COMMENT | I believe that Malaysians have reasons to feel very disturbed of late. I will not lie, I am one of them.

Why? For those who bother to keep up with what’s going on, things seem to be going from bad to worse. No, it’s not about the daily struggle many have to go through to put food on the table for their families or to keep afloat.

It’s worse. Racists and bigots are on the loose in Malaya and these nitwits within political circles are getting braver each passing day. Over in my homeland, Sarawak, it also seems to be business as usual. Daylight robbery in the corridors of power goes unabated, according to press reports and reliable information sent to me personally. I will go into that later.

The extremists and bigots have no qualms about publicly spewing venom of the racial and religious kind as if they are the almighty protectors of their race and possess the divine right to do whatever they want in the name of their religion.

The Semenyih by-election has brought up some very disturbing episodes. Although racial slurs are nothing new, it has proven one sad fact. As a nation, we are still wrapped in a world where race and religion reign supreme. Where is this “New Malaysia” that we are talking about?

We understand the new Pakatan Harapan government needs time to put everything back on track and we are prepared to give the leeway.

Rescuing the nation from kleptocracy, charging the corrupt, recovering their loot and putting them behind bars is important. But as long as we do nothing, especially when we are in power, to put in their place the opportunistic politicians who are constantly stoking the fires of racial and religious bigotry, I honestly doubt we will be able to get anywhere. Therefore, the “New Malaysia” is but a farce!

Sad to say, Harapan leaders are also responsible for this lie they want us to believe in. Think Icerd. Think of the public declaration of support for Dr Mahathir Mohamad from PAS “in the name of the Malay race and Islam”.

Think of BN secretary-general Nazri Abdul Aziz’s inflammatory speech in Semenyih. What was the punishment? Hauled up by the police to record a statement. Is that about it?

I would put this uncouth fella in the lock-up for 48 hours and get him to write 1,000 times what is stated in the Federal Constitution regarding the racial composition of public officials. A punishment for school kids when they err is what Nazri deserves as he appears clueless on the constitution. You talk and act like a kid, we will treat you like one...