As I wrote last week, I am never particularly fond of or impressed with the Phoenix Channel , despite the news network's vow to 'bring the Chinese to the world'.

Still, among the very few (remaining) quality commentators, I will strongly recommend Shi Qiping. Unlike his other colleagues, who are sometimes so carried away and behave as if they are the spokespersons of the Chinese government, Shi comes across more as a media professional adhering to neutrality and objectivity

Early this week, Shi urged in a news programme on the alleged maltreatments of Chinese nationals that both China and Malaysia should take a comprehensive look at the issue and study its possible causes in a holistic manner, instead of tackling it as isolated cases.

I cannot agree more.

Since the scandalous video-clip came to light, the Chinese media, from within Malaysia to those in Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China, have invariably defined the police's misconduct as "disparaging of China".

Or is it?

Hysterical response

As Ng Boon Hooi, a former malaysiakini journalist, recently wrote in the Oriental Daily , police abuse of power in Malaysia has long been a serious public concern, with cases of human rights violations running into thousands over the years. From the "lightest", such as the sexual molestation of a malaysiakini reader at the hands of two police officers, to the world's most (in)famous black eye of a former deputy prime minister, it would seem that the power of the police force in Malaysia knows no bound.

Had the victims of the series of alleged police misconducts happened to be nationals of a European Union country, I am quite certain the government concerned would, while waiting for clarification and apologies, have called on Malaysia to show greater respect for human rights in the hope that such incidents would not repeat themselves.

It is therefore most unrealistic for one to expect Beijing to exercise its moral obligation and monitor the human rights condition in Malaysia. Rather, the Chinese government has been making every effort to confine the issue of police abuse to its own nationals. Given China's poor records of human rights, evidenced in the recent stinging report by Manfred Nowak, the UN rapporteur on torture, which has found the treatment of prisoners in China falling far short of international standards, Beijing's attitude as such is understandable.

It takes one to know one. Now that police abuse in Malaysia has gone international, it is quite ignorant and short-sighted for some to pin hopes on Beijing exerting greater pressure on Putrajaya to show progress in human rights.

Negative feelings

In fact, judging from the hysterical response of the Chinese Malaysian media and online postings in regard to the series of police misconducts concerning Chinese citizens, there is perhaps a deeper, less appreciated dimension to the issue, in that the incidents serve as a manifestation of the negative feelings of the Chinese Malaysians as a marginalised and discriminated community living in the shadow of Malay hegemony and supremacy.

In other words, it may very well be that many are identified more with the disgracing treatment of the Chinese nationals, but less with the victims per se. As the issue is being highlighted ad nauseam, some may even hope that it could shame the Malaysian authorities while drawing the attention of the international community to the 'plight' of the Chinese in Malaysia.

If such has been a prime motive of those who continue to harp on the police, I have reason to remain skeptical about the way the media coverage is being done.

As argued by some, at the heart of the public outcry lies the dignity of certain women that has been so badly slain, perhaps never to be recovered. The victims, be they Chinese, Malaysian or of other nationalities, should first and foremost be the concern of us all.

Here is where the hypocrisy of the media comes in: has one thoroughly searched one's conscience and asked who, indeed, has in the past stigmatised women from China by labeling them en masse as "little dragon girls"?

Now it would be legitimate for one to question if the very same Chinese dailies would devote equal, if not more, amount of coverage on human rights violations that had befallen those of non-Chinese.

What if the victim happened to be, say, a Liberian national? His or her news value will likely dwindle dramatically.

First, the journalist will have to reach for a map in order to find out where Liberia is.

Second, the blacks are generally perceived to be uncultured and a menace to the local population regardless of where they come from.

And, finally, even if they are well-behaved, insulting them will not jeopardise our tourist industry anyway, which will in turn save the government the trouble of sending an envoy on a reconciliation mission.

I would in fact go a step further and challenge the Chinese media in Malaysia to also dedicate more pages to reporting the on-going human rights abuses the world over, particularly in China, in addition to heaping praises on the Chinese leadership for its marvelous economic achievements and prosperity.

Desolate minds

Meanwhile, how many Malaysians do honestly care about those who have to endure harsh and inhumane conditions in Chinese prisons?

In the same vein, I too hope that Chinese nationals, indignant and burning with fury over the horrible experiences of their female compatriots overseas, may go beyond petty nationalism and realise that Malaysia remains a country ruled by a good number of draconian laws.

Our bodies may not be naked, but our minds are haunted and desolate all the same.

When the Chinese government is bereft of moral high ground to speak up for those who live under oppression, and will never risk saying more than diplomatically necessary lest it be accused of interfering in the domestic affairs of a foreign country, why should one continue to hold such regime in high esteem on the issue of human rights?

Given that the media in China and Malaysia both claim to strive for world peace and mutual respect and assistance, I would rather they move out of their respective narrow confines and begin to understand more about the human rights conditions in either country, while being generous and courageous in extending their moral support whenever and wherever necessary.

Should this come true, the shocking misfortunes of the Chinese ladies and the notoriety that Malaysia has come to be associated with internationally will not end in futility after all.