(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday): No wonder crime is getting ever more serious if police spend more time imprisoning those without ICs or take action against young men for allegedly insulting the government instead of catching robbers and rapists who strike terror and fear in our neighbourhoods. Two incidents highlight such mismatched resources and misplaced priorities. 

First is the cruel imprisonment of a 19-year-old youth in the Kajang prison for more than six months for not having his MyKad. The offence carries a jail term of up to three years, or a fine of between RM3,000 and RM20,000, or both. Jeff Lee Kwong Yong, who was arrested on Jan 31 for failing to produce his IC to a policewoman in Kuala Lumpur could not raise the RM1,000 bail and had to serve 6 months seven days in prison.  

Such punishment is more severe than the sentences meted out to those who steal and DAP demands that the offence for not carrying ICs be reviewed. Such a minor offence of not carrying ICs should not attract such a heavy penalty of imprisonment up to 3 years or fines between RM 3,000 and RM 20,000/-. Clearly the punishment is disproportionate to the offence when even beating up a person under Section 323 of the Penal Code of voluntarily causes hurt shall be punished with imprisonment for one year, or with fine of two thousand ringgit, or with both. 

Isn’t it ridiculous that a person would be punished lightly for causing hurt to someone but heavily for not carrying his IC? What type of impression or system of justice would the Malaysian government give to the world with such laws that punishes forgetfulness more severely than violence? For this reason such heavy penalties should be reduced to a maximum fine of RM 500 and/or one week jail. 

The second incident is the threat by Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum that the police would act against the Malaysian student in Taiwan, who used Negaraku in a Mandarin rap video clip shown on YouTube in the internet. Arts, Heritage and Culture Minister Datuk Dr Rais Yatim said that he would would ask the Attorney-General Chambers to take action under the National Anthem Act.  

Though Malaysians may disagree with his foul language and sentiments, the 24 year old student from Muar, Wee Meng Chee, was exercising his freedom of expression. The essence of freedom of expression was captured by French philosopher Voltaire’s famous words "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Both Harian Metro and Liow Tiong Lai are guilty of moral hypocrisy, selective persecution and oppressing basic human rights

Datuk Johari Baharom must realize that Wee is not an opposition leader but only an ordinary student. Whether Wee had insulted the national anthem is subjective and the government has clearly lost direction if it has nothing better to do than to waste time on an ordinary student that has not harmed anyone.  

DAP regrets MCA Youth President Datuk Liow Tiong Lai for following the UMNO line in insisting that Wee insulted the national. Such sentiments are similar to Harian Metro’s front-page story demanding action be taken because  Wee’s rap video insulted the national anthem, showed disrespect for the government and touched on the sensitivities of Muslims in the country. When has showing disrespect to the government become a criminal offence? 

Further if Harian Metro and Datuk Liow Tiong Lai is so concerned about sensitivities of Malaysians, why do they not behave consistently by demanding that stern action be taken against the Prime Minister’s website for containing a posting by a person pretending to be Chinese, filled with deep racial and religious hatred that is certain to provoke extremist hatred in Malaysia. 

DAP CEC member Ronnie Liu had lodged a police report against the Prime Minister’s website for sedition, over the comments posted on a part of the website open to the public. The "seditious and incendiary" comments on the site allegedly called on minority ethnic Chinese to unite and weaken the majority ethnic Malays, who dominate politically. Clearly this is the work of extremist Malays building up a bogeyman to try to frighten Malays of the imaginary threats posed by Chinese. 

There should be no double-standards where action is taken against postings allegedly labeled as seditious and false by the government but yet no action is taken against those posted in pro-government websites. Both Harian Metro and Liow Tiong Lai are guilty of moral hypocrisy, selective persecution and oppressing basic human rights when calling only for action against those who are unhappy with government policies.  

The challenge is for both Liow and Harian Metro to prove that they are fair and uphold the rule of law by demanding similar action be taken against the Prime Minister’s and pro-government websites for false and inflammatory postings. Otherwise they should not waste public resources and allow the police to concentrate on its main duty of combating rampant crime threatening our right to live, work, study and play in a safe and secure neighbourhood.