Malaysia is facing a malicious attempt at false provocation.

Clearly, the selectiveness of the ISA arrests is an insidious and misleading attempt to create resentment among particular communities. Why else arrest the messenger but not the message maker, or a politician proven to be only falsely accused?

Perhaps it is hoped that impassioned and racially-tinged sentiments will be expressed in the coming days, escalating to even more impassioned racial reactions. This in turn may lay the ground for emergency rule, and for all the suspension of civil liberties and human rights that follow.