Everything has its limit – iron ore cannot be educated into gold.
– Mark Twain, American writer
“That’s a bit much.” That was my reaction upon seeing videos and photos circulating on social media from a “cosplay” parade organised by a certain political party in Malaya.
In Malay, it would translate to “keterlaluan”. But then again, the word to some, comes off a bit harsh and bitter.
Probably because they understand Malay better than other languages, but I leave it to them.
To be fair, how would they expect people to react to a march by religious fanatics wielding swords, spears and shields?
The parade has been lambasted by the general public, many of which share my exact sentiments.
They don’t really reflect the diverse, multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-ethnic social harmony that the people currently enjoy.
It is almost as if we’ve rolled back the years and returned to the dark ages – the medieval age, to be exact.
Their argument, for the parade, was that it was a “historical cosplay” and a dramatisation of the historical period.
Point taken. But then again it doesn’t explain why there should be weapons being wielded down the street – replica or otherwise.
To the public, and observers, how would one know for certain that it is made from cardboards or polystyrene, it looks the same.
I mean we would be allowing a troop of gun-toting men marching down our street with replica weapons?
At the very least, this group of people are guilty of conducting a demonstration that is in bad taste, particularly in the current political situation.
The potential for something to have gone awfully wrong during this event was astronomical, just to think of it.
The Home Minister, in acknowledging this exact threat, issued a warning to all quarters to stop any activities that could incite chaos, following the controversial parade.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said strict action will be taken against any elements that could threaten public order and harmony.
“The parade, which went viral on social media, has caused public unease,” he said in a statement, pointing out that with the upcoming election in several states, the political temperature is currently raised.
Looking at it from another viewpoint, it is a publicity stunt to leverage on the outcry from the majority of the population, which they, I think, anticipated.
It’s political scheming, simply put. One that also could put the safety of the people at jeopardy.
Federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing echoed Saifuddin’s views, pointing out that such would send a wrong message to foreign tourists on the country’s security and could negatively impact Malaysia’s tourism industry.
Tiong, who is also Bintulu MP, stressed that any event that revolves around race or extremist issues should not be allowed in the country.
He also criticised the attempt to mislead the public by certain quarters when equating the parade to Chinese opera.
“This could impede the government’s efforts towards the country’s economic recovery, especially in the tourism sector,” he added.
If we look at optics, what good would pictures of sword-wielding and armour-wearing men marching up and down the street will do to the nation’s image – one that is being published by news outlets worldwide?
To the people in political parties, I would advise them to not keep pushing the envelope in spreading their ideologies.
There is fine line between freedom of expression and the point where such would cause harm – be it physically or socially.
Unfortunately, this is what we keep seeing. The right, and the left of the political spectrum are constantly trying to outdo one another.
When one pushes hard, the other will push back. Be it through political discussions on social media or the act of demonstration as what we are discussing in this column.
We can’t continue to live in a state of turmoil – a ticking time bomb of sorts where one simple act would cause immeasurable damage to the nation.
The political temperatures, with the looming state elections in parts of Malaya is through the roof. That is a fact.
However, we should and we must keep our unity intact regardless of our differences in ideologies and beliefs.
A democratic nation with democratic practices should mean having political discussions in a civil manner, where the exchange of ideas would contribute to better policies to benefit the people.
It certainly does not mean trying to instil fear among the people and bring the worst out of everyone.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
