COMMENT | Thou shall not spread hate speech?

COMMENT | At the Asean Digital Ministers' Meeting, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin suggested that Asean should take a tougher stance against hate speech, including, but not limited to, harassment and threats against a person or persons based on their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or nationality.

Well, you got to be living under a rock if you think that Malaysia, having its PM call for such a benevolent gesture, is free from hate speech.

In fact, much like potholes, hate speech has unfortunately become so normalised in our lives that we tend to shrug it off. The only time it becomes a big deal is when some politicians get their egos damaged and feelings hurt by what the rest of us have to deal with on a daily basis - again, much like potholes.

Our politicians shamelessly make crude remarks over gender and sexual orientations, while openly and repeatedly call for the prosecution of LGBT people. Of course, this comes under the guise that they do not hate, but in fact, are filled with love for LGBT people, that they want to "cure" them. That, and of course, to avoid natural catastrophes, brought on by the mere existence of LGBT people.

From asserting that women should squeak like Doraemon, to telling them that they need to put on makeup to look more "presentable", to suggesting that some rape victims are "asking for it", hate speech in the form of misogynistic and sexist remarks by politicians also do not surprise anyone in this country...