S Thayaparan
Published: Aug 18, 2025 7:00 AM
Updated: 9:14 AM
“There’s no need to create unnecessary controversy within our society. Certain regulations are needed to give Muslims peace of mind.”
Published: Aug 18, 2025 7:00 AM
Updated: 9:14 AM
“There’s no need to create unnecessary controversy within our society. Certain regulations are needed to give Muslims peace of mind.”
– PM Anwar Ibrahim admonishing MP Teresa Kok during the halal certification controversy
COMMENT | The prime minister chose to admonish Seputeh MP Teresa Kok for stirring the hornet's nest when she was just doing her job during the halal certification controversy last year.
But Anwar Ibrahim appears to be sitting on his hands while Umno Youth head honcho Dr Akmal Saleh stokes racial tensions in issues such as the KK Mart fiasco, weaponises the Jalur Gemilang against non-Malays, thumbs his nose at the state security apparatus and insults folks with disabilities.
Anwar, while wanting the authorities to take strong action, cannot even bring himself to utter Akmal’s name or the name of the poor Chinese trader whom the Madani government victimised by way of Akmal, a member of this administration.
The police have called Akmal in, but as former law minister Zaid Ibrahim said, he is one of the untouchables.
This is what the tyranny of the majority looks like.
Indeed, so silent have the prime minister and his lackeys been on Akmal’s provocation against the non-Malays and how biased the state has been against supposed transgression by non-Muslims compared to the Malays, there is only one conclusion - this is the will of Madani.
DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh asked why there has been no action against Akmal. The only response to Ramkarpal should be, Why don’t you answer this for the rakyat since you are also part of Madani?
Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh
Ramkarpal is supposed to take care of the interests of the non-Malays. Instead, he is posing questions as if he has no power to act within this government.
I doubt anything will come of a police investigation against Akmal or even a prosecution if there is one.
Misusing the flag
Now that we have seen the discrepancies in the way Madani chooses to persecute different groups when it comes to the flag, let us talk about the Jalur Gemilang.
What are the ideas behind it that its so-called defenders want to inculcate? Everyone is supposed to be equal before the national flag, but does reality reflect that?
Does this value apply in the way that the Madani state chooses to sanction people who have supposedly disrespected the flag?
Ramkarpal is supposed to take care of the interests of the non-Malays. Instead, he is posing questions as if he has no power to act within this government.
I doubt anything will come of a police investigation against Akmal or even a prosecution if there is one.
Misusing the flag
Now that we have seen the discrepancies in the way Madani chooses to persecute different groups when it comes to the flag, let us talk about the Jalur Gemilang.
What are the ideas behind it that its so-called defenders want to inculcate? Everyone is supposed to be equal before the national flag, but does reality reflect that?
Does this value apply in the way that the Madani state chooses to sanction people who have supposedly disrespected the flag?
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh (centre) during a protest over an inverted Jalur Gemilang in Kepala Batas, Penang last week
What Akmal has done is made the Jalur Gemilang symbolise bully boy tactics, reminding the non-Malays of their place in Madani society.
Think about how shops closed before this so-called rally. The fear and anxiety it has created among the people in putting up the flag.
Think about the reasons behind the person who uploaded the video in the first place. Why didn’t he or she correct the video after the store owner explained why the flag was upside down? There appears to be malice.
Akmal also referred to the tax-paying Malaysian who made the blunder as “ah pek”. Remember when he once said that the government should create a non-halal logo and paste it on Kok’s forehead, referring to her as ”Nyonya tua” (old Nyonya)?
Akmal has also thumbed his nose at the state security apparatus. Are these the values that the Jalur Gemilang represents? More importantly, are these the values that Madani represents?
What Akmal has done is made the Jalur Gemilang symbolise bully boy tactics, reminding the non-Malays of their place in Madani society.
Think about how shops closed before this so-called rally. The fear and anxiety it has created among the people in putting up the flag.
Think about the reasons behind the person who uploaded the video in the first place. Why didn’t he or she correct the video after the store owner explained why the flag was upside down? There appears to be malice.
Akmal also referred to the tax-paying Malaysian who made the blunder as “ah pek”. Remember when he once said that the government should create a non-halal logo and paste it on Kok’s forehead, referring to her as ”Nyonya tua” (old Nyonya)?
Akmal has also thumbed his nose at the state security apparatus. Are these the values that the Jalur Gemilang represents? More importantly, are these the values that Madani represents?
Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh
Remember when academic Tajuddin Rasdi expressed his deep shame at the way Sin Chew Daily was treated over its flag mistake?
In response to him, Perkasa information chief Irwan Fahmi Ideris said, “Today, Malaysians - especially Malays - have been too tolerant with various issues such as KK Mart, and have now reached a tipping point when the national flag has been desecrated by those who purposely want to enrage the Malays.
“How can Malays be called ‘vindictive’ for wanting to defend the nation’s dignity?”
Anwar and DAP
What about DAP? Political operatives like Akmal understand that it really does not matter what they do because the DAP base will not punish the party.
This is unlike the Malay majority polity, who have demonstrated their willingness to shift their support to whatever reactionary Malay party they think best serves their interests.
Anwar played the liberal, reformist, and progressive Muslim when he was on the campaign stump, and this elevated him to cult-like status amongst the non-Muslims.
But after coming into power, either as a handmaiden to the old maverick or into his own, his obsession with securing the Malay vote has driven him and Pakatan Harapan further right.
This has been accepted by the non-Malay Harapan base but met with indifference by a majority of Malays.
The Chinese may have put him in power, but playing the racist game to get the Malay vote is self-defeating for a variety of reasons.
At this point, the dynamic between the prime minister and Akmal is like how Umno presidents used to play this sandiwara (drama) were the youth wing president took shots at the party big cheese in an attempt to demonstrate that the wing was grassroots agitators who were the footsoldiers of the party but ultimately loyal to the president and his agenda.
Remember when Akmal claimed that Anwar understood the BN way of doing things when the prime minister said - “We must offer positions to qualified individuals as a gesture of appreciation for their decades of commitment and sacrifice.”
No demand from DAP?
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke is demonstrating some fortitude now, but why doesn’t he just go to the prime minister to demand action on Akmal?
In the KK Mart fiasco, Loke said he met with the Umno grand poobah. The prime minister is supposed to be the most powerful in this coalition government, so why didn’t DAP, which has the bigger voting bloc, bypass Umno and tell the prime minister to control his Madani members?
Remember when academic Tajuddin Rasdi expressed his deep shame at the way Sin Chew Daily was treated over its flag mistake?
In response to him, Perkasa information chief Irwan Fahmi Ideris said, “Today, Malaysians - especially Malays - have been too tolerant with various issues such as KK Mart, and have now reached a tipping point when the national flag has been desecrated by those who purposely want to enrage the Malays.
“How can Malays be called ‘vindictive’ for wanting to defend the nation’s dignity?”
Anwar and DAP
What about DAP? Political operatives like Akmal understand that it really does not matter what they do because the DAP base will not punish the party.
This is unlike the Malay majority polity, who have demonstrated their willingness to shift their support to whatever reactionary Malay party they think best serves their interests.
Anwar played the liberal, reformist, and progressive Muslim when he was on the campaign stump, and this elevated him to cult-like status amongst the non-Muslims.
But after coming into power, either as a handmaiden to the old maverick or into his own, his obsession with securing the Malay vote has driven him and Pakatan Harapan further right.
This has been accepted by the non-Malay Harapan base but met with indifference by a majority of Malays.
The Chinese may have put him in power, but playing the racist game to get the Malay vote is self-defeating for a variety of reasons.
At this point, the dynamic between the prime minister and Akmal is like how Umno presidents used to play this sandiwara (drama) were the youth wing president took shots at the party big cheese in an attempt to demonstrate that the wing was grassroots agitators who were the footsoldiers of the party but ultimately loyal to the president and his agenda.
Remember when Akmal claimed that Anwar understood the BN way of doing things when the prime minister said - “We must offer positions to qualified individuals as a gesture of appreciation for their decades of commitment and sacrifice.”
No demand from DAP?
DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke is demonstrating some fortitude now, but why doesn’t he just go to the prime minister to demand action on Akmal?
In the KK Mart fiasco, Loke said he met with the Umno grand poobah. The prime minister is supposed to be the most powerful in this coalition government, so why didn’t DAP, which has the bigger voting bloc, bypass Umno and tell the prime minister to control his Madani members?
DAP sec-gen Anthony Loke (right) with PM Anwar Ibrahim and other DAP leaders
But then again, seeing as how Anwar was silent when the cars of a DAP political operative were firebombed, perhaps running to the prime minister about a Chinese businessperson being targeted for a mistake he had already profusely apologised for is not such a great idea.
Various DAP Youth branches have called on the party to cut ties with Akmal and Umno Youth, which misses the point.
Enabling Umno
This is about how Madani is enabling Umno and its politics of hate. The funny thing is, if it wasn't for Akmal, Madani could coast along while dodging most jabs thrown its way.
Akmal and Umno have destroyed this Merdeka month. Merdeka years gone have always been stodgy but palatable spectacles, at times even inspiring enthusiasm. However, this year, all Madani has done by enabling Akmal is remind everyone of the toxic racial politics.
At this point, Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek is doing more for the cause of democracy and the non-Malay community than DAP and Madani.
But then again, seeing as how Anwar was silent when the cars of a DAP political operative were firebombed, perhaps running to the prime minister about a Chinese businessperson being targeted for a mistake he had already profusely apologised for is not such a great idea.
Various DAP Youth branches have called on the party to cut ties with Akmal and Umno Youth, which misses the point.
Enabling Umno
This is about how Madani is enabling Umno and its politics of hate. The funny thing is, if it wasn't for Akmal, Madani could coast along while dodging most jabs thrown its way.
Akmal and Umno have destroyed this Merdeka month. Merdeka years gone have always been stodgy but palatable spectacles, at times even inspiring enthusiasm. However, this year, all Madani has done by enabling Akmal is remind everyone of the toxic racial politics.
At this point, Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek is doing more for the cause of democracy and the non-Malay community than DAP and Madani.
LFL’s Zaid Malek at a counter rally to Akmal’s protest in front of a hardware store in Kepala Batas, Penang on Thursday
The prime minister, his minister of communication and various factotums in Madani have been quick to censure what they deem threatening to the country’s political stability.
Then why the silence when it comes to Akmal? What happens if his actions one day result in a racial riot? This would be a convenient way for Madani to introduce more regressive policies at the expense of democracy in this country.
This is why someone like Akmal is dangerous. At best, the prime minister really does not care what happens to an insignificant Chinese trader or at worst, he really cannot do anything about Akmal.
Either way, Akmal wins.
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
The prime minister, his minister of communication and various factotums in Madani have been quick to censure what they deem threatening to the country’s political stability.
Then why the silence when it comes to Akmal? What happens if his actions one day result in a racial riot? This would be a convenient way for Madani to introduce more regressive policies at the expense of democracy in this country.
This is why someone like Akmal is dangerous. At best, the prime minister really does not care what happens to an insignificant Chinese trader or at worst, he really cannot do anything about Akmal.
Either way, Akmal wins.
S THAYAPARAN is commander (Rtd) of the Royal Malaysian Navy. Fīat jūstitia ruat cælum - “Let justice be done though the heavens fall.”
Animal Farm
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