Public officials urged to accept criticism
Politicians should face flak in the right spirit, says Suhakam commissioner
PETALING JAYA: Those holding public office have been urged to accept criticisms over statements they make and not resort to making police reports.
Suhakam commissioner Jerald Joseph said that criticisms, in modern times, should be taken with an open heart by politicians.
“Kedah mentri besar acknowledged that the joke he made was in bad taste and he was criticised by the public.
“The question now is not about the joke but where he made it. He made the joke in public, therefore he should also be able to take criticisms.”
Joseph said the mentri besar was criticised because his comment was about a serious issue – lack of space at mortuaries to handle dead bodies.
He added that if criticisms do not incite hatred or violence, then they should be accepted.
He pointed out that people have the right to air what they think.
“We must be able to express our views if we disagree with a certain issue or statement,” he told theSun.
He said we have the right to directly criticise an issue we disagree with and those making statements, especially political leaders, must accept it.
“They cannot only accept good views.”
At a press conference on Aug 6, Kedah Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor was asked about shipping containers being used to hold the dead at the Sungai Petani hospital, following a shortage of space at its morgue.
He replied that more containers would be made available, adding: “There are enough containers for dead bodies. Anyone who wants to enter, give your names.”
He later apologised for making the joke To date, four people have been arrested by Kedah police over remarks deemed insulting to Sanusi.
The first was a 61-year-old who launched into a diatribe against Sanusi in a nine-minute video on Facebook. Two other men, aged 45 and 52, were also arrested for making allegedly offensive remarks against him.
The fourth, a 25-year-old IT analyst, was arrested and police obtained a three-day remand order to complete their investigations.
G25’s Datuk Noor Farida Ariffin said it is very unfair for police to arrest these men.
“They raided the home of the Pak Chik at 4am. What is the necessity for arresting these men only for criticising the Kedah MB?
“None of these men are hardened criminals.”
Noor Farida questioned whether Malaysia had become a police state where the rakyat are not allowed to criticise political leaders when they act against the people’s interests.
She said the nation prides itself on being a democracy, but with the government and police violating the rights of the rakyat, we are in danger of becoming a dictatorship.
Social activist Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said Sanusi as a mentri besar should not be too sensitive when criticisms are levelled against him
He said Sanusi should also be aware his remarks will hurt people especially when they are facing hard times during the pandemic.
“The mentri besar should know that storing bodies in containers is an emotional issue as hospital mortuaries are overwhelmed by the number of dead people.
“He should have refrained from making such a joke because it would only aggravate the issue.”
Lee said the police should also be aware that it is an emotive subject and such matters should be handled with more care. “This is not the time to worsen the situation.”