OCT 3 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should take a leaf from his own speech in the United Nations General Assembly, especially in battling domestic extremism which has become more rampant of late.
Najib hit the nail on the head in his October 1 speech in New York when he took a hard stance against extremists like Islamic State and espoused moderation which he described as a “principle that runs through all civilizations and faiths”.
While such foreign policy is admirable, it would be hypocritical if the government does not abide by such principles on the domestic front. In his speech, Najib had said there should be no doubt on the country’s seriousness in battling militant extremists. That being the case, the full brunt of the law should likewise be used against extremists who spew hatred and sow discord among us.
One should not be deluded into thinking that those who bomb malls and carry out suicide missions can inflict more damage than those who instigate hatred and tear our social fabric beyond recognition for generations to come. Both should be condemned and acted upon for the untold damage they can cause.
Of late, we have seen various right-wing groups and individuals trying to assert their hardline stance, to the detriment of national cohesion. They range from the Low Yat fallout; post-Bersih 4 racial slant, the Red-shirts rally; controversy surrounding the Chinese Ambassador’s visit to Petaling Street; status of national-type primary schools and controversial statements by the likes of Datuk Jamal Yunos and Tan Sri Annuar Musa, just to name a few.
The government should immediately act against these elements of extremism, some of which clearly promotes ill-will. Failure to act will further embolden more extremists to push the envelope of freedom of speech, to the point that it undermines our already fragile sense of unity.
CENBET which promotes moderation is hopeful that the government does not say something in an international forum, but does another domestically. It would make a mockery of the Prime Minister’s address to the United Nations if this happens.
* The Centre for A Better Tomorrow is a member to Malaysia’s flourishing civil society landscape. CENBET promotes moderation and good governance – two elements it believes is central to building the foundation to a better tomorrow. Gan Ping Sieu is a former Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports. He is a lawyer by training and holds a Diploma in Syariah from the International Islamic University.
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
