The Road to Merdeka: Freedom

In the fourth installment of the Road to Merdeka series,blogger John F Seademon highlights how the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and several other acts that were reviewed last year marked the beginning for Malaysians to exercise their freedom responsibly.

“Sometimes a brave thing like this is necessary,” former Inspector General of Police Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar was quoted as saying in the blog post, in response to Najib’s speech on Malaysia Day last year.

"It has been a year since the Prime Minister announced the doing-away with the Internal Security Act and the Emergency Ordinances.

"It was my hope that the move would have been reciprocated with more mature acts by activists and opposition-linked movements," Seademon wrote.

While the new found freedom will allow Malaysians to exercise their freedom better, Seademon reminded it also means it is about time Malaysians show maturity and accountability in the way they speak, write and act.

“It is time for Malaysians to open up instead of having myopic views about things that do not represent their beliefs, be it personal or political. It is all about self-censorship. It is about nation-building, not nation-demolishing.”

“It is telling us all to stop manipulating each other, or lie about things when we know the truth. It is about standing up not for ourselves, but for the longevity of this nation,” the post read.

Using the Bersih movement and the police as examples, Seademon explained it means the people have a better chance to exercise freedom to assemble within the limits of the law.

“If there is a dispute, both parties (organisers and the police) will have to fulfill the requirements of the law by going for a judicial review. The court of law has the final say – definitely not the organisers, definitely not the police,” he added.

“If you truly value this land we call our home, defend it together, not against one another. Use this new-found “freedom” to unite.”

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(The Mole will be publishing the Road to Merdeka series as a build up for the Merdeka Day.)

Source: MOLE