Grow up Malaysians, stop being so sensitive

Too many Malaysians are too sensitive and acting like immature children. When they are not at ease with something, they demand others to remove it for their comfort and sensitivity. I think enough people have commented about the cross removal at Taman Medan. I’m writing about another episode which is equally bullish and childish.

When something goes viral, there are pros and cons. The good thing is that the content creator can reach to a wider audience and enlarge his/her circle of followers. But there are also negative consequences of unintended fame. For example, the risk of people misinterpreting the message and condemning the messenger is directly proportional to the number of people receiving the message.

Immediately after the Taman Medan incident, The Bawang Report posted a satire aiming at the insecurity and paranoia of certain groups. The post (produced below) has been circulated much more widely than any other posts from the page. Most people know it's a satire, but some prominent individuals or groups must have shared it with their followers/groups with captions that are filled with misinterpretation and ill-intention. As a result, the page is flooded with vicious and spiteful comments, posts and messages from people who went nuts. Maybe this is what BFM presenter Aisyah Tajuddin went through a couple of weeks ago, albeit on a much smaller scale and intensity.

Anyone with half a brain would be able to detect the ridiculousness of the suggestion (to ban calculators from all schools and universities). That so many people mistaken it for the real deal is testament to either of the following: that there are many people who condemn something when provoked by others without first checking the source or thinking about what was said/wrote, or that our nation has become so absurd that the most absurd things are no longer absurd.

Malaysians are too sensitive. The flurry of rage from some people is definitely not something we expect. While it was originally amusing to see how some people make a fool out of themselves, it got a little tense when certain groups of people started to post vulgar posts and send threatening messages. What they are essentially doing are cyberbullying; the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.

Ironically, it is not the government or the Sedition Act that makes the satirists reconsidering our vocation. It's the people. People who are nothing but cyberbullies. People who don't bother to fact-check or use their brains. People who condemn and send weird messages.

Given the rising intolerance among certain Muslim groups, you would have thought that they are the ones who did this cyberbullying. But the fact is, extremists come from all race and religions.

Aisyah Tajuddin went into hiding after the ultra-sensitive Muslims threaten to rape and kill her. BFM Radio Station was bombarded with vulgar posts on their page and intimidating threats.

A fellow satirist and columnist at The Malaysian Insider, Emmanuel Joseph, once wrote a satirical post titled “Roti John Kristianisasi”. Some blogs picked it up and shared it among their followers. Instead of seeing it as an obvious satire ridiculing the paranoid authority which frequently imagines threats from Christianity, secularism, and liberalism, some extremist and ultra-sensitive Christians thought that Emmanuel was really spreading the news that Roti John is a secret ploy to propagate Christianity and give it a bad name. A few days after receiving all sorts of intimidation and death threats through Facebook, SMS and Whatsapp, Emmanuel had to deactivate his social media and leave cyberspace for a while.

In another case, That Effing Show, previously hosted by Ezra Zaid and Umapagan Ampikaipakan, was accused of being rude (kurang ajar) and do not respect the sensitivities of others. Perkasa members lodged numerous police reports against the satirists.

And though this is not related to satires, the organiser of “I Want to Touch a Dog” initiative, Syed Azmi Alhabshi, was on the receiving end of countless threats and intimidations from cyberbullies. From what I gathered, people even took photo of his house and send it to his Whatsapp with the message “We are watching you”.

All these developments are worrying. Malaysians need to grow up and become mature adults. There’s no difference between a kid who bullies other kids to get what he/she wants and adults who intimidate a church to remove its cross or turn into anonymous cyberbullies.

Learn how to handle situations when your opinions are challenged, deal sensitive issues with maturity and rationality, and most of all, control yourself. Behave like an adult. That there are so many “kids” running amok in the cyberspace and Taman Medan are probably symptoms of a society which is unable to think for itself, insecure and paranoid, and unable to withstand challenges to their most sacred opinions.

When people ran amok, they should be held accountable for threatening and intimidating others. Cybersecurity is still novel in Malaysia, but law enforcement officers should take action against those who harm others.

People enjoy satires when the satirists poke fun at other people, but when it's their turn, they turn into a monster against the satirists. That Effing Show, BFM Radio, Fake Malaysian News, and The Bawang Report wrestle with the risk of threats every day, everywhere – from the Sedition Act to the Special Branch who might be monitoring us. But when some groups of people turn against the satirists, we are really worried. Other groups' show of support would be nice, but too often the struggle is quiet and lonesome.

Sometimes people say they wish Malaysia has its own John Oliver, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. The truth is, we do. There are plenty of us. But the people are not ready to celebrate the satirists. And then just like brain drain, they wonder why the talents stop producing and start leaving.

Grow up folks, behave like an adult, and stop being so sensitive. Your faith would not be weakened by a cross or a Facebook post, but your malicious actions and words would almost surely prevent you from entering heaven (assuming there is one). – April 25, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.