YOURSAY | Govt caught in Catch-22 situation

YOURSAY | 'Religion weaponised for decades and we did nothing to stop it.'

COMMENT | Guan Eng, problem isn’t really Hadi anymore

Cogito Ergo Sum: Acting against PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will make him a martyr and embolden his followers. Is that the end game? We got ourselves into a corner when we allowed religion to be weaponised and did nothing about it for the last three decades.

It will be a dangerous thing to go for Hadi, the repercussions will be devastating. The way to beat Hadi and extremist views is to show real and palpable improvement in the economy and social status of the people.

Winning the hearts and minds of the people is done through jobs, higher wages, better educational opportunities and meaningful leisure. The authorities are caught in a Catch-22 situation.

To act will exacerbate the tension, not acting gives the perpetrators license to spew vitriol. We should never have allowed ourselves to be pushed into this corner.

We have a crony capitalist system of the past to blame for this. Not much can be done by the police or Home Ministry.

Madani Malaysia: G Vinod: "On March 9, Sentul district police chief Beh Eng Lai confirmed that the case was being investigated by Bukit Aman's Classified Crime Investigation Unit".

Life has been made so simple for our “mata-mata” (police personnel), who is noted for selective enforcement according to race and religion when sedition-related laws are violated.

When Malays/Muslims are even slightly seen to be slandered they would spring into action even in the middle of the night with balaclava, if they chose to. They don't need police reports.

When police reports are lodged against non-Malays/non-Muslims, who are disparaged and smeared, all they (police) do is coolly make an announcement “the case was being investigated”.

Business goes on as usual and that is the end of the matter. And if after some months if those who lodged the police report raise the issue again, they just say “The matter is being looked into” and that is the end of the matter.

If this is the level of law enforcement any wonder, why these fake preachers and some converts are having a field day slandering the minorities with impunity? And they are allowed to run down the race, religion, and morality of the non-Malays for nothing more than their political expediency.

All that these preachers are doing is showing their flock and others how powerful and immune they are from the law and how low and powerless the minorities are.

Honestly, do the police fear these so-called Islamists that so daringly violate the laws, or do they think the non-Malay/non-Muslims are expendable and unworthy of justice under our laws?

Apanama is back: This is what I have been commenting on for a long time. Act, act, and act, it is very simple. When a person like former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Hadi utter racist comments, they will wait and see the responses.

The moment they find that no action will be taken against them even though there are numerous police reports, they become bolder. They know they are untouchable. In fact, the authority’s inaction makes them untouchable.

Yes, as Vinod pointed out, ask Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail why these people are untouchable. Do both Anwar and Saifuddin fear their supporters will riot?

Vinod mentioned, "....it seems the authorities are reluctant to throw the book at hate preachers and incendiary politicians due to mysterious reasons."

It is not mysterious reasons. It is deliberately not investigated because the authorities seem to agree with the hate preachers and incendiary politicians.

In fact, I dare to say that the authorities do not care at all. However, when it comes to a non-Muslim and non-Malay who utter hate statements, the authorities will move in full swing at lightning speed.

The very next day, you could see the person in court, requesting for remand order and maybe the following week, he will be charged. Yes, selective prosecution.

I will say the system had broken down to the point of no return. Really, a pathetic system. But all of them are appointed based on “merit and competence”. A joke indeed!

I also dare say, even if one makes a million police reports against Hadi, there will be no action taken against him. This makes Hadi dare to utter another racist comment.

Steven Ong: This commentator is more cautious and soft in his approach but nonetheless, he is talking about the same problems that may destroy this country and join the failed states.

In failed states, those in power are more interested in their authority and power and little or none about creating a prosperous country like heaven on earth. They prefer to deceive and promise many of a heaven unseen and unproven.

If one were to walk around the world, one would come upon little heavens as proof that heaven can be created. One could also see hell, the promise of an unseen heaven where the sons are in control.

BlueShark1548: No mystery involved in not acting against Hadi. It is just being prudent in a multi-racial and cultural society. Look at what happened when former prime minister Imran Khan was arrested in Pakistan.

The arrest ignited deadly protests and a tussle with the military, according to Reuters.

As the Malaysian government is facing state elections in July, why upset voters, the majority of whom are Malays by arresting a senior whom many consider to be a Tok Guru (religious teacher)?

We cannot afford civil unrest and instability. Hadi does not have a following amongst most Malay voters in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor and Kedah.

However, his arrest may trigger a backlash from the youths (many of whom voted for Perikatan Nasional which includes PAS in the recent general elections in November 2022).

We need to see the big picture when we deal with religious bigots. It is not too late to deal with them after the state elections.

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