by The Malaysian Insider
PKR’s Chua Tian Chang was charged with sedition today for allegedly linking Umno to the on-going Sulu intrusion into Sabah.
Two surprises here.
One, that the Sedition Act is being used despite Putrajaya saying that the law will be repealed.
Two, allegedly offensive statements to burn Malay-language bibles by Datuk Ibrahim Ali and that against Hindus by academic Datuk Dr Ridhuan Tee have yet to see the police working as hard as they have with the Batu MP.
What does that say about double standards?
And what does that say about the priority of the powers-that-be in taking action against those who criticise the government rather than those who wound the feelings of fellow Malaysians?
Aren’t all of us supposed to be equal before the law? Is there a law for opposition MPs and one for those friendly with the government of the day?
Every Malaysian expects the police and the prosecutors to be above politics. To act without fear or favour. To investigate every case thoroughly and bring to court those who they believe have committed an offence.
In this case, the police and prosecutors have done a swift job with Tian Chua, taking him to court even as the Sulu incursion continues. Malaysians can only leave it to the wisdom of the judiciary to decide whether Tian Chua has committed sedition.
But we are in the dark over action taken against the Perkasa president and the lecturer in the National Defence University. How is it that their cases are still being investigated and no action taken?
Even if there is no case to answer, shouldn’t the people be told? At least then, they know the police are doing their job.
Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done. The swift action against Tian Chua is glaring when compared to the snail’s pace in investigating both Ibrahim and Tee.
And it lends credence to Tian Chua’s assertion that this is all political and nothing to do with what is right or wrong.
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* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist
