How serious is hate talk, and how do we punish it?

 

From Clement Stanley

Single parent Hong Jia Ming was fined RM8,000 by the sessions court for a Facebook posting deemed as insulting to Muslims.

Another person, Wan Asshimah Kamaruddin, or Puteri Muhjahidah Wan Asshimah Kamaruddin, was fined RM13,000 for calling for the closure of churches in Sarawak and threatening worshippers of the Christian faith.

Anyone expressing extremist views deserves no sympathy.

In the two recent cases I cited above, one was an insult, and the other an incitement. Which is a bigger crime? To insult or to incite? Or do we see these crimes as being equally serious?

How should society decide the type of punishment on matters of racial and religious sensitivities?

It appears to me the gravity of one offence is greater than the other, yet the difference in the fine issued is somewhat minimal. There may be others who feel the same.

Already, a human rights NGO has lambasted the Attorney-General’s Chambers for alleged inaction over cases of insults to faiths other than Islam.

Peter John Jaban of Global Human Rights Federation said there appeared to be a double standard in handling such cases. He claimed that immediate action was taken, and hefty punishments handed down, against those accused of insulting Islam but not against those insulting other faiths.

I believe Peter’s view not only resonates with many people but is a sentiment that has been simmering for a long time in the hearts and minds of the public – which can be detrimental to a government that talks about a “Malaysian Family” and one that is gearing up for GE15.

Even more worrying is how damaging it is to our multiracial society in the long run. To a large extent, the damage has already been done whether we like it or not.

And the scars, even if people do forgive such callous calls, will never go away. - FMT

Clement Stanley is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.