SEPTEMBER 3 — A professor has been arrested for the simple crime of having an opinion and calling for the rule of law to be obeyed.

The IGP wants two Twitter users to be investigated for making disrespectful Tweets about him.

PPS volunteers have been arrested pre-emptively, waiting for the police to figure out what they should be charged for.

It looks like we have pretty much thrown the law out of the window. Last time I checked, we were a parliamentary democracy and not a totalitarian state.

Dear Mr. IGP: What next?

This unreasonable flexing of muscle to punish anyone who displeases the ruling government is not acceptable.

It should not be a crime to have an opinion.

It should not be a punishable offence to be critical of the government.

And everyone should be free not to like the IGP. And be able to tell him so without getting arrested.

I was very young at the time but I still remember the atmosphere of fear during Operasi Lalang. I grew up with the threat of the ISA looming from every corner, like a bogeyman who would envelop anyone who dared speak up.

The government claims it wants our young people to be creative, innovative, intelligent and resourceful.

At the same time, the government expects its citizens to be silent, forever grateful and to never question or criticise the government.

Freedom of speech and thought is necessary for a people to progress. You cannot chain minds, hearts and tongues and still expect great things from people. It is just not feasible.

Using force and coercion is the sign of a government whose primary motivation is its own survival.

It isn’t too much for citizens to hold their government to the same laws imposed on them. In the end, a government’s real role is to serve and not to rule.

The IGP is a servant of the law, of the people and it shouldn’t be a crime not to respect him.

So as times get darker, more than ever, we need to hold our government accountable. And remember that we do not owe the government fear, nor respect, nor gratitude.

We have every right to tell the government when it’s wrong. And every right to make it listen.

*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.