I write with a heavy heart from New Zealand. I cry when I see the "what is" and think of the "what could have been". We certainly began well as a country in 1957.

The Freedom of the Press, the Rule of Law, the Separation of Powers, the Independence of the Judiciary, the ability of Malaysian lawyers and Members of Parliament to speak without fear or favour ... all these have fallen victim as Malaysia willy nilly takes the road to authoritarianism. More, the TOLERANT Malaysian political culture has evolved into INTOLERANCE if the latest campaign against homosexuals is considered!

We in Malaysia are lucky to have a crusading journalist in Marina Mahathir. She showed her daring courage by defying this vested-interest group and challenging their agenda and objective. In fact, even Elizabeth Wong of Suaram made a point that since time immemorial, society looks for scapegoats whenever something big goes wrong. And things in Malaysia are heading into JALAN SALAH if we start to impose the majority view on the minority and deny them their basic rights.

Why, Malaysia, why turn into JALAN SALAH? It will only lead to JALAN SUSAH. It is a road that leads to nowhere. In the name of nationalism, nay even "patriotism", Hitler took Germany towards this road. So did Mussolini with Italy. Where did this lead Germany to? Where did this lead Italy to? Where were the decent Germans and their voice when the 6 million Jews were sacrificed in the gas chambers amid the political culture of fear? Why did Hitler end up shot in the bunk and Mussolini and his mistress end up hung upside down? Is it because of actual nationalism or convoluted nationalism?

Convoluted nationalism is a road that focuses on personalities rather than on institutions. It highlights the leader and not the law. It celebrates the transient and not the permanent. It is a road that the politics of the tummy justifies. But man lives not by bread alone. We Malaysians need never think with just our tummies. That is not where our brains are located. Woe betide any person who threatens to rob the the livelihood of another to ensure that he or she conforms for the sake of conformity. Such threats and coercion issue only from the politically bankrupt, the historically blinkered and the morally warped. If we Malaysians conform at all, we conform for a purpose or purposes that the lamp of scrutiny can enlighten and the faith of time can reinforce.

I need not talk about how the centres of power were stripped of their nation-building and nation-stabilising roles in the last 10 years. Do a Tunku, our beloved First Prime Minister and Bapa Malaysia, and "look back" if you must. One institution was tamed into submission before another was targetted for the same treatment. Operation Lalang led to the sad Salleh Abas Episode. The sad Salleh Abas Episode led to the Anti-Royalty Campaign. The Anti-Royalty Campaign led to the Bungkus Anwar Campaign.

In short, Operation Lalang used the Internal Security Act 1960 to subdue government critics, Opposition members and the print and broadcast media, particularly those that belonged then to the wrong government groups. Operation Lalang cost Malaysia plenty. Experienced journalists from one paper numbering at least 60 left in droves over time. They are now found in America, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The next target was the Salleh Abas Episode or anti-judiciary campaign, implemented by the powers-that-be and embellished by the Malaysian journalists left behind. Some Judges then were blackmailed and/or coerced. The result is a game of musical chairs at the judiciary. When the music stopped, what did we see? Three long-standing Judges were sacked on various charges. A senior Kuala Lumpur-based lawyer suddenly emerges as a new-face Member of Parliament from Penang for one term, a High Court Judge becomes a High Commissioner to another country, and a Supreme Court Judge participating in the musical chairs suffered a stroke and spent eight years in comatose before he passed on. His brother Supreme Court Judge, a poet with a penchant for Latin verses, had shot himself in earlier years. Meanwhile, the resultant vacuum saw the rise of a new corps of Judges to fill the now renamed Federal Court.

When the Malaysian royalty was targeted, the subdued Malaysian print and broadcast journalists again aided and abetted in the campaign, just as Malaysians can be sure that they will provide the requisite logistical support to embellish the Bungkus Anwar Campaign. However, from what I can see, this is a breach too far. In fact, the four political initiatives over time appear to have helped Malaysians recover from their politically unconscious state.

This has been reinforced somewhat by what occurred almost identically on the political front. Under Dr Mahathir, the resignation of Musa Hitam was followed by the resignation of Ghafar Baba. Now the situation is getting more desperate and so requires desperate measures. Anwar has been "expelled" from high political and party office after being given a choice. He chose not to resign and lost his right to a life-long pension.

Malaysians are now realising that the powers-that-be have not only owned the lines of communications, but also "captured" it. As a young journalist years ago, I remember a debate which raged among serious journalists whether it was politic to receive a state decoration, even a Datukship? The conclusion, I believe, was that it was all right to crown one’s ending career. Today, we see young journos happily displaying the badges of political acceptance, little realising what perception that picture will create on the ground. Any wonder then why Malaysians today distrust their journalists?

Remember, fellow Malaysians, under Musa as Home Affairs Minister, the ISA was used very sparingly - only in the unfortunate Memali Incident - in 5 years. Ask yourself why:

(1) Why was the ISA used so freely after Musa resigned?

(2) Was it because Tan Seri Musa was enlightened enough to use the ISA sparingly?

(3) Or was it because Datuk Musa knows that the abuse of power only

(a) brutalises the power-holder; and

(b) dehumanises those who carry out that abuse of power; and

(c) creates undue suffering on the targets?

If the above answers are positive, then we Malaysians must subscribe to the enlightened view that will ensure that Malaysian life is sacred, whichever Supreme Being, Allah or God we individually believe in. Celebrate the sanctity of life, Malaysians, don't devalue what is God-given. Broadly applied, the injunction that "Thou shalt not kill" means creating conditions for the creations of God to survive and thrive.

I call upon Musa to explain how the abuse of power can create a negative political culture for a young country like Malaysia. This will help the powers-that-be to turn to JALAN BETUL.

Fellow Malaysians, how depraved must Malaysia be before Malaysians regain their consciousness? How low do we have to go?

I call on all Malaysians to stand up and be counted in Malaysia's hour of need. Take part in the WHITE RIBBON campaign. We must tell the powers-that-be that enough is enough. Then, we must repair the damage already done. For instance, at a minimum, we have to restore to the three fallen Supreme Court Judges the pension that is their due after apologising for the ungrateful and dehumanising treatment they have been subjected to. This is certainly not part of Asian culture.

To the Malaysian Police, I appeal to all officers, senior and junior, old and young, to observe professionalism in the discharge of your duties. Your duty is to help protect Malaysians, not harass or obstruct them. Your duty is to uphold order and law. If Malaysian statutes that deny rights and freedom to Malaysians are used against "peaceful" demonstrators, they are being implemented against the original intentions of Parliament. Laws such as these and the ISA and OSA were products of the Cold War era. The Cold War is already over. The Royal Malaysian Police Force have won the war against the communists, the only government armed force to do so in the world. The job of law enforcement officers now is to perpetuate peace in Malaysia. Remember the ISA was enacted to fight the communist opposition, never the democratic opposition and above all, never the population.

As already indicated by the victory it enjoyed over armed communist insurrection, the Royal Malaysian Police Force has a very high standard to uphold. A police force that thrashes peaceful demonstrators, women and children sullies the well-earned reputation of the whole force and betrays the supreme sacrifice that many Malaysian jungle scouts have made while fighting against the Communists in the jungles of Malaya. Some have died in the deep recesses of the jungle. Have their sacrifices been in vain?

Anak Pulau Pinang