Whenever I comment or give opinion on stuff, I would like to think how I would feel if what I am commenting about was to happen to me.

This time I shiver with fear at the thought that I or anyone can be arrested for comments or news items published by third parties, especially if I already denied it.

This is what happened to Amanah Youth vice-chief Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin who was arrested as reported here .

The story started with an article in Free Malaysia Today .

The story was picked up by bicara.com .

Then the inspector-general of police (IGP) sprang into action immediately and ordered the arrest of Shazni.

However, it was not as straightforward as it looks as Shazni immediately denied this and said the IGP should have investigated the story before ordering his arrest.

Looks like all that was in vain as Shazni was arrested nevertheless, in spite of him claiming he never uttered those allegedly seditious words. Surely this is not correct and fair.

It’s ironic that the IGP, who has many a time reminded Malaysians not to listen to rumours, did not follow his own advice.

Why do Malaysian authorities like to arrest people and then investigate? Unless someone is caught in the act of committing a crime, it is only just and fair that arrest is only made upon completion of an investigation unless there is the possibility the ‘culprit’ is a flight risk, like he may escape to Australia?

Arresting people to investigate is not what a progressive democratic country should do, an innocent person sitting in jail even for a few hours is not correct and should be avoided.

It should be investigated and proven first

If Shazni indeed said those words, it should be investigated and proven first before he is arrested. No?

What happens after the arrest and investigation if there is no case to answer? So how then, who will return the time and dignity lost for even the few hours sitting in the lock-up, wasteful paperwork and so on?

In this case, what happened to Shazni can happen to anyone, if someone just twists our words and publishes something else and if we belong to the ‘not desirable’ group, then we will just get arrested? Really? Wow!

Shazni has made a police report on this false news. That’s not enough, he should sue the offending news portal for all they have for the loss and injury suffered to both person and reputation.

In my opinion, each time this happens, and it is happening daily , I think 100 or 1,000 more voters will make up their mind who they will support in the next election.