Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, Facebook

“Hamideh Soleimani Afshar and her daughter are now in the custody of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” the State Department said in a statement after Rubio revoked their green cards.

The State Department noted that while the pair were living in the US, Afshar “promoted Iranian regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities in the Middle East, praised the new Iranian Supreme Leader, denounced America as the ‘Great Satan,’ and voiced her unflinching support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a designated terror organization.”

So Hamideh Soleimani Afshar felt so secure with her green card that, far from keeping quiet so as not to attract unwelcome attention, she spouted Iranian Islamic regime propaganda, celebrated attacks against American soldiers and military facilities, declared her undying support for the IRGC that the American government has designated as a terror organization, and called America, where she wanted to live, the “Great Satan.”

The statement noted that Afshar did all of this while living a life of luxury in Los Angeles, as evidenced by posts on her Instagram account, which has since been deleted.

She supports the IRGC wholeheartedly, that group of cutthroats her uncle headed before his timely demise, a sinister armed force well known for its torture and murder of Iranian protesters. But she has been doing her cheerleading from Los Angeles, far from the police state she wants to survive, as long as she herself need not endure it. 

And as a pampered child of the corrupt Iranian nomenklatura, she has plenty of money from her doting uncle, but it can’t be as easily spent in Iran, where her lavish living would raise eyebrows among ordinary Iranians. 

So she somehow managed under the Biden administration to be admitted to the United States, where she is able to buy and enjoy, far from the prying eyes of her fellow Iranians, her Hermès foulards and Chanel perfumes and Elie Saab gowns and Birkin bags, and suchlike luxe found in high-end shops along Rodeo Drive.

How was it that she was admitted to the United States in the first place? Surely the name “Soleimani” on an Iranian passport should have set off alarm bells. What was the reason they were both given green cards? Did they claim they were being persecuted in Iran? It shouldn’t have been hard for well-trained immigration officers to ferret out the truth. Wasn’t a Persian-speaking officer available to interrogate her? Or were those immigration officers — let’s get their names, please — simply asleep at the wheel?

And how long have they been in this country, the niece and grand-niece of Qasem Soleimani who are freely spouting Iranian regime propaganda and declaring their undying support for the Islamic Republic? There are 140,000 Iranian-Americans in Los Angeles County, and at least 500,000 in Southern California. Did none of those people, able to read her online posts in Persian, think that she should be reported to the authorities? Of course, in the Biden administration, no one would have paid much attention. They were not interested in “punishing innocent relatives” of Iranian officials.

The State Department under Marco Rubio has been going aggressively after relatives of Islamic Republic leaders now living in this country, determined to strip them of their green cards and to promptly deport them.

These relatives of Islamic Republic big shots know, despite their claims of admiration and support for the Islamic Republic, that they can only be happy in the Great Satan, whose freedoms they enjoy even while they try to undermine the country, our country, that in a fit of absentmindedness let them in. And of course, it’s far better to spend the money their corrupt relatives gave them out of sight of starving Iranians. These hideous people should never have been admitted in the first place, but now justice will be done. 

They will be located, arrested, and quickly deported. The daughter of the slain Iranian leader Ali Larijani and her husband are already home, and Soleimani’s niece and grand-niece will within days be sent packing to Tehran. The criminals who run Iran should learn that not only they, but all of their relatives will be kept out of the United States, the “Great Satan” they are so eager to live in. Sorry, says Marco Rubio, our splendid Secretary of State. No can do.

USAF F-16A F-15C F-15E Desert Storm, US Air Force, Public domain

US officials had earlier confirmed the mission to FOX News, explaining that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had conducted an extensive deception campaign as part of the rescue effort.

The Airman, who hasn’t yet been publicly named, was one of two aircrew flying the F-15 when it was shot down. A US military team rescued the aircraft’s pilot later that day, but the second airman was stranded for 36 hours in mountainous terrain before being rescued by US forces.

The CIA campaign involved spreading word inside Iran that US forces had already found him and were moving him overland for exfiltration, confusing Iranian forces and leadership in their own search for the missing airman.

While Iranian forces grappled with misinformation, US intelligence was able to aid in locating the airman in Iran and assist in a US special forces extraction mission.

It was the ultimate “needle in a haystack” scenario, a US official told Fox News. “A courageous American hidden within a mountain crevice, undetectable by conventional means but revealed through CIA intelligence,” he said….

Foreign reports have claimed that Israeli commandos participated in the operation. However, an IDF source stated to the Post that these reports are completely false.

Note that the IDF denies that Israeli commandos took part in the actual rescue and extraction of the downed American, but did not say that Israelis played no part. In fact, an IDF source confirmed that Israel provided intelligence to the Americans. 

Isn’t it likely that Mossad helped supply information to the Americans about the situation on the ground near where the airman was located, such as what Iranian forces were in the area and whether Iranians collaborating with Mossad were also close by? Surely Mossad would also have helped spread inside Iran the false story about the Americans having already found the airman and were taking him overland out of the country. 

This led the Iranians to look for him in the wrong places, and to ignore the possibility of an extraction by air. I haven’t heard anyone in the IDF claim that Israel played “no part whatsoever in the rescue.” In fact, an IDF source confirmed that Israel did supply the Americans with useful intelligence, and also bombed certain Iranian sites as a diversionary tactic, but did not take part in the rescue itself.

During the operation, US forces reportedly established a temporary air base for their search mission, during which two MC-130J planes became stuck, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

MC-130Js are specially equipped aircraft used for covert infiltration and the extraction of troops from behind enemy lines.

Due to the planes being immobilized, three additional planes were reportedly sent in for final extraction, NYT reported, and US forces made the decision to blow up the downed planes before evacuating the area.

After the successful extraction mission, Iranian forces discovered the remains of the MC-130J planes and falsely claimed that their military had shot them down.

“According to the IRGC Public Relations Department, through divine favor, the hostile American drone that had been tracking a downed fighter pilot in the southern Isfahan was shot down.” IRNA news tweeted regarding the MC-130J aircraft.

The Iranians did not shoot down the two MC-130J aircraft, as they claimed. “Divine favor” of Allah had nothing to do with it. These very heavy planes had landed, got stuck on the inhospitable ground (mud? sand? rocks?), and could not take off. The decision was made to blow them up, to prevent them from falling intact into enemy hands. But Iranians are being told that Iran’s anti-aircraft fire brought them down. Very few people in Iran are still willing to believe the nonsense and lies their rulers disseminate.

What effect will this rescue have on Iranians? First, they will be mightily impressed with the ability of the American military to find this human needle in a haystack, somewhere in the mountainous wastes of western Iran. Second, they will again see that the Americans have beaten their blustering rulers to the punch — with aid in part from their indispensable ally, Israel — who got to the airman and extracted him by air, while Iranian forces had been tricked into going on a wild goose chase in western Iran, convinced by rumors that Mossad spread that the Americans had found the airman and were supposedly already taking him overland out of Iran.

Third, and perhaps most important, the Iranians can compare how the Americans will move heaven and earth to rescue one of their own, just as the IDF tried to rescue, at great cost, hostages kidnapped by Hamas, while the rulers in Tehran don’t give a damn about the safety of their people, and are willing to use their own civilians as cannon fodder in order to ensure that the regime itself remains in power. The latest example of this is the regime’s new policy, announced on March 26, to recruit children as young as twelve for “Homeland Defending Combatants” roles. 

They are assigned to help out in the war effort, manning urban checkpoints and handling security patrols in Tehran, amid severe manpower shortages. Recruiting children under 15 into armed forces or using them in hostilities is classified as a war crime under international law, as noted by the UN Treaty of the Rights of the Child.

After I wrote the above, more about Israel’s role in the rescue was made public, which included diversionary airstrikes by the IDF. More on what Israel did to help in the rescue can be found here: “IDF intelligence, strikes helped US rescue downed pilot, sources tell ‘Post,'” by Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post, April 5, 2026:

The 48-hour mission, which a senior US official described as “the boldest and most courageous rescue operation in history,” relied also on Israeli intelligence and tactical support to ensure the pilots were extracted before they could be captured by Iranian forces.

According to sources who spoke with The Jerusalem Post, the IDF, acting in cooperation with US forces, launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets. These strikes were strategically designed to act as a diversion, drawing Iranian security forces away from the crash site and toward other areas.

In addition to the diversionary tactics, the IDF targeted specific Iranian assets with the intent to sabotage and disrupt Tehran’s race toward the pilots, blinding the Iranian military partially to the pilots’ location while the extraction team moved in.

Thank God Israel is on our side and we, thank God, are on Israel’s.

Malaysiakini : The driver was first accused of being “mabuk” (drunk), intoxicated by liquor. That was enough to ignite the frenzy. When he later admitted to self-administering benzodiazepine and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the narrative should have shifted. It didn’t.

The widow wept, calling for an eye for an eye. The public raged. From the woodwork crawled the "religious experts," consultants, rabble-rousers, and agent provocateurs - quick on the draw, selling hatred wrapped in race and religion.

Religious leaders and government officials stood in line to partake in the tragedy, introducing religious jurisprudence instead of the statute books.

Then came the law: the attorney-general himself, justifying the murder charge on the driver.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Dusuki Mokhtar stressed that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) gave due consideration before deciding to charge 28-year-old R Saktygaanapathy under Section 302 of the Penal Code for causing the death of Amirul Hafiz Omar, a warehouse worker and delivery rider.

Dusuki explained that the accused’s action, purportedly deliberately entering the opposite lane at high speed, created a situation that was “so imminently dangerous” to the deceased, as provided for under Section 300(d) of the Penal Code.

The said law applies where a person commits an act knowing it to be so imminently dangerous that it will, in all probability, cause death.

Thus began another round where race and religion took centre stage. What about other crashes where there were multiple losses of lives? Citizens went back to the archives.

Underage driver

Two months ago, a mother who allowed her underage son to drive her car, which later got into an accident claiming three lives, was fined RM1,500 by the Seremban Magistrate's Court.

“After considering the guilty plea by the accused, mitigating factors and submissions by parties and the aggravating factors, the court hereby fines the accused RM1,500 in default three months jail,” ruled magistrate Nurul Azuin Talhah, according to the South China Morning Post.

So, going by the same AGC logic, didn’t the mother anticipate that her son, who was not qualified or competent to drive, would cause the crash by driving on public roads?

Last Thursday, three individuals were killed while two others sustained minor injuries in a road accident involving three vehicles on the Johor Bahru-Seremban road.

Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said the incident, which occurred at around 3.45pm, is believed to have happened when a trailer driven by a man crashed into the rear of a van carrying the victims.

According to him, the trailer driver has been detained to assist in the investigation, and initial urine tests found that the man tested positive for methamphetamine.

So now, the public is waiting with bated breath to see if the lorry driver will be charged with murder.

Gerik bus crash

In another case, a special task force under the Transport Ministry found that the Gerik bus crash, which killed 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris students in June last year, was caused by a combination of brake system failure and the driver’s actions while descending a slope.

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READ MORE: 15 lives lost: Probe exposes systemic failures - who will be held accountable?

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The report, among others, concluded:

• The bus’s braking system was compromised because of deformation and wear on the left rear brake drum, grease and oil contamination on the linings, and inconsistencies in the brake lining material. The combination of brake issues and excessive speed caused the bus to lose stability, skid, and overturn.

• The vehicle struck a W-beam guardrail, which penetrated the cabin, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities.

It said the pattern of applications indicated a high likelihood of abuse of the exemption mechanism, including licence leasing or system manipulation by unlicensed operators.

The report identified several interrelated contributing factors, including weaknesses in road design, vehicle specifications, poor operator governance, insufficient industry compliance, and gaps in regulatory oversight.

Now, here is the interesting part. It was not just the reckless driver. The report pointed to government agencies contributing partly to the deaths.

Highways have guardrails to prevent vehicles from plunging into ravines. But at the accident site, they acted not to save the bus, but became a giant spear, piercing through the left side of the vehicle.

How did this happen? The task force found several things wrong with the guardrail, including improper installation and assembly errors.

The spacing between guardrail posts was 3.8m, far over the 2m limit. The guardrail panels were installed against the flow of traffic, and multiple bolts were missing.

This resulted in it snapping upon impact, instead of cushioning the bus, noted the report. The end of the guardrail was not folded back, but became a sharp, piercing point.

Now, here’s the million-ringgit question: What about the contributory negligence?

After the crash, Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi said that since 2023, various initiatives have been undertaken to enhance the Gerik-Jeli route, particularly along the FT04 federal road.

He said all upgrading works on FT04 were completed in phases between July and August 2023, with a total cost of RM55.73 million, based on road damage assessments conducted through the pavement condition assessment.

Targeting alcoholic beverages

Going back to the recent case, the debate continued, a do-gooder, a newly minted doctor-turned-celebrity, doubled down. Not content with banning beer at convenience stores, she now wants coffee shops and restaurants to follow suit.

Because nothing says “road safety” like forcing Uncle Bala to empty his stout into the sink.

Never mind that the driver was on drugs. Beer has a brand and a villain we can see. Beer has a label. Beer can be banned. Drugs are unbranded, sold discreetly by unknown hands with a bigger profit margin.

Then came the second wave: a proposal to end all alcohol sales by 9pm because drunk drivers, as we all know, only crash after 9pm. Before that, they are model citizens. The logic is so flawless it hurts.

Then came another: Take the car, sell it, and give money to the widow, but it is not as easy as it sounds.

If the car had been purchased on hire purchase, as most Malaysians do, legally, the bank that offers the loan is the owner. The driver is the hirer. Period.

And oh, the penalties - bizarre, outlandish, and perhaps, loony.

The death penalty, life imprisonment, caning, fines up to RM1 million, and permanent driving bans. One politician even suggested mandatory compensation to the victim's family - which actually makes sense.

So, the chorus grows louder. The widow's grief – genuine and heartbreaking - is now a political prop. Her tears are livestreamed, shared, and weaponised. Every uncle on Facebook demands that the driver be hanged from a bridge.

Never mind that the same uncles would defend their own nephews, high on ketum juice, who knock down elderly people at pedestrian crossings. Or drive a passenger bus while high on drugs.

Hypocrisy galore

Hypocrisy is the national pastime; we just forgot the rules.

Somewhere, in a police lockup, the actual culprit sits quietly. Forgotten. Because the frenzy is not about him anymore. It's about us and our rage, righteousness and desperate need to feel something - anything - other than the quiet horror of 6,000 bodies a year.

So, go ahead, ban the beer, end alcohol sales at 9pm and hang the driver from a lamp post. Just don't expect it to bring back the motorcyclist, nor fix the carnage on our roads.

The killer is behind the wheel - not the beer.

“Therefore, in view of the circumstances at that particular time and in the interest of justice, peace, and harmony, I decided not to press any charges against them.”

Remember when the top cop in Terengganu said this: “In Terengganu, 97 percent of the population are Malays, and they still respect older people in their villages. They respect the village chief, imam and bilal. Such a way of life is an advantage that can prevent gangsterism-related crimes."

Or the narratives spun around the 2018 death of firefighter Adib Kassim, in which prime ministerial adviser A Kadir Jasin questioned why the police did not arrest any Indian Malaysians over the riots related to the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya, Selangor:

“I am sorry to say, it is a bit difficult to understand how so many police personnel with state-of-the-art equipment... did not see even one among the many Indian people who were there not committing any wrongdoings. It couldn’t have been so dark (gelap) when so many vehicles were burned?

“So if it is true that police in the 21st century cannot see rioters because it was dark, I suggest the Home Ministry request an allocation from the Finance Ministry to purchase torchlights for police personnel.”

Fueling racial narratives

So when Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar on Friday defended charging 28-year-old R Saktygaanapathy with murder by saying “I must act as a guardian of the public interest and ensure justice for the victim’s family, who are seeking fair and equitable justice”, the question rational Malaysians, regardless of race or religion, have to ask is which part of the public is his office a guardian of?

Ever notice that whenever a tragedy like this happens, folks are always waiting to see the race of the perpetrator and victim?

Then there is a sigh of relief when you discover that the perpetrator was not from your community, and this time, collective blame would not be assigned to your community.

Of course, there are always people from your community who, for whatever reasons, will mimic racist narratives, which merely enables the prejudices endemic to the state, but that is a topic for another time.

Whenever any kind of violence is brought upon the majority community by minorities, everyone tenses up because even if it is an accident, we know that the issue will be portrayed as a racial issue.

And whenever violence is brought upon a minority community by the majority, false equivalencies are the talking points of the day.

I read all these think pieces pleading for some systemic reform whose impetus is the death of Amirul Hafiz Omar, thereby attempting to take race out of the equation.

Meanwhile, this is manna from heaven for race and religion political operatives to detract from their political failings and depraved indifference to the community they constantly tell us they are champions for.

Tragedies used to advance agendas

Transport Minister Anthony Loke is told to do something, and he dutifully does. Of course, nobody told him to do something for the hundreds of deaths that occur during festive periods. This is what president Zaly Shah of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Malaysia reportedly said:

“An average of 18 people a day die in road accidents, but statistics I have seen show that accidents involving drunk drivers are small, isolated, and seasonal. When one happens, another may follow, but when it doesn’t occur, it doesn’t happen at all.

“Careless driving due to environmental factors, rain, and infrastructure issues such as potholes contributes more compared to drunken drivers.”

And PKR Youth was reported as insisting “that local governments introduce ‘dram shop liability’, which would hold operators legally accountable if they ‘over-serve’ customers, as a new clause in business licences for premises selling alcohol.”

Where was the outcry for bus drivers or boat drivers who caused deaths while under the influence or municipal malfeasances and corruption, which have led to deaths?

Look, all this is a matter of public record and yes, even the ethnicity of perpetrators and victims. Did we see the same outrage from the state or society when the victims were minorities?

The recent accident in Segamat, Johor, demonstrates the differing standards and attitudes of both political operatives and the hoi polloi.

Forget about the legalese for a moment. Forget about race for a moment. Every day, we witness Malaysians driving recklessly.

Do you think any of them wanted to murder anyone? Do you think when an accident happens, either through negligence or recklessness, that those folks thought today is a good day to murder someone?

Lawyer Eric Paulsen has the right of it when he says, “Swerving onto the opposite lane is ordinarily treated as recklessness or dangerous driving, not as an act so imminently dangerous that death must in all probability follow.

“To hold otherwise would mean that most, if not all, deaths caused by a vehicle crossing into oncoming traffic would now warrant a murder charge. That cannot be the state of the law.”

Why don’t we just throw away all legal provisions when it comes to negligence, or mistakes, or impaired judgment? Or better yet, why not add a constitutional amendment that says those laws do not apply when it comes to a specific demographic?

After all, privileging one community over others and weaponising tragedies are desiderata of supremacist ideologies.

Malaysiakini : These enhanced punishments were passed after several drunk driving incidents in October 2020, when Peikatan Nasional was in power.

Now, some are calling for the death penalty.

Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (formerly from Bersatu) said this will send a “clear message that human life cannot be taken lightly and any action endangering others will face the heaviest consequences.”

PAS Youth chief and Alor Setar MP Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamudden also demanded blood, or “a life for a life”. But why didn’t Bersatu and PAS push for heavier penalties, such as whipping or compensation for victims, when they were in power?

That most “Chinese” person, Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, poured oil on the fire, saying, “Yang tonggang arak si kapir, yang mati Melayu (Islam)... Noktahkan segera sebelum org Islam hilang sabar. (The kafirs ride on alcohol while the Malays die. End it before Muslims lose patience).”

His Facebook post got 43,000 likes and 5,500 shares.

With such fury, it’s not surprising that the driver has been charged with murder.

But let’s be consistent. What about other dangerous, negligent, and corrupt behaviour that causes deaths?

Some are “high” on reckless riding or driving, while others are “drunk” on bribes. All have deadly consequences.

1. Mat Rempit

Motorcyclists made up two-thirds of 6,537 road deaths in 2025, with those aged 16 to 30 at the highest risk, according to the transport minister. In contrast, there were only 69 cases of fatal drunk driving over 10 years (2011-2021), according to police statistics.

This is not to downplay the need to punish drunk drivers, but to ask: why isn’t there similar outrage against the notorious Mat Rempit?

So far, they have mostly killed or injured themselves (burdening the public health system), but if an innocent bystander is “murdered” by them, should the death penalty be imposed?

2. Logging and deadly landslides 

Five people were killed in December 2021 near Bentong, Pahang, after deadly landslides laden with mud and logs.

I hiked in the steep hills near Karak a year later and saw that the forests had been cleared and replaced with farms and even a service road. Whole slopes had been washed away.

It made me wonder who was responsible for this disastrous policy and what their punishment should be. Would PAS say “a life for a life”?

3. Dangerous lorry, bus drivers

We have become immune to news of bus and lorry accidents. A total of 203 bus-related accidents occurred in Malaysia from January 2023 to May this year, resulting in 39 deaths and 68 serious injuries.

The causes, said police, included overworked drivers chasing tight schedules, speeding on wet roads, brake failure, worn-out tyres, and yes, drugs.

News reports also point to drivers being hired despite multiple past traffic violations. Biasa la (normal la). Somehow, these don’t raise the same level of indignation as alcohol.

In September 2024, Loke said many long-distance bus drivers had tested positive for drugs.

In May 2025, nine FRU men near Teluk Intan were killed by a lorry driver with six past criminal cases for drugs, rape, and theft.

The carnage continues. In March, a trailer lorry smashed into three cars in Penang, causing serious injuries. The driver tested positive for syabu or methamphetamine.

A study revealed that fatal road accidents involving heavy vehicles like lorries have claimed 1,457 lives from 2019 to 2024. That’s one life lost every 36 hours. Luckily, deaths declined in 2025.

This is a recurring problem in Malaysia. Is it because we live in a “boleh kautim” culture where some “coffee money” can induce some officials to “close one eye” to broken rules?

In April 2025, a Road Transport Department (RTD) official in Malacca was jailed for bribing his fellow officers to ignore overloaded lorries, which is obviously a safety issue.

In July 2024, another RTD official in Kedah was charged with taking RM42,100 in bribes to overlook rules broken by a lorry company.

It’s also been alleged that Puspakom is “riddled” with corruption, where “runners” routinely secure “roadworthy” certificates with perfunctory inspections.

So, if we’re calling for drunk drivers to be hanged, what about bus and lorry drivers on drugs? What about corrupt officers who enable this bloodbath on the roads? What about transport companies that hire drivers with multiple misdeeds?

Some will blame Loke for this, but I do wonder, did he have the power to bust corrupt traffic cops or RTD officers? That seems to be under the jurisdiction of the police and MACC.

4) Rotten system

Finally, let’s come to government responsibility. In June last year, a tragic accident on the East-West Highway killed 15 UPSI students. Six months later, a Transport Ministry special task force released its findings.

Highways have guardrails to prevent vehicles from plunging into ravines. However, at the accident site, they acted not to save the bus, but as a giant “spear” piercing through the left side of the vehicle, causing 11 of the 15 deaths, lamented the report.

How did this happen? The spacing between guardrail posts was 3.8m, far over the 2m limit. The guardrail panels were installed against the flow of traffic, and multiple bolts were missing.

Instead of cushioning the bus, the end of the guardrail snapped and failed to fold upon impact, becoming a sharp, piercing object.

Yet two days after the accident, Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi defended the Public Works Department, claiming that the guardrails met “international safety standards”!

To worsen matters, due to dirt and a lack of maintenance, the reflectors on the guardrails were obscured, while the road had no reflective markings. This made it difficult for drivers to see the road edges.

Brake failure was the main cause of the bus losing control and crashing. Yet just two months before, the bus had passed an inspection by Puspakom.

The task force report concluded that only the driver and travel companies were punished, but not government departments or regulatory agencies, despite their failings.

However, few people remember the task force’s findings because it’s a “boring” road safety issue, rather than a fiery racial issue.

And now, we have the Klang accident being racialised. If we want to punish an Indian drunk-druggie driver for murder, the same should apply to bus and lorry drivers who cause fatal accidents when “drunk” on drugs.

Would Ridhuan declare that we should stop all this “sebelum orang Islam hilang sabar”? Most importantly, is there something wrong with the system that enables carnage on our roads to continue? Is it corruption? Negligence? Cronyism?

Will Wan Fayhsal dare to point the finger at the authorities for failing in their duty to enforce road safety rules?

Will he declare that the death penalty is needed to send a “clear message that human life cannot be taken lightly and any action endangering others will face the heaviest consequences”?

Or is outrage limited only to alcohol?

Malaysiakini : Historical truths we must acknowledge

To begin with, let us acknowledge that the Orang Asli are the earliest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia who have lived on this land for tens of thousands of years. Their presence represents the foundational layer of our nation’s history. Our Orang Asli brothers and sisters are an integral part of our multi-tiered society.

As noted by Iskandar Carey in “Orang Asli: The Aboriginal Tribes of Peninsular Malaysia”, the Orang Asli occupy a “special position as the truly indigenous inhabitants” of the peninsula. He further emphasised that they lived in the region “before the arrival of the other races, that is, the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians”.

Centuries later, the Malays (early migrants) emerged as the definitive people of the peninsula, shaping its political institutions, cultural identity, and systems of governance through the establishment of enduring sultanates. The rise of powerful polities such as the Malacca sultanate in the fifteenth century marked a turning point in the consolidation of Malay political authority and cultural influence in our society.

In modern times, the Malays have constituted the core of our nation’s political leadership since independence. Our civil service has been largely drawn from the Malay community.

So too have been our army and police, who help to secure our borders and ensure that law and order prevail. Malaysia’s constitutional monarchy, which is rooted in the system of Malay rulers, serves as a bedrock of stability and harmony in our often-fractious society.

This dual recognition is not contradictory. Rather, it reflects the richness, depth, and complexity of Malaysia’s historical evolution and our uniquely layered multi-ethnic heritage.

Contributions of all communities

Malaysia, as it exists today, is the product of the contributions, sacrifices, and aspirations of diverse communities. Over time, people of different ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds have come together – through labour, enterprise, intellect, and service – to build and sustain the nation.

From early trade networks and colonial economic development to post-independence nation-building, the contributions of multiple communities are the defining hallmark of our national identity.

Non-Malay communities (later migrants) have played a vital role in Malaysia’s nation-building and economic development.

Chinese entrepreneurs and labourers were central to the growth of tin mining, commerce, and urban centres, laying the foundations of modern industry and trade. Indian communities contributed significantly to plantation agriculture, public works, railways, security, and the civil service.

Over time, both communities expanded into business, education, medicine, law, and the professions, strengthening the nation’s human capital.

Alongside other minority groups and together with the Malays, they enriched Malaysia’s cultural diversity, stimulated economic growth, and contributed to the emergence of a dynamic and resilient multi-ethnic society.

Equally, East Malaysians, including the Ibans, Kadazandusun, and many other indigenous communities of Sabah and Sarawak, have played a vital role in nation-building. Their rich cultural heritage, stewardship of the land, and contributions in public service, defence, and governance have strengthened the Malaysian federation.

Any meaningful call for unity must fully recognise and honour their rightful place as equal partners in the nation’s past, present, and future.

Any narrative that diminishes, ignores, or excludes these contributions does a disservice to truth and undermines the very foundations of our national unity.

Eschewing the label ‘pendatang’

It is therefore both unjust and historically unsound to label non-Malays as pendatang in a derogatory manner that questions their legitimacy, belonging, or citizenship. Such a label is not only divisive; it is deeply damaging to the project of nation-building that remains challenging.

A mature and confident society does not foster unity by devaluing others. It nurtures unity by recognising shared belonging, mutual dignity, and common purpose.

Many non-Malay families, particularly the Malacca Baba-Nyonya, Portuguese Eurasians, and the Malacca Chettis, have lived in this country for generations.

They have worked, sacrificed, paid taxes, defended the nation, developed institutions, and contributed to every sphere of national life. They are not outsiders to Malaysia’s story - they are an integral part of it.

Faithful to constitutional vision

Let us remain faithful to the vision of our founding fathers and the Malay rulers: a nation that is secular in character and allows freedom of worship, multi-ethnic in composition, and ultimately just and non-discriminatory.

The framework that binds this diverse society into a cohesive nation is the Federal Constitution. It remains the supreme law of the land, providing both the structure of governance and the moral compass of the nation. It recognises the special position of the Malays and the indigenous peoples under Article 153.

At the same time, it also guarantees equality before the law under Article 8 and citizenship rights irrespective of ethnicity. It is within this judiciously balanced constitutional framework that Malaysia’s identity as a multi-ethnic, inclusive, and just society must be understood and preserved.

A shared homeland, a shared vision

In light of these realities, we must affirm that Malaysia is a shared homeland. It does not belong exclusively to any single group, but to all who are bound by citizenship, loyalty, and a shared commitment to its future.

Unity, therefore, cannot be built on exclusionary narratives or bigoted and divisive rhetoric. It must be grounded in truth, mutual respect, and a genuine appreciation of diversity as a source of strength.

Malaysia urgently needs to rekindle its shared national vision, one that rises above ethnic suspicions and sectarian politics. Malaysia’s vision should be to become a just, inclusive, and progressive nation where every citizen, regardless of ethnicity or religion, feels a genuine sense of national belonging.

Such a vision must inspire all citizens to see themselves first and foremost as Malaysians, bound together by a common destiny. We must learn to work together, not as competing ethnic communities, but as partners in a common national enterprise.

No community can build Malaysia alone. And no community should be made to feel that it does not fully belong to the nation.

What Malaysians must do

To translate this vision into reality, Malaysians must embrace certain fundamental guiding principles. There must first be a commitment to a truthful and inclusive historical understanding, one that acknowledges the contributions of all communities fairly and accurately.

Respect for diversity must be practised consistently in everyday life, transcending differences of ethnicity, religion, and culture.

Citizens must consciously reject divisive narratives that promote prejudice, exclusion, or superiority, and instead uphold constitutional values that define rights and responsibilities within a shared legal framework.

Above all, Malaysians must actively build bridges across communities, fostering trust, empathy, cooperation, and a common national purpose.

The role of government

The government bears a profound responsibility in shaping a united nation. It must ensure that education, particularly the teaching of history, reflects a balanced, accurate, and inclusive national narrative.

History can unite a nation, but only if it is narrated truthfully and inclusively. Scholars such as Azmi Sharom have cautioned against narrow historical interpretations that undermine critical thinking and inclusiveness.

Equally important, the government must uphold justice and equality through the impartial application of laws, while honouring constitutional provisions. Public policies should promote national integration and social cohesion rather than deepen divisions.

National leaders, in particular, must demonstrate integrity, reject divisive politics, and articulate a unifying vision that inspires collective purpose and national confidence.

Truth, courage, and collective will

Ultimately, a united Malaysia will not emerge by accident. It must be consciously and consistently built through courage in confronting uncomfortable truths, discipline in upholding justice, and sincerity in fostering inclusiveness.

The responsibility lies not only with institutions of governance but also with every citizen who calls this nation home.

If Malaysia is to thrive in the years ahead, it must remain steadfast in its commitment to unity in diversity.

A national pledge

Let this be our pledge:

• To honour the truth of our shared past.

• To uphold the principles of justice and equality.

• To reject discord and embrace unity.

• To work together for the common good.

And to build a Malaysia that is not only prosperous and stable, but also just, inclusive, and truly united – for this generation and those to come.

Malaysiakini : And the opposition is not stupid and incompetent, but merely going to use as a blueprint what Madani is doing now if they ever gain political power. The opposition is not making much noise in these corruption issues because they understand that this is the way they are going to handle things when they assume power.

In fact, by remaining silent, they allow Madani to be the corrupt party in this, and what they say will not come back to bite their behinds when they assume power and do the same thing. Let us be honest here. We can talk about “big fishes” when it comes to corruption, but recall when Pakatan Harapan was in power for the first time.

Harapan, if you remember, talked a good game about cleaning up corruption but always found an excuse for not doing it when in power. Remember the investigation into former Sarawak governor Abdul Taib Mahmud - perhaps the white whale of oppositional talking points when it came to corruption - came to a standstill?

Then de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong said, “They were not new evidence that would allow MACC to open a new investigation paper.”

At the time, then-MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya said of the status of high-profile cases: “However, not all complaints ended up being investigated, especially those with evidence which were just printouts from the internet.”

Look, I think Latheefa is doing sterling work now, but when folks had the chance to correct the system, nobody took it. Corruption is not a recent phenomenon, but rather it is part of the DNA of the organism, fuelled by racial and religious imperatives and a compromised electoral system.

Umno/BN designed the system, and Madani is attempting to replicate it, or at least this is the way it seems to rational Malaysians.

Game recognises game

Furthermore, remember Perikatan Nasional was briefly in power, and how did that go? With all those really dumb “Langkah, langkahs”, professional charlatans figured out that they didn’t even need voting to get into power, and a small shift in voting got them ejected from the halls of power in Putrajaya.

With the way the system is gerrymandered, and the unequal weightage of votes, issues like corruption and competent governance are not exactly the greatest concerns of a majority of rakyat who sustain themselves on entitlement programmes and the delirium of social media.

The fact that Malaysians have to keep choosing the same recycled politicians is another reason why this country is screwed. Folks forget that all these people know each other. They understand that they are moving parts in a system designed not to encourage independence but co-dependency.

I mean, with these folks, there is no real ideological difference except game recognises game.

Take this snapshot from the past, for instance. From reportage: “(Lawyer N) Surendran, who is also a former PKR vice-president, said Khairy also organised a roadshow with lawyer Shafee Abdullah after Anwar (Ibrahim)'s sodomy II conviction.”

Corruption cases always start like this. All these rumours and dramas about who the always-present Mister X is then fizzles out when something else happens, and the system endures.

As always, the prime minister maintains his silence and attempts are made to use the state security apparatus to silence his critics. People forget, and those who don’t are vilified by those who want the system to remain but want to kvetch about the system needing reform.

Recent scandals

I am sure Khairy knows more about this most recent of PKR scandals than the average citizen. I am sure Rafizi Ramli knows more about this recent scandal than the average citizen and proves it by naming names.

Why all the drama? The fact that all the players in the corporate mafia scandal are interconnected and Rafizi keeps playing hide and seek with facts that he is privy to muddies the waters when it comes to cases like this.

Khairy and folks like him want to delude people into thinking that they offer change, but they are all imprinted with the imprimatur of old, corrupt men who want the system to endure. There is really no genuine reason to believe that either Khairy, Madani or PN wants to reform the system.

It has come to a point where nobody is even pretending anymore. This is all about who holds on to power, and the non-Malays are merely the vote bank of a coalition which knows it is imploding. There is very little that mainstream politics offers in this country, and the outliers are dodgy at the moment. With PSM getting PAS curious and Muda floundering, the system is content.

I have great sympathy for the agenda of cyber troopers who run around attempting to paint a picture that everything is kosher in Madaniville, because really thinking this through is heart-wrenching. This is how BN got away with their malfeasances for decades.

The difference now is that the world and technology have advanced to a point where masses of people are easily manipulated into surrendering their liberties to fascistic agendas whose oligarchs, clerics and elected officials have no problem colluding with each other.

The only thing that Khairy is evidence of is that Madani and BN's chickens are coming home to roost.

Free Malaysia Today : Rankings over results

When Sarjit met Subahan, the explanation was clearer, but no less contentious.

“He told me he was not happy with the world ranking,” Sarjit said.

Sarjit said the conversation also turned to a remark he had made about the need for a larger player pool.

He told me he took issue with my remark that we need more players,” he said.

Sarjit insisted his comment was taken out of context.

“We have so many tournaments coming, the Nations Cup, World Cup, Asian Games, Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Asian Champions Trophy. We need more players so we can rotate,” he said. “I said it in a good way.”

The disagreement hinted at a deeper divide between the demands of international hockey and expectations at the administrative level.

Subahan, however, remained focused on Malaysia’s slide in the world rankings following defeats at the World Cup qualifier in Ismailia, Egypt.

But Sarjit pointed to what he believed should have carried greater weight.

“I told him I had already said we would qualify for the World Cup, and we did,” he said. “So I think it’s not fair.”

For Sarjit, the issue was not just the decision, but the timing.

“I think I am the first coach to take a team to the World Cup and not go with them,” he said.

No report, no process

Beyond results, Sarjit questioned how the decision was handled

“You must understand, I had just come back. They had not even seen my report,” he said.

The post-tournament report, he argued, should have been central to any evaluation.

“I have all the data on penalty corners, goals conceded, everything. But I got the boot before anyone read it,” he said.

He also raised concerns over the lack of notice.

“They should give adequate notice, not just remove me like this,” he said.

Sarjit further claimed the coaching and development committee was not part of the decision-making process.

He said it had already been finalised, and Manjit told him he could not intervene.

Pressed on whether this reflected a breakdown in governance, Sarjit stopped short of direct criticism.

“I don’t want to comment on that,” he said. “But the coaching committee plays a very important role.”

‘We qualified, yet I was removed’

At the heart of Sarjit’s frustration is a simple argument.

He met the target set for him.

“When I took the job, I said give me two years. If I don’t qualify for the World Cup, I will resign,” he said. “I kept my word.”

Malaysia secured their place at the 16-team World Cup in the Netherlands and Belgium this August through the world rankings.

They won two matches, lost three and finished fourth in their group.

Ranked No 15, they edged ahead of Poland, who finished fourth in the other qualifying event in Chile but sit lower in the rankings.

“Suppose you are told to qualify and you do it, will you be removed?” he asked.

His answer was direct. “I was made a scapegoat.”

‘Very hurt’, and a warning

Sarjit said the manner and timing of his dismissal, less than five months before the World Cup, made it difficult to accept.

“I did not deserve this,” he said. “Why make a last-minute move and go back on your assurances?

He said he had asked for time to build the team. “I needed two years to build and another two years to get results.”

The experience, he added, left a deep personal impact.

“I am very hurt,” he said. “When they want you, they tell you all sorts of things. When they don’t need you, they just chuck you out.”

Sarjit said the issue goes beyond his own case.

“What happened to me should not happen to any coach in any sport,” he said.

He also pointed to the need for stronger leadership within Malaysian hockey.

“We need the right people in sports, people who know the game, who understand high performance and development,” he said. “We need administrators with vision.”

He acknowledged that his exit may overshadow his past contributions.

“It is sad some people will remember me for this instead of my playing days,” said the two-time Olympian, who represented Malaysia for 12 years and was the national captain for seven years.

Questions that remain

Sarjit did not directly criticise the leadership of Malaysian hockey but his account raises key questions.

If results were the benchmark, why was World Cup qualification not enough?

If rankings were decisive, why was the decision made before a full post-mortem?

And if process matters, who ultimately decides, and on what basis?

Sarjit says he bears no ill will toward his players.

“I have no problems with the players. I wish them all the best,” he said.

He also thanked all parties — players, staff, officials, MHC leadership, the national sports council and national sports institute — for their support during his tenure.

But the sense of unfinished business lingers.

And with the World Cup approaching, Malaysia move forward without the coach who got them there.

Malaysiakini : Who has caused panic at home and abroad by over-reaching himself to help the agenda of a person wanted for war crimes and has a warrant of arrest over his head, in the process causing an oil supply squeeze which threatens the world economy and forcing prices up in the US?

Who has made brazen illegal invasions and attacks across the globe and threatened more, not seen since the days of Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany, when tanks and troops rolled into Poland, and when others kept quiet, into the rest of Europe, triggering World War II?

Who rules the world’s most powerful economy and has the levers of destruction at his fingertips, using them like a child that might be given too much, despite being a convicted felon, having instigated a march on Capitol Hill and having numerous allegations of sexual misconduct made against him?

The answer, if you need one: Donald Trump in every single case, amply demonstrating the need for regime change - but in the United States, no less - where a person who should not have become president is wreaking havoc at home and abroad.

Unchecked power threatens global peace

When is the world going to realise that you have to push back against a megalomaniac intent on shaping the world according to his narrow, narcissistic desires to see the return of imperialism and all its untramelled effects?

A world where naked power rules without check or balance, against the norms of behaviour established through international treaties and groupings among nations post World War II to maintain relative peace and equity in a world previously torn asunder by conflict.

Instead, most major countries are bowing to the infantile demands of a spoiled child who has suddenly realised the power he holds in his hands and, instead of using it with great restraint and calm, is taking delight in its irresponsible, irreverent use.

After boasting that he hit Iran’s Kharg Island, which holds many of its key oil facilities, Trump crowed, “We may hit it a few more times just for fun,” demonstrating crass insensitivity, extreme idiocy, and a total lack of sympathy for the needless suffering he imposes on the innocent.

The world should remember that Trump and his good friend, the cruel and heartless Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Palestine, struck Iran and killed its top leadership with a sneak attack during negotiations for nuclear disarmament.

Trump-Netanyahu duo flouts global law

Can anyone trust this devious, destructive duo after such a flagrant violation of international norms, law, and order, clearly against United Nations protocol and common human decency, to engage in negotiations or enter into any agreements with them again?

Won’t those affected swear eternal revenge against them instead?

The Independent described the Israeli attack on Iran’s energy installations as a possible war crime and a move taken straight out of Vladimir Putin’s playbook in Ukraine. Now, who believes Israel would have done this without US support, despite what Trump says? No one decent trusts him anyway.

The response from the so-called civilised West - the United Kingdom, Germany, and France - was muted, instead of calling Trump to account, expressed mere regret and reiterated that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. There is no evidence they have.

This follows the same kind of reaction when the Venezuelan president and his wife were abducted at gunpoint and whisked away to New York to stand trial. Ahead of this, the US torpedoed boats off Venezuela’s coast on a mere suspicion of being engaged in the drug trade - no evidence needed.

US blockade deepens crisis

With Venezuela falling, the US has blockaded oil to Cuba, a country which has not harmed the US in any way, resulting in considerable hardship to its citizens. The West remained mute, giving courage to Trump to venture forth even more outrageously.

There could be more than a touch of racism here - most of the decisions of the West have always been considered behind racist lenses, and it seems clear that black, brown, and yellow lives matter less than white ones.

But if the history of Hitler and Nazi Germany is to be learnt, it is that despots and demented people need to be put in their place before they get out of hand, and everyone becomes a victim. Who is to know what Trump does next, if Iran does capitulate, or if they don’t?

And what would the West do - indeed, what can they do - if the US moves against Greenland or Canada or if they demand that they want to control the EU? What are they going to do to resist?

The only way is if the rest of the world collectively stood up to the US and its main allies, the way they did against Nazi Germany and Japan - remember the Soviet Union fought with great effect on the side of the allies, as did the Chinese under Mao Tse Tung against Japanese occupation.

If they allow Trump to get too strong, it may be too late to avert a catastrophe - a full-blown war, in other words.

What would happen if the US strongarmed its way into Greenland, for instance? This is not unjustified speculation. Jonas Gahr Store, Norway’s leader, received a text message from Trump in January, according to the New York Times:

“Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States.”

That’s from a person who is so embroiled in embellishing his own credentials and an unhealthy penchant for the Nobel prize during an international crisis, he has lost all sense of perspective, making him unfit for the presidency and a menace to world peace.

The West needs to push back hard against Trump and, if necessary, act in concert with the rest of the world to do so. Trump cannot simply act as he pleases, and the sooner he is stopped, the better.

Regime change starts with global pushback

Considerable opposition to Trump is building up against him at home, especially about allowing Israel to drag the US into the Iran war at the height of the Epstein scandal, which has also tainted Trump. Some even postulate that the war was to divert attention from that.

If the rest of the world is brave enough to confront Trump, it will also send a message to US voters who will decide who controls the House of Representatives in the November polls. If the Republicans lose that round, Trump’s powers will be considerably curtailed.

The majority party post-election decides the legislative direction of the House, which is responsible for initiating revenue bills, acting on impeachment, and voting on federal law. It may not be regime change yet, but it’s definitely the first step - it will limit presidential power substantially.

The rest of the world needs to show what kind of person Trump is and why he is not fit to lead the US. He will take the US into the gutter, not “Make America Great Again”. The sooner the US public realises it, the sooner regime change in the US will happen.

Malaysiakini : The shrine was part of the scenery. Part of the life of the community.

But the shrine is no more. Or rather, the red structure remains, but it is empty. The porcelain inhabitant who for decades stood guard in the neighbourhood has vanished. No more offerings or lit candles, just a derelict red structure remains.

I was told that people were afraid in the current climate that the shrine would be desecrated. That its immobile guardian within would be defiled. Better safe than sorry, they told me.

It was not as if the road was earmarked for municipal business or construction. Some folks were just worried; in this current climate, you have to be cautious, they said.

So, something which has been there for decades is no more. Soon, the red structure would be removed, and it would be as if it never existed in the first place.

Why ‘defend’ a religion?

I understand the impulse to protect what is sacred. After the supposed land activist, Tamim Dahri Abdul Razak, stepped on a Hindu religious symbol and made a mockery of the state security apparatus, people understood that their religion needed defending.

After the prime minister announced that state governments need to handle illegal temples, people rightly embraced the need to protect and preserve what is sacred to them.

For decades, I never understood this pathological need by some to defend their religion.

Truth be told, the concept was alien to me. I defined it as propaganda meant to control and maintain power over the majority.

It was a political tool that the establishment used to maintain order. I never understood how a religion, any religion, needed to be “defended”.

When the prime minister talked of “illegal” structures and “victory” over the demolition of a structure which predated municipal laws, people became rightfully worried about the way they observed their religions.

After all, these structures existed for decades under various permutations of ketuanaism and endured.

While there had been flashpoints, there was never an organised, state-enabled attempt to disrupt the racial equilibrium when it came to places of worship, for the most part.

PSM deputy chairperson S Arutchelvan recently wrote a piece which I mostly agree with, and I understand the need to make this a class issue and not a racial one.

The problem with this kind of argument is that it smashes into the reality of race in this country, which is embedded in mainstream politics.

Arutchelvan wrote - in defending urban pioneer settlements, such as the mostly Malay-Muslim communities of Kampung Aman, Kampung Chubadak, Kampung Rimba Jaya, Berembang, and others - that PSM has seen surau and mosques built on untitled land, supported by politicians and residents.

But this is about race and religion, because you have to wonder why on earth, besides corporate interests, would anyone be interested in “illegal temples” if not to demonstrate the superiority of their religion over that which they are attempting to demolish.

And yes, temples and the Hindu community are low-hanging fruit.

Oppression

You have to ask yourself, why now? We have all these extremists either engaging in the destruction of temples or claiming that all this is a legal endeavour.

The fact of the matter is that not one of these temples caused any form of social, economic, or legal dysfunction in this country.

Hindu temples are in your face. While Christian places of worship are subject to strict rules when it comes to Islamic sensitivities - the cross, for instance, apparently has a debilitating effect on some people - Hindu temples are gaudy architectural provocations for people who believe in the supremacy of their faith.

Legacy temples are also a reminder of how the Indian community built this country. Cities may have grown around temples, and without the Chinese, there would be no cities, as former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad reminds us.

However, this has given rise to strategists who delude themselves into thinking that they come from technical backgrounds, but only demonstrate such expertise by demolishing and stepping on sacred symbols.

They are the problem, but the state makes the victims of their harassment the problem. Their crusade reeks of an inferiority complex made worse by a state which thinks it is defending race and religion.

Not only is this malicious, but it also creates an atmosphere where people with not much power feel powerful. This, in turn, becomes a distraction from the failings of an all-powerful state.

Folks like Tamim and controversial preacher Zamri Vinoth prove this every time Madani does not censure them.

Rational Malaysians should keep in mind that the establishment portrays non-Muslims as the ones causing disharmony. This is the narrative that is being reinforced by the powers that be.

This is why it is not only about the destruction of temples but also the obliteration of history. Most importantly, this is about compliance.

Temples are not only symbols of dissent in this climate, but also a reminder of why non-Muslim religions need to be defended.

Malaysiakini : At first, such incidents may appear isolated, but what we are witnessing here is not a one-off controversy. This is a clear progression, where the events escalate step by step.

First, the provocation: stepping on a religious symbol.

Second, the amplification: the act is filmed, uploaded on social media, and widely shared.

Third, the justification. After the public backlash, explanations emerged, with claims of ignorance that the object was mistaken for scrap metal, or that the site was not recognised as religious.

Finally, the escalation emerges in the form of demands, most notably a conditional offer to surrender tied to the demolition of temples deemed “illegal.”

Dangerous line

In short: provoke first, justify later.

If this situation is allowed to fester, compliance itself becomes conditional, and that is a dangerous line.

On the “Tanah Malaya” social media account, Tamim said he would return to Malaysia and surrender to the police only if the authorities demolished a list of allegedly “illegal” Hindu temples.

He wrote: “We, the strategists of Tanah Malaya, come from technical backgrounds instead of arts, and thus we are familiar with only one thing: problem solving.”

This framing goes beyond activism. It turns a legal process into a negotiation, where compliance with the law is tied to political demands.

Calling themselves “strategists of Tanah Malaya” and saying they deal only in “problem solving” sounds confident and technical, but there is irony here. You cannot solve a problem if you are the one defining what the problem is in the first place.

When that definition is disputed, it begins to sound less like problem-solving and more like self-praise dressed as expertise.

The attempt is to make compliance with the law conditional. It links a personal legal situation to an ideological demand, introducing a precedent where the law is treated as negotiable under pressure.

Tensions not new

This is not the first time Malaysia has faced such tensions.

In the case involving convert and controversial preacher, Zamri Vinoth, public perception was that early inaction allowed tensions to build, with enforcement only coming later when the risk of escalation had grown.

Whether that perception was entirely fair is secondary. What matters is the lesson it offers: delays in acting on sensitive, provocative incidents do not calm situations. They often inflame them.

Hesitation creates space for anger to grow, for narratives to harden, and for communities to feel unprotected.

If there is one lesson to be drawn, it is this: timely, consistent enforcement is essential.

When provocative acts are seen to gain attention or receive delayed responses, others may feel emboldened to act.

They do so not necessarily out of malice, but from the belief that they are defending legality, identity, or justice. This is how vigilantism begins, not as defiance, but as misguided justification.

Once individuals begin to take matters into their own hands, believing the law will bend or delay, the consequences become harder to contain. Recent incidents involving religious desecration have already set a public expectation: that action must be swift, enforcement must be firm, and standards must be equal.

If one case is handled decisively while another drifts, the issue is no longer about law.

It becomes about whose sensitivities are protected, and whose are not.

That perception alone is enough to fracture trust.

Rule of law cannot be conditional

Malaysia’s Federal Constitution, under Article 11, guarantees freedom of religion. It requires the state to:

• protect all religious communities

• act fairly and impartially

• prevent acts that inflame tensions

Enforcement cannot bend to the pressure of any kind. Once it does, constitutional protections begin to feel conditional.

At its core, this issue is simple. No person alleged to have broken the law can be allowed to set conditions for compliance or hold enforcement hostage to demands.

The balance of authority must remain with institutions, not individuals negotiating with the law.

That is a line a functioning state cannot blur.

This is where leadership is tested. There will be pressure to manage sentiment, to avoid backlash, to respond tactically, but leadership is not about managing outrage. It is about upholding principles.

Politicians must act in accordance with the Constitution, which guarantees equal protection to all Malaysians.

This moment demands clarity. Not rhetoric. Not delay. Not negotiation.

The rule of law cannot be conditional. Provocation cannot be rewarded, and no individual can be allowed to hold the nation to pressure or make demands. We should draw the line now, clearly and firmly, because if it is not held here, it will be tested again.

Next time, containment may not hold.

Malaysiakini : Yet, FAM’s leaders refused to throw in the towel and instead chose to “go to war” at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), only to be met with an uppercut that left them sprawled on the canvas.

Everyone loves a winner - the sweet taste of glory, the rewards of victory. But failure? Failure flips the script. Friends vanish. Reputation crumbles. Authority is stripped away.

Suddenly, you are the villain. The same fans who cheered now tear you apart. The scrutiny intensifies - especially when the truth about breaking the rules comes to light. There is nowhere to hide.

The entire FAM committee has resigned. But who is really taking the fall?

On March 17, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) found that FAM had violated the rules by fielding ineligible players in two 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers matches last year.

Following the finding, the AFC slapped FAM with a fine of US$50,000 (RM196,000) and nullified Malaysia’s wins in the two matches, which ended with the scores: Malaysia 2-Nepal 0 and Malaysia 4-Vietnam 0.

The AFC disciplinary and ethics committee decided that Malaysia lost 3-0 for both matches, based on Article 25.1 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code.

Govt’s role in citizenship scandal

Even political leaders joined the chorus. PKR Youth chief Kamil Abdul Munim vented his feelings on social media.

“Penyudahnya ‘cekelat angin’,” he said on X, which roughly translates to “We got nothing in the end”.

But Kamil is barking up the wrong tree. He should have sought answers from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, whom FAM thanked for “facilitating the citizenship papers” for the seven foreign players.

Was it not his party stalwart and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail who aided in getting citizenship for the seven?

The prime minister also allocated RM30 million for the national football squad. Shouldn’t he and Saifuddin be providing answers instead of maintaining stoic silence, Kamil?

The government was also complicit in the issuance of the false birth certificates and other documents, as confirmed by National Registration Department head honcho Badrul Hisham Alias.

Royal rebuke

But the issue has not ended. They say it never rains, but it pours.

On the heels of the CAS decision two weeks ago, Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim or TMJ, as he is known, has made startling allegations against certain FAM officials - past and present.

The regent claimed he is being made a scapegoat in the scandal and is instead blaming FAM insiders who he claimed had an axe to grind with him over financial matters.

In a post on X, Tunku Ismail claimed that some in FAM had approached him for projects, and to avoid MACC investigations, among others.

These individuals, he claimed, were also unhappy that the government channelled funds directly to the national football team - implying it was because they did not get a cut of the funds.

In a series of social media posts, he alleged misuse and abuse of power and money. In one, he wrote: “Ask him to explain where the TV rights money and sponsorship money that should have gone to each team that competed for years went? Whose pocket?

“Is he still disappointed that his son does not work for FAM anymore because there were issues with the staff?”

In another post, he slammed a former manager of Harimau Malaya.

Those named have retreated into a cocoon, refusing to comment on the allegations.

Due for an overhaul

Football in Malaysia is not just on the ropes; it’s down for the count. It is a multi-million-ringgit enterprise with large amounts flowing through ticket sales, TV rights, sponsorship, allocations from Fifa, etc.

Rightly, it should be run like a commercial organisation, but this is not the case. It is being run like a family-owned business.

Accountability cannot stop at resignations because they risk becoming a convenient exit - a way for those responsible to slip quietly into the shadows without ever answering for the roles they played.

We need a forensic audit conducted by an independent, third-party body with no ties to FAM, no political affiliations, and no vested interests.

This audit must trace the flow of every single ringgit - from broadcasting rights and sponsorship deals, to government allocations and development funds. It must ask the hard questions: Who approved these deals? Who benefited? And who tried to silence those who raised concerns?

Transparency is not just about opening the books; it is about restoring the faith of millions of Malaysians who love this sport. The fans who pack the stadiums, the children who dream of wearing the Harimau Malaya jersey.

Reforms must follow. Not cosmetic changes, not a reshuffling of the same faces, but a fundamental overhaul of how Malaysian football is governed.

That means stronger oversight, stricter conflict of interest rules, and real consequences for those who abuse their power.

The time for an independent audit is now. Not next month. Not next year. Now.

Because every day we wait, the rot deepens, and the trust of the nation erodes further. Malaysian football has been knocked to the canvas - but whether we get back up depends on whether we dare to clean house, once and for all.