In Malaysia, there are a lot of restrictions in our freedom.
There are legal restrictions in our freedom of speech; rightly or wrongly; in the name of sensitivities of the races, of religions, of cultures and/or for safeguarding the institutions of the state.
There are legal restrictions in freedom of expression, in the name of harmonious living among the citizens of Malaysia and/or for national security.
There are also legal restrictions in the creative, arts & entertainment industry in the name of moral/cultural/religious sensitivities and/or other arbitrary reasons.
There are legal restrictions (arguably) in practising minority religions.
There are legal restrictions in the rights of assemblies, in the name of national securities and peaceful living of citizens.
There are also other legal restrictions such as relating to the press, sedition acts, blasphemy acts, slander acts, etc.
The government says that all these restrictions are, singularly and/or collectively, for national security and harmonious living among the multi racial, multi cultural, and/or multi religious society of Malaysia.
The government may be right. Agree or disagree, rightly or wrongly, these are the facts of the situation, legally, in Malaysia.
There are also social & moral restrictions that a society imposes on its members. Most of us willingly follow these restrictions for harmonious and peaceful living among our neighbours.
But there is one freedom no government and no society on Earth can restrict legally or practically.
Freedom to think.
(As long as you do not express them out loud, of course).
Thinking is done in your brain, and nobody can read what is in yours. It is done in the safe haven of your brain and it is the most free act that you can do.
As far as I know, there are no devices yet invented that can read your mind, and as far as I know, telepathy is still science fiction.
But sadly, among majority of Malaysians, especially, the Malay Muslims, even this, they are afraid to do.
People are afraid to think even though this act cannot be controlled by the state or regulated by law.
They are afraid to think.
They are afraid to engage their brain. They are afraid to think critically.
There are Muslims who are afraid to think about what the Qur'an actually says. They outsource and rely 100% on their favourite preachers to know what the Qur'an says. Their favourite preacher in turn rely on his revered preacher to know what the Qur'an says. The revered preacher in turn rely on his tok guru to know what the Qur'an says.
None of them actually read and study the Qur'an themselves. None of them analyse and think what the Qur'an actually says.
They are afraid to read and study the Qur'an themselves. Some people I have talked to even say that you cannot read and study the Qur'an yourselves or you might be led astray or 'sesat'.
The irony!
They believe the Qur'an is sent as guidance to all humanity and yet they believe reading and studying the the Guide Book themselves might make them stray from guidance or 'sesat'...
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| I am speechless... |
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| The emoji is speechless... |
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| Even the statue is speechless... |
There not enough hands for me to facepalm my own face...
They are afraid to think and question in their mind what their favourite preacher says. They swallow in whole whatever he says. No critical thinking.
They are afraid to think critically on what he says. It is almost as if it is a sin if they question, even in their mind, what he says.
They are also afraid to think and questions in their mind what their leaders are saying. This is all the more true when the leaders are saying racial things. When the leaders are instigating their emotions with racial and religious issues.
I am not asking you to question them openly in public. There are legal repercussions if you say the wrong thing out loud. People may interpret what you say wrongly, intentionally or unintentionally, to get you in trouble. These fears are valid.
But nobody can know what you think. Nobody can read your mind.
So, please engage your brain, think critically, and find the answers yourselves.
It is the most free thing that you can do.
Happy belated Merdeka Day!
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