Malaysiakini ’s editor-in-chief Steven Gan shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with Home Minister Zahid Hamidi, just like two old friends who had bumped into each other at the local kopitiam; but behind the smile and Zahid’s “truce”, should Gan watch out for the knife to be plunged into Malaysiakini ’s back?

 

The two met when Malaysiakini won the award for Social Media Excellence at the World Bloggers and Social Media Awards 2014 ceremony, held in Kuala Lumpur, on Feb 26, 2014, when Zahid had presented the trophies.

 

Zahid’s bonhomie contrasted deeply with his maiden speech, on being made home minister, in May 2013. That was when he warned, that he would monitor “every word, every sentence, every paragraph and every news item in Malaysiakini ”.

 

Last week, as he walked up to receive his award from Zahid, Gan said, “You're not going to point your finger at me, are you?” He was probably referring to the incident, in which another Malaysiakini reporter had been finger-wagged by Zahid and publicly admonished for “spinning”.

 

Lapping up the applause, a smiling Zahid jokingly said to Gan, “Truce”.

 

Lately, ministers, politicians from Umno Baru and the self-styled 'First Lady' of Malaysia (FLOM) Rosmah Mansor, have developed the bad habit of attacking reporters from Malaysiakini .

 

Zahid, who has a doctorate from Universiti Putra Malaysia, forgets that the job of a journalist is to ask probing questions which are of public interest, and hold ministers accountable for their actions.

 

Soon after he joined the cabinet, in May 2013, Zahid was mindful of the looming Umno Baru internal elections, and keen to emphasise his Ketuanan Melayu credentials, so as to ensure a seat on the supreme council. He told Malaysians, who were fuming over the “stolen GE13”, that if they were unhappy with the political system, to leave the country. He reminded them that they should respect the rule of law.

 

A case of, “do as I say, and not do as I do” because Zahid had no intention of abiding by the rule of law, himself.

 

A few months later, in November 2013, Zahid attended a meeting in Malacca, and demanded that all reporters should be ejected from the hall. He then told his audience that gangsters would be shot on sight. In a secret recording, which was smuggled out, he was reported to have said, “I think the best way is that we no longer compromise with them (gangsters). There is no need to give them any more warning. If we get the evidence, we shoot first.”

Betrayal of the rakyat

The recording is alleged to show Zahid endorsing the Tiga Line gang, and calling them “his friends”, as he urged them to do whatever they deemed necessary. The country has seen an increase in violent crime, but the minister alleges that Umno Baru is aligned with elements in the criminal underworld. This is a betrayal of the rakyat.

 

Fast forward to February 2014.  Zahid was non-committal when asked if Seputeh MP Teresa Kok’s controversial ‘Onederful Malaysia’ Chinese New Year video, had stirred-up racial hatred. When Muslim NGOs offered a cash reward to anyone who could slap Kok, Zahid denied that the slapping was a threat but said, “If they issued a death threat, then it would be a threat. Slapping is not .”

 

The home minister appears to have forgotten that slapping a person is a crime punishable under Section 323 of the Penal Code. The punishment, on conviction, is a fine of RM2,000 or a jail term of one year, or both. Did none of his advisers remind him?

At the award ceremony last week, Zahid encouraged social media users to be more truthful in their postings. He said that Malaysians are keen to work together and solve problems and he rightly surmised that people use social media to express their opinions freely.

 

Four days after that event, it was reported that Zahid was up to his old tricks again, when he said, “I think in the run-up to the Kajang by-election, there should be no development allocation given out, even for drains... if we win, then only we give.”

So, what happened to being truthful and of solving issues together? Najib Abdul Razak’s infamous phrase, “You help me, I help you”, uttered in Sibu is often recycled by Umno Baru politicians; this time by Zahid.

 

Withholding essential funds for development, unless the people vote for a particular party, is holding the rakyat to ransom. Umno Baru ministers must learn that to win votes, and hearts, they should never intimidate or threaten. That money belongs to the taxpayer.

 

After his vote-buying speech, in Kajang, the home minister can expect a throng of people to criticise him, on social media sites. Perhaps, they will vote for Malaysiakini , again, next year.

 

In the dog-eat-dog world of Malaysian politics, Zahid has become a target for Muslim NGOs, who want him to be sacked from Najib’s cabinet for giving Malaysiakini the award and for his apparent support for an article criticising the FLOM.

It is a rare treat to defend Umno Baru politicians, who are normally indefensible, but the Muslim NGOs have a lot to learn about the presentation of awards, outside the parallel universe which they dominate.

 

The Malaysiakini award was judged by a combination of public voting (80 percent) and a panel of judges. The NGOs are envious, because they did not receive an award. They are free to enter the competition and see how they fare.

Everything boils down to money

 

The NGOs said, “It is the NGOs that should receive an award from Zahid. It is not that we want an award but we are working without allowance, it’s all from our own pocket.

 

“We could do more if we get some allowance.”

 

Must everything boil down to money, for the Malays represented by these NGOs? Creativity does not need money. Creativity is a form of freedom of expression. Creativity is fuelled by brilliance, inspiration and a passion for an idea. Creativity is limitless and comes to those who have the drive to work hard. No one will stop these NGOs from participating in next year’s competition, but first, they need a mind which is not cluttered by racism and feelings of being victimised.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).