KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Minister Gobind Singh Deo has slammed blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s racist remark against veteran policeman Comm Datuk Seri Amar Singh Ishar Singh, calling it “uncalled for”.
In response, the communications and multimedia minister reiterated the need for laws to regulate hate speech, that would have extra-territorial reach to prosecute offenders from overseas.
“This is an uncalled for attack against Amar Singh and the Sikh community. It deserves nothing less than the highest degree of condemnation,” Gobind said in a statement.
“It undermines the most basic values we Malaysian’s uphold, which is mutual respect for each other. We are a multiracial and multireligious society.
“We cannot and must not allow such attacks against any one of us to go unnoticed,” he added.
Amar is from the Sikh community, which is a minority in Malaysia. He is heading the police investigation of Najib in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal.
Last Friday Amar criticised Raja Petra for alleging RM43.3 million had been stolen by the police following the raids on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s premises in May, calling it “baseless and simply ludicrous”.
The blogger responded with a vicious attack on Amar’s turban, prompting Amar to express his surprise over the retort.
In response, the communications and multimedia minister reiterated the need for laws to regulate hate speech, that would have extra-territorial reach to prosecute offenders from overseas.
“This is an uncalled for attack against Amar Singh and the Sikh community. It deserves nothing less than the highest degree of condemnation,” Gobind said in a statement.
“It undermines the most basic values we Malaysian’s uphold, which is mutual respect for each other. We are a multiracial and multireligious society.
“We cannot and must not allow such attacks against any one of us to go unnoticed,” he added.
Amar is from the Sikh community, which is a minority in Malaysia. He is heading the police investigation of Najib in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal.
Last Friday Amar criticised Raja Petra for alleging RM43.3 million had been stolen by the police following the raids on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s premises in May, calling it “baseless and simply ludicrous”.
The blogger responded with a vicious attack on Amar’s turban, prompting Amar to express his surprise over the retort.
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RPK in a previous political life |
Gobind said the case was an example for Putrajaya to push ahead for laws which regulate hate speech.
“These laws must also focus on more effective and efficient extra-territorial reach so as to facilitate the prosecution of persons who commit such offences from overseas here in Malaysia,” he said.
Raja Petra is believed to be residing in the United Kingdom.
“These laws must also focus on more effective and efficient extra-territorial reach so as to facilitate the prosecution of persons who commit such offences from overseas here in Malaysia,” he said.
Raja Petra is believed to be residing in the United Kingdom.
You all know the story behind the above minister's proposed legislation. If not, please peruse my earlier post Gurdwara Council should help cool things down.
Minister Gobind Deo has also condemned RPK for what the Sikh global fraternity has labelled as racist remarks against police commissioner Amar Singh in regards to the policeman's turban.
More noteworthy, the minister has proposed the need for laws to regulate hate speech, at a time when down in Australia, some politicians and members of the press believe Australian practice of political-correctness and its legislation prohibiting 'hate-speech' might have gone too far.
But most laudable of all, Gobind wants such law to have, wow, extra-territorial reach to prosecute offenders from overseas.
I am impressed by the second part, to wit, extra-territorial reach to prosecute offenders from overseas. Was that influenced by RPK's domicile in the UK?
Apart from enacted international treaties, a nation's own citizens and for war crimes, I wonder about the practicality of Gobind's proposal for extra-territorial jurisdiction with respect to Malaysian law against 'hate-speech'? What if a non-citizen has been the guilty party?
I may be wrong here (please correct me) but I believe practical or effective extra-territorial jurisdiction (outside of enacted international treaties) has been exercised by ONLY the most powerful nation in the world, the USA, who of course has the muscles, reach and most of all, the arrogant impunity to extend its legal jurisdiction extra-territorially.
Be that as it may, on such governance of social-communication propriety, what about the minister's concerns for other Malaysians besides Amar Singh, like for example Michelle Yeoh and currently Anwar Ibrahim?
I am NOT talking about the times before 09 May 2019, prior to Gobind Deo becoming a minister, when then he was not responsible for laws to govern hate-speeches.
Recently, under the rule of the present government, Michelle Yeoh has been vilified in horrendously vulgar, obscene, abusive and hate-filled manner. It doesn't matter for what reason, but the point has been the hate-filled vilification against her were far more disgusting that that for Amar Singh. T'was definitely 'hate-speeches' against a Malaysian citizen.
Why didn't the minister say anything? Yes, YB Gobind Deo was as silent as the Sphinx when the Malaysian Net was chock-a-block with vile salacious abuses directed at Michelle Yeoh.
And what about the current hate-speeches, with many full of the 'same old same old' sheer fabrications, against Anwar Ibrahim in his campaign to be the next representative for Port Dickson?
My dear minister, there are other Malaysians besides 'countrymen'.
Wakakakaka... Cha Bor was as silent as the Sphinx when Najib carried out his multiple vile abuses of power.
ReplyDeleteWhy the need for another new Hate Speech Law when the current laws are enough to handle such acts of disturbance to public order and security?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, with regard to recent RPK Hate speeches which has been going on for so long until his recent remarks offending Sikhism, his blogging career is as good as over. He is just like another Salman Rusdi who will need protection for his whole life whether in UK or anywhere else.
"Kerana mulut celupar, badan binasa" is a very apt Malay saying.
RPK is unrepentful still even after offering his apologies (cloak in disguises of blaberings) and "May the Sikhs have mercy on him."
Just as the Moslems who are enraged over Salman Rusdi, now the Sikhs are also enraged over RPK.
Just as the Ayatollah has issued the Fatwa to kill Salman Rusdi, so has the Sikh Council issued a fatwa on RPK.
When a dumb blogger wants to play by the sword, so he has to live with the sword.
I don't think RPK still understand where he has got himself into by denigrating Sikhs on their turbans which is one of their most sacred symbols in their religion. Malaysian Sikhs or the modern Sikhs (without turbans)in Malaysia may be more tolerant of such bigotry writings and speeches but definitely not other Sikhs/Punjabis from other parts of the world.
Good Luck to him.
In one of the most stunning turnarounds in Malaysian socio-political history, Michelle Yeoh went from being a very public BN supporter and Najib apologist/exponent to engaging the rights to produce the movie for the Wall Street Journal's "Billion Dollar Whale" expose on 1MDB.
ReplyDeleteOf course, there is now serious money to be made from this International Best Seller on the Worlds Greatest Kleptocracy.
It is either a case of crass opportunism or thick skinned Hypocrisy.
Yes, Netizens were perfectly right to roast Michelle Yeoh.
It is as if Ktemoc Konsiders suddenly becomes a daily blog posting promoting Mahathir ideas and policies....wakakakaka...
ReplyDeletePete just realised the significance of the turban to a sikh? Cmon hehehe
ReplyDeleteread this https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/10/02/sikh-bikers-confronting-raja-petra-in-manchester-no-such-thing/
Deletewakakaka
Does RPK and his ardent foot soldier Ktemoc realise that Amar Singh belongs to the Khalsa (warriors) group of Sikhs (equivalent to Mujahidins in Islam) and not the ordinary non-warrior Sikhs like the late Karpal Singh, Gobind, Amarjit or the Canadian bikers?
ReplyDeleteIn Malaysia, where practically every Sikh/Punjabi has a title Singh to his name (where only Khalsa warriors are supposedly to have), the only way to distinguish them is by their dress (espeicially Turban) and behavioural characteristics after been ordained.
The battle at Amritsar Golden Temple in India was such a battle between mostly the Khalsa warriors against the Indian Army and since most Khalsa warriors are employed in the Indian Army and Police, the Indian Army has to redeploy other Indian forces to do battle. The battle drag on for days as more and more Khalsa warriors voluntarily sneak into the temple to defend their religion as they were obligated to do so after a Hukum (equivalent to Moslem Fatwa) was announced by the Gudwara Council. Just like the Mujahidins in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria etc, the defenders of the Golden Temple lost due to overwhelming firepower of the Indian Army. The horrors of that battle where Indian soldiers wounded and caught in the battle were mutilated with heads chopped off, throats slits, stomach split open, eyes, ears, nose gorged out were as horrible as those scenes of Mujahidins suicide bombers. It was a battle until the end without surrender.
So, an idiotic and unrepentant RPK and his followers better go down on the knees and seek apologies and regrets for insulting their the Sikh's Khasa warrior.
Whether a Hukum by the Gudwara Council on RPK and his followers worldwide has been issued, no one knows but only those of the Kalsa warriors worldwide.