Is Malaysia Turning Increasingly Intolerant Lately Under Anwar's So-Called Unity, Inclusive, Madani Administration?

What is happening lately is concerning.

There is the case of former opposition leader and veteran politician  Lim Kit Siang  being called up for saying he hoped a non-Malay could one day be the Malaysian prime minister.

And before that, a man hauled up, for what he had said, some two years ago, that he supported   establishing diplomatic ties with Israel.

And the case of the Cambodian business woman charged for her 'Malays lazy' comment. A comment that even Mathathir, two times Pm, himself has often repeated.

Though in the case of the Cambodian woman, the context and manner she uttered the phrase was concededly distasteful and offensive, it would have had been better the authorities called to reprimand and remind her to be considerate and circumspect instead of filing charges against her.

After all, she has apologised to all, especially the Malays, rightly, for her rather insensitive remarks.

Malaysia is, after all, a democracy. 

Or are we, after all?

There should be space for divergent opinions from the government's stand, so long as those aren't meant to provoke strife and division among the races, faiths and cultures of the diverse Malaysian population. 

What is further distressing is that some people seem to be exempt from action.

For example, Mahathir and Hadi Awang themselves have been called up by the authorities several times each, for their remarks touching on the three Rs issues i.e race, religion and the royalty but no charges have been filed against them, nor any follow up actions taken all these years.

Not quite so in the case of the hoi polloi and lesser mortals, ai yo yo!!

The democratic space seems to be shrinking under, perversely, Anwar who has all the years been shouting  'reformasi! reformasi!' (reforms and reformations)

In fact, despite our pride in asserting that Malaysia is a democratic country, democratic space has not been open all the years since Mahathir.

Except during the premiership of Ahmad Badavi with his 'Islam Hadhari' administration, for all that was worth what some had disparaged him for!

Come think of it, can't say that much for Anwar's so-called unity, inclusive Madani administration though!