This never happened of course. Instead, Harapan
under the old maverick and supine political operatives dithered and
waffled, attempting to placate the mainstream political establishment
and vested interests in the state security apparatus and these laws
continued.
Social activists and academics who pointed out the
hypocrisy of not repealing these laws were vilified by Harapan
supporters who were content with the bread and circus of the Najib Abdul
Razak trial.
Meanwhile,
Harapan political operatives were gaslighting the public about the
plotters of the Sheraton Move blaming the press for stirring trouble.
Not to mention, attempts to restrict public and private spheres even more.
Indeed Harapan went so far as to consider legislation which would make news portal operators responsible for their readers’ comments and Harapan toyed with amendments to existing laws but thankfully nothing came of it.
And
let us not forget the numerous persecutions which involved the religion
of the state and the unjust persecutions of not only the folks labelled
LTTE terrorists but anyone who was attempting to spook the Malays which
Harapan was deathly afraid.
These laws are enacted to muzzle the
public but, more importantly, are vital tools in the “fear box” to
remind the public that whatever they say or do against the state is
always under scrutiny.
You can never tell whether what you say or
do is seditious or an illegality, because these laws are there for the
convenience of the ruling elite rather than any kind of traditional
normative values or reasoning of a functional democracy.
Torture and abuse
And let us not forget the allegations of torture and abuse that go on for those held under these unjust laws.
There
is some safety if you are a political operative or a well-known social
activist but for the rest of us, the rules do not apply. From a press reportage
in 2016, it was stated one detainee, in particular, was threatened at
gunpoint during questioning, forced to strip naked and sexually harassed
by officers.
"This detainee was stripped and bent over, his anus caressed with a water bottle.
“Another
detainee was forced to strip and forced to bend over to be sodomised,”
said Suaram executive director Sevan Doraisamy, who added that he was
unsure whether the actual act was carried out or otherwise.
Keep
in mind that the default position of the state security apparatus and
the political class is that (1) all reports of malfeasances are
fabrications, and (2) show us proof.
What these laws really ensure
is political hegemony. What I have argued and so have many other legal
and security professionals, and academics across the ideological divide –
some of whom were detained under these laws and political operatives –
is that there are enough legal provisions to maintain safety and
security provided a professional and impartial state security apparatus
does its job without resorting to such immoral, undemocratic measures.
Harapan
supporters, who think that these laws are needed to curtail the
religious and racial excesses of the Malay far-right are delusional.
When
Harapan was in power, what it did was capitulate to far-right elements
instead of using these so-called laws which are claimed to be needed to
preserve the safety and security of all citizens.
So again, what
are we dealing with here? We are dealing with the collusion between the
political class and the state security apparatus.
This is why
there is really nothing to be said about any efforts by any coalitions
to reform the state security apparatus and abolish obnoxious laws.
As
long as there is no independent oversight, the state security apparatus
and the political class will continue colluding and merely change
positions depending on whose "boy" is put in positions of power.
Now Harapan political operatives are attempting to tell us how bad these laws are and how much they oppose them.
Don’t make me laugh. When you had the chance to abolish them, you instead chose to use them.
