SEPTEMBER 12 — So a bunch of people wearing red T-shirts are going to go about and demonstrate this coming Malaysia Day. They are not celebrating the formation of Malaysia or the amazing diversity of her people. Instead, what they intend to do is claim their right to free speech in the same way that the participants of Bersih 4 did a couple of weekends ago.

But it really isn’t the same thing. Hate speech isn’t free speech. That is what they are going on about and is a fundamental difference that they and the authorities themselves seem to be unable or unwilling to understand. The messages of hate, bigotry and racism are what this lot in red is promoting. A far cry from the demands for good governance, electoral transparency and financial accountability made by Bersih.

This is a demonstration that has no stated purpose, no objective, no injustice or wrong to speak out against and no identified cause other than “wanting to teach the Chinese not to be rude to Malays” and soothe egos and wounded pride. .

This is a rally whose organisers, Persatuan Silat Kebangsaan (Pesaka) hid for the longest time behind anonymity. A gathering of people whose promotional poster depicts a person clothed in a yellow Bersih T-shirt on his knees, his hands bound behind his back and with his throat slit. A warrior in black brandishing a bloodied weapon is portrayed leaping forward to finish the job. 

This is a group of individuals led by Gabungan NGO-NGO Malaysia chairperson Jamal Md Yunos (who is apparently also an Umno Sungai Besar division chair) who has warned against non-Muslims entering Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia Day. What are we to think from such words? On the very day when we should be celebrating our union of peoples in this federation, we are instead told and threatened by these people. 

When asked in the unlikely event that Chinese Muslims would like to join the red rally, he responded by saying that this would be a Malay rally.

So, what he is actually rallying for are hate, violence and racial dominance.

Because this is what this is, a racist rally. A gathering which has repeatedly threatened bloodshed, violence and race based attacks. An opportunity for a group of arrogant and insecure individuals to provoke and impress upon all their dominance, their might and authority upon others.

Despite this, we have barely heard a warning from the authorities that such a rally would cause civil disorder and lawlessness. That it would disrupt businesses and loss of income for those in the affected area. That it would necessitate a military intervention in the event of a state of emergency. There has not been a legal ban against the wearing of red T-shirts (which is ridiculous anyway). 

Make no mistake. These people join the brotherhood of fascists and extremists such as the Ku Klux Klan, neo Nazis, Black and Brown shirts. The garbage can of history is filled with these groups.

It’s a topsy turvy world when on the one hand, the leaders of the government say that “we will not prohibit our members from joining the red T-shirt rally” and in the other, move heaven and earth to go after the organisers of Bersih. Both the prime minister and Home minister have chosen to not condemn this rally. The leaders of Umno have expressed very little opposition.

The Islamic religious leaders who normally would be among the first to express an opinion and declare something haram continue to be silent. Silent in the face of calls and threats of violence and fear by those who claim to act in the name of Islam. There have been no Friday sermons condemning violence and the threat of aggression. I ask you, as religious leaders, is this how you uphold the teachings of Islam? By remaining silent? The truth is that this has never been about religion but about racial dominance.

The words of moderation, supposedly the cornerstone of this government, seem to be only for the ears of foreigners and at international conferences. Reduced to mere tokenism in the face of such inconsistency and brought out when convenient.

Once again, it goes back to us, the Malaysian people, to fight back against this menace. We cannot depend on our political leaders and must look to ourselves.

The writer urges Malaysians to reject the planned September 16 red rally, saying the extremist sentiments of this group must remain a minority and a fringe group.

Let the red T-shirt crowd have their gathering in Padang Merbok. But let us reject their claim that what they do is free speech. Hate speech is not free speech. The extremist sentiments of this group must remain a minority and a fringe group.

Let 16 September be a day where we stand and be seen to stand together against such hatred, prejudice and bigotry. Let this be a reason for us to celebrate Malaysia’s birthday.

Malaysians need to be able to see other Malaysians standing up for each other in order to believe in change and move forward as a people and together as a country. 

There can be no other way.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.