by the prosecutor.
How does this help the country's image abroad?
Ironically the five offending readers' comments were on Malaysian justice or those who dispensed it. Malaysiakini's guilty verdict, without recourse to appeal, was met with local and overseas revulsion. Will "whither justice" be the new mantra?
Just as many of us were preparing to help defray the hefty fine and I had begun to write this, I received news that readers had donated RM544,000 within 24 hours. The court verdict, rather than punish Malaysiakini, has boosted the support of the country's most discriminated news online.
Malaysiakini readers are not passive readers anymore but concerned and responsive activists. They can galvanise their numbers and make a difference in GE15. The new activism of supporting the 'good guys' in politics is a reality. They can vote with their money in numbers.
The crowdfunding response is unprecedented and the show of support for Malaysiakini is a vindication of its vital role in protecting the turf for free speech.
The alternative to open media space is censorship. And what is the internet if it becomes a tool of repression for politicians who abuse their power by throwing the law at their critics?
Even former enemies of Malaysiakini, Umno bigwigs, have waded in and spoken against the persecution of Malaysiakini. More than 70 opposition MPs want legal reform to prevent a recurrence of such unfair prosecution of the independent online news site.
However free speech is not a licence for open slather where spin, lies, defamation and fake news may destroy careers, livelihood, reputation and even lives. Or where unkind comments can hurt and harm others.
It behoves those who comment in social and online media not to create unnecessary strife for the media owners that provide them with the avenue to exercise their freedom to opinionate and the excuse for political opportunism to pounce on media companies.
Some comments that appear on websites will freak out anyone and the government has to be mature to differentiate between a puerile outburst and an intentional slander. And while media owners must also police what others publish in live comments, in the case of Malaysiakini, it is questionable they deserved such a hefty fine.
We have seen the nasty keyboard grafitti of disruptive, abusive and obscene commentators, and also cyber troopers. They are a menace to media freedom. But the publisher can't be blamed. After all, no one blames the owner of a stolen car used in a robbery.
Often, it may not be practicable to oversee readers comments by the thousands. Commentators provide checks on one another by countervailing comments. In extreme cases, an unruly reader may be blocked even banned. The online provider has to exercise a quick and responsible response once a bad post is detected.
The government has to be fair and not be seen to be overbearing in enforcing media law. Sadly, with Malaysiakini's contempt case, the real victims are the people, freedom of speech and the nation's image.
Malaysiakini, like any other online media, is only the messenger. Who is going to give us the truth if they silence the messenger?
Twenty years have seen the Malaysiakini juggernaut for truth online grow despite government harassment, opposition and these same former persecutors later come out in its support. Even when Dr Mahathir Mohammed was shunned by the mainstream media, he turned to Malaysiakini to find his voice before embarking on his blog.
More than ever, when politicians beguile with lies, and call it governing, the need for online media to report the truth, without fear or favour, and countervail spin, is urgent and crucial.
Malaysiakini readers who gave to pay the court fine are the reason why those who suppress the freedom of speech will not succeed because good people will act to stop evil and perceived injustice.
STEVE OH is an author and composer of the novel and musical Tiger King of the Golden Jungle. He believes good governance and an engaging civil society are paramount to Malaysia being a unique and successful nation. - Mkini
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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