The anti-rare earth plant peaceful rally was threatened by violence, Malay right group Perkasa members openly used violence against a photographer during a rally and lawmakers have received dead threats via short messages on mobile phones.
Today, even the Home Minister has received a dead threat letter attached with two bullets. How could such terrible incident take place in Malaysia, a country being ranked 19th in the Global Peace Index (GPI), which is also the highest place among Southeast Asian countries?
Today, even the Home Minister has received a dead threat letter attached with two bullets. How could such terrible incident take place in Malaysia, a country being ranked 19th in the Global Peace Index (GPI), which is also the highest place among Southeast Asian countries?
We condemn any forms of violence and regard all perpetrators as heinous devils. However, perpetrators always believe that they are morally correct and regard all who do not agree with them as devils deserve to be dealt with extreme measures.
We cannot tolerate nor ignore such wanton violence and threats. If we tolerate and remain silent, it would mean that we have equated violence to justice while indirectly encouraging more terrorist acts that threaten social peace and harmony. By then, we will lose democracy, as well as humanity and peace!
The democratic process of Malaysia was staggering. However, it does not mean that no progress has been made. It is just that we might have taken a step forward but later made two steps backward.
As the democratic progress was slow and difficult, we should really appreciate the current democracy and freedom we have today and prevent it from evolving into a situation filled with malicious confrontations, but no toleration.
The 2008 general election is a major political watershed in Malaysia and for the first time, it let us see that the two-party system seems to be so close, yet so far.
We have been so worried as some people do not actually wish to see the formation of such a political structure. Therefore, they have resorted to all kinds of despicable means or made inciting remarks to divide racial groups. They make troubles and demonise the two-party system by calling it a polarisation. They have created resentment, divided the people and confused the two-party system with polarisation.
As Taiwanese critic Yang Zhao said, such an act that rationalises everything to serve political purposes and a mindset thinking that political purposes can override the basic moral conscience, is actually the most terrible toxin in politics!
We have seen many examples his history in which violence is carried out in the name of democracy. As a result, terrorism rampant while violence against violence has become a vicious circle. This is indeed a lesson to be learned for all around the world who are engaging in democratic movements!
We cannot tolerate nor ignore such wanton violence and threats. If we tolerate and remain silent, it would mean that we have equated violence to justice while indirectly encouraging more terrorist acts that threaten social peace and harmony. By then, we will lose democracy, as well as humanity and peace!
The democratic process of Malaysia was staggering. However, it does not mean that no progress has been made. It is just that we might have taken a step forward but later made two steps backward.
As the democratic progress was slow and difficult, we should really appreciate the current democracy and freedom we have today and prevent it from evolving into a situation filled with malicious confrontations, but no toleration.
The 2008 general election is a major political watershed in Malaysia and for the first time, it let us see that the two-party system seems to be so close, yet so far.
We have been so worried as some people do not actually wish to see the formation of such a political structure. Therefore, they have resorted to all kinds of despicable means or made inciting remarks to divide racial groups. They make troubles and demonise the two-party system by calling it a polarisation. They have created resentment, divided the people and confused the two-party system with polarisation.
As Taiwanese critic Yang Zhao said, such an act that rationalises everything to serve political purposes and a mindset thinking that political purposes can override the basic moral conscience, is actually the most terrible toxin in politics!
We have seen many examples his history in which violence is carried out in the name of democracy. As a result, terrorism rampant while violence against violence has become a vicious circle. This is indeed a lesson to be learned for all around the world who are engaging in democratic movements!
