KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 ― The Malay community’s weakness is not the oft-claimed “laziness or stupidity” but its inability to tolerate criticism, claimed fugitive blogger Alvin Tan in a departure from his customary baiting.
Tan said the community’s short temper when faced with criticism also prevented it from taking any possible lessons contained therein.
“Malays' weakness is not laziness or stupidity, but their failure to take criticism. When there is any criticism or imputation thrown at the Malays, they would immediately ― without thinking ― respond with vulgar and obscene words worse than satan's. It is rare that the Malay community would stop for a moment to consider if the criticism is true and has basis...
“The chance to improve themselves has disappeared as Malays' are reluctant to control their anger and to study their shortcomings,” he wrote in Malay.
The former National University of Singapore (NUS) law scholar then ended the post by questioning how one could “improve” himself if his judgement is “perpetually clouded by your angry irrationality and, for that matter, your irrational anger?”
He ended with the #MakananBuatPemikiranSempenaBulanPuasa (FoodForThoughtDuringTheFastingMonth).
The status update posted last night has now garnered almost 4,000 “likes” and shared 225 times on Facebook, but has received mixed response from readers.
Tan, who is seeking political asylum in the US, fled the country last September after he was charged two years ago with insulting Muslims along with then-girlfriend Vivian Lee.
They were charged under the Sedition Act for displaying a picture with the caption “Selamat Berbuka Puasa (with Bak Kut Teh... fragrant, delicious and appetising)” on Facebook in July 2013.
Another charge was under subsection 5(1) of the Film Censorship Act 2002 for displaying a pornographic picture on their Facebook account also in July 2013.
A four-day trial will begin on November 23 this year, in the absence of Tan.
