YOURSAY | ‘His ideas belong in the dustbin of history.’

Putra moots harsher than ISA law to defend royal institution

Knucklehead2: Empowering police to detain suspects without trial and whipping repeat offenders is the sickest throwback from a hopeless politician who lacks principles.

Putra president Ibrahim Ali wants to drag Malaysia back into the darkest corners of authoritarianism, dressing it up as “defending the royal institution”. But laws that allow detention without trial are not about respect - they are about silencing dissent and crushing freedom.

The Malay rulers are merely human. To criminalise criticism with whipping and indefinite detention is not sanctity - it is tyranny.

This is nothing more than a desperate politician pandering to shallow followers who thrive on fear and outrage. His ideas belong in the dustbin of history, not in the future of Malaysia.

Sealthedeal: Ibrahim has definitely lost the plot. Giving police powers of detention and whipping without trial is a non-starter in any modern democracy.

Royals should not be immune to criticism, satire, or even lampooning. They function within a constitutional monarchy system and are ultimately answerable to the rakyat.

They are not above scrutiny simply because of birth or status. They have a constitutional role and responsibilities to fulfil, just like elected leaders and public institutions.

Freethinker: The Internal Security Act (ISA) was originally intended to handle matters related to national security, not to indefinitely detain disgruntled individuals.

The last I checked, the ultras are very against any detention without trial when it comes to Israel and other authoritarian states.

We are supposed to be a democratic country that respects human rights and the rule of law. In reality, what Malaysia needs are laws that protect minorities who are being “bullied” day in and day out into silence, not more draconian powers for the state.

GP2025: What utter rubbish. Will Malays supposedly “go amok” without punitive laws against lawful criticism? This man from an undeveloped political era is, in fact, affirming the stereotype that Malays cannot control themselves at the slightest provocation.

I doubt most Malays agree with him. Malaysians today are far more educated, rational, and capable of engaging in debate without violence.

AyamKambingBack: Our priority should instead be to enact much harsher laws against corruptors who rob the rakyat and destroy public trust. Corruption has done far more damage to Malaysia than criticism of royalty ever could.

Those who steal billions from the public purse weaken institutions, destroy the economy, and undermine confidence in democracy itself.

Yet politicians seem more obsessed with policing speech than with fighting corruption seriously. Ordinary Malaysians struggle with rising costs of living while elites debate how to punish critics more severely.

If there is public anger today, it is largely because people see double standards everywhere.

World Citizen: Perhaps lawmakers should instead introduce laws against those who constantly make extreme racist and religious remarks that divide Malaysians.

The country is exhausted from endless race and religion politics used to manipulate emotions. Leaders should focus on unity, economic recovery, education, and institutional reform instead of reviving authoritarian ideas.

HoyoHoyo: Hello Ibrahim, your religious and racial rhetoric is provocative towards the non-Malays. There were Bible-burning threats, the white ang pow incident during a Chinese New Year event, and a warning issued to the Chinese community ahead of the Bersih rally.

Proposing whipping for insulting royalty is another useless rhetoric to the Malay community. Neither does it increase any communal support for Perkasa.

Robbie98: I wonder what inspired this outburst. No Malaysian in his right mind goes out of his way to insult the royal institution. Having said that, we also believe in the supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law.

I presume Ibrahim and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad would subscribe to the same principles.

Detention under the ISA for two years at the will of a senior police officer without trial is surely draconian and takes us back to the dark ages.

Malaysia has spent decades trying to reform its institutions and move away from abuse of power.

We should not casually flirt with laws that were once feared by generations of Malaysians. Take a break from “amok politics” and stop inflaming emotions for cheap political mileage.

Just A Malaysian: The increasingly educated masses of all races are becoming more critical and vocal, especially among younger Malaysians.

The royal institution itself must also undergo positive changes in line with the times. Respect today is earned through wisdom, integrity, and public conduct, not through fear or coercion.

The sultan of Perak is a good example of commanding respect by articulating issues intelligently and offering thoughtful guidance for the rakyat.

Recommending draconian laws to protect the royal institution may instead alienate the rakyat and damage the institution further.

Ibrahim appears completely out of touch with Gen Z and should seriously consider retirement instead of proposing laws better suited for another era.

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