COMMENT If the rakyat feel that they must paint their leadership as clowns, then it befits their right to do so as a means of expressing legitimate democratic dissent.

Any curb on this is not only against democratic principles but may trigger less palatable means of defiance.

After all, do our elected leaders have such constricted digestive tract endings that they cannot even take a joke?

If we were to use the analogy of commentary writers and those who leave comments on their articles for example, it would be ridiculous for me to hunt down and duel with those who leave less than palatable comments about my writing.

Having shared my views, it is fair game for discussion.

Just like leaders who submit themselves to the political process are open to ridicule and discussion, for their actions are no longer personal but of national concern.

The borrowed power they wield is fair recompense for the scrutiny and accountability they must endure.

It is a lonely burden to be on the quarterdeck of leadership, yet ironically what one does there is open to view and invites all kinds of sailor-like cussing as well as the occasional praise.

If you claim the quarterdeck, you must have the testicular fortitude to bear the brunt, or else just jump into the ['laut' (sea) or fall into the 'longkang' (drain).

It is not as if ridicule and satire are bullets and the pens, pencils and mouses that spawn them are weapons of mass revolution.

They are indications of public disobedience, which must be heeded, or else they may turn to something else.

If all legitimate venues of dissent are closed off by the powers-that-be, then such things as bullets, weapons and revolutions may be the only means left as an outlet.

Something which I am sure none of us want.

Unaccountable power

Democracy has long been touted as a system of governance of, for and by the people. As such if it is the people's right to choose who leads them, it should be also be their purview to monitor, observe - and when needed - chide them for any incompetence.

It must be noted that democratically-elected leaders bear the burden of rule and this is not a privilege, nor is it a burning cross for them to claim a right to remain on the plush seat of power.

The letter of the law may confer on them a fixed term in office, with no more bearing from the electorate beyond the next ballot. However, the spirit of the law demands accountability at all times.

This must be the overriding principle in all democracies, unless we are moving to a system that only claims the name, pays lip service to the principles and play-acts the ballot to justify unaccountable power and unassailable rule.

A true democracy is based on choice and the citizens given access to transparency and information to make that choice as they see fit, as well as the right to express their feelings and thoughts about those leading them.

It is not about upholding a regime just because it has been in power for so long, or picking leaders based on who their parents were or which party had helped us negotiate independence or being told which party is the best for the rakyat, and so on and so forth.

Instead of deploying security forces online and in real life to hunt down, give warning and hound those who ridicule the government, the powers-that-be should be looking at the disappointments of the public and address the issues at hand.

Trust me, its easier than handling more substantial cries for 'liberte, egalite and fraternite'.

Pouring their resources to solve public grievances is a much better use of means for the government of the day, rather than turning Malaysia into a state where what you eat, say, see and even think, are policed.

They should truly listen before they react defensively.

HAZLAN ZAKARIA is a member of the Malaysiakini Team.