Raja Nazrin on Law and Order
Both NST and The Star (nothing on Malaysiakini yet) proudly frontpage that paragon of liberal thought, Raja Nazrin Shah apparently denouncing the recent peaceful rallies - clearly referencing Hindraf and Bersih.
Might have come as a shock to some.
Raja Nazrin has said a number of profoundly moral (if not profoundly original) things in recent months.
The popularity of his statements remind me of how quiet the voice of moderation is in Malaysia. When someone of any stature (and is deemed politically correct by those controlling the media) says the right things, no matter how mild, instant celebrity status is achieved.
Nothing really wrong with that; but I can’t quite agree with the interpretations that seem to inform Raja Nazrin’s latest points though. He seems to emphasise that law and order must be above all.
I once got summoned for making an illegal U-turn. I really hated having to face the cops, then drag my sorry behind to the station and fork out all the cash to pay my fine.
I actually hated the waste of time and money enough to become very conservative when it comes to driving. Ask anyone who’s been in my car - I almost never break road rules.
But that doesn’t mean we as citizens must follow all laws blindly.
Ponder this. If colonialism in Asia and apartheid in both America and South Africa still existed today, would Gandhi, Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela be heroes, or criminals threatening law and order?
During their struggle, the injustices that they fought were all perfectly legal and within the ambit of the law. Did being legal make them right?
It is in fact illegal to have more than five people gathered together in Malaysia without a permit. Does that make it right to arbitrarily deny permits and thus abrogate freedoms of assembly as enshrined in the Constitution?
And does it allow for the brutal use of tear gas, water cannons and batons on unarmed citizens? (Perhaps we can have the good Raja’s views on this?)
The ISA is a perfectly legal entity. Does that make it right to detain citizens without trial for years on end and thus open the door to beatings and torture such as ISA detainee Malek Hussin faced?
Some of my schoolmates used to really hate how I seemed to take my prefect details a bit too seriously. I don’t believe in cutting corners.
But just as we must hold fast to all just laws, we cannot give way to laws that clearly perpetrate injustice.
We must never forget: there is no lasting law and order without true justice and equality.
It has been said many times around the blogosphere, but if peaceful demonstrations are not our culture, why was it acceptable for Umno to demonstrate against the Malayan Union way back when? Or for the son-in-law to monkey around when Condoleeza Rice visited at the invitation of the father-in-law?
If they were protesting injustices, then I support their right to assemble.
I cannot possibly buy any ridiculous argument stating that these are “foreign cultures.” A culture of standing up to injustice is universal.
I have often faced the dilemma of whether as an aspiring law abiding citizen, I would take part in things that are clearly, in technical terms, illegal. Obviously, we can’t have everyone going around interpreting law and justice for themselves.
But sometimes the fault lines are far too clear. Sometimes the dilemma is not really a dilemma at all, if we think clearly, and with our hearts.
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My colleague opined that Raja Nazrin is merely trying to balance his act, so that he isn’t seen as too anti-government, and/or so that the rest of what he says is taken more seriously - playing politics, as it were. Maybe, maybe not.
Either way, I think that in this case, the ends do not justify the means.
I can understand that if one were to read only the mainstream media, one could be forgiven for thinking that violence does indeed threaten to engulf Malaysia.
But see beyond the lies and look deeper for the truth. Find the pictures, read Malaysiakini, read the eyewitness accounts.
Then consider again, whether it is hollow law and order that is being threatened, or enduring justice for all.
Tags-Integrity, Laws, Malaysian Politics
