“Dissent is the highest form of patriotism”. This phrase was quoted from the late American historian Howard Zinn (though it is commonly misattributed as US’ third president Thomas Jefferson), however, would be fitting only if the intention is sincere.

There will always be those who oppose just for the sake of opposing without understanding the issue and the true cause. The below footage taken during the Bersih 3.0 rally would be a good example. There were also accounts of young Westerners being involved in protests for a particular third world nation who, when inquired about their actions, seemed oblivious to the true cause of the movement. Not only that, they don’t even know which continent this country is in.

We can’t ignore that dissent against the establishment, whether genuine or otherwise, has been on the rise of recent. And this time it is not the opposition parties that’s been taking part in acts of defiance. Three days ago, a man and a woman resorted to violent means of defiance by going on a rampage at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) building in Putrajaya. In the 2:30pm incident, the samurai sword-wielding duo, Khalil Afandi Abd Hamid, 46, and Muhdalina Ahmad, 28, attacked police officers after a voluntary police constable on duty denied them entry into the PMO building. News reports said that Khalil held his sword to the cop’s neck and walked pass the security post before releasing him.

Khalil (right) was said to be shouting, apparently going off about the services of a government agency while the duo ran amok, damaging a couple of cars. Police opened fire at the duo hitting Khalil on his arm and groin while the woman was shot in the thigh. Both were taken to Putrajaya hospital though Khalil succumbed to his injuries.

What triggered Muhdalina and Khalil – whom police described as a ‘madman’ – to commit such suicidal acts? So far, what’s made known to the public from police statements is that that the unemployed pair is said to be mentally unstable and belongs to a deviant group. It was also said that former International Islamic University (UIA) student Muhdalina got to know Khalil through the internet and the two have known each other for a couple of weeks. According to Khalil’s wife, he claimed to be Imam Mahadi (messiah of sort). More details on Khalil can be found on his blog and this Malaysian Digest article.

The incident was somewhat reminiscent of the Batu Pahat police station attack and the Memali tragedy in 1980 and 1985, respectively. Fortunately, no civilians or police officers were injured in the PMO attack.
 

The scene of the Memali tragedy.The Memali Tragedy –Nov 19, 1985

A team of 200 policemen laid siege to kampung houses in Memali, Baling in Kedah. The houses were occupied by an Islamic sect of about 400 people led by Ibrahim Mahmud aka Ibrahim Libya (right). The police action left 14 civilians and four policemen dead. Ibrahim was also killed. The villagers were armed with a few hunting rifles and spears and other rudimentary weapons while the police used heavy vehicles. At the height of the assault, some villagers, men and women, came out in the open in a state of frenzy and hysteria.

Police also detained 159 people, including women and children. Thirty-six persons involved in the incident were arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on January 1986 but later released in June.
 

Batu Pahat Police Station Attack – October 16, 1980

Batu Pahat police killed eight members of a sword-wielding mob led by a Cambodian refugee-cum-cult leader, Ahmad Nasir Ismail, who claimed to be Imam Mahadi. They had stormed the police headquarters in Batu Pahat, injuring 14 policemen and 9 civilians. Ahmad Nasir was among those killed.
 

Fear and Loathing Uncle Seekers

Last week, another drama unfolded involving another dissenter Syed Abdullah Syed Hussein Al-Attas aka Uncle Seekers. Police arrested the 46-year-old paranormal researcher and his girlfriend Siti Nadhirah Mohd Zain, 26, at the Senawang toll on July 4 over comments he had made in his blog. Police said the case is being probed under the under Section 8(1)(d) of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA) as “the blog includes various confidential government documents”. He was ordered by the court to be sent to the Ayer Molek prison while Siti Nadhirah would be detained at the Johor Jaya lockup.

Later on the same day, police issued a statement saying that Syed Abdullah tested positive for morphine.

Like Khalil, Syed Abdullah (left) is also an active blogger who criticized members of royal families. But, with the latter’s arrest, it was more of a case of ‘the pixels are mightier than the sword’ as it was what he had written in his blog, namely the gossips on the Johor royal family, that got him in trouble. Among the things he wrote in his blog were details on controversies involving some members of the royal families, the Attorney-General and high-ranking police officers, among other public figures.

A controversial figure in his own right, Syed Abdullah was once detained in 2006 following allegations that he had impersonated a policeman. He is also being sued by former Raja Permaisuri Agong Siti Aishah Abdul Rahman for breach of confidentiality. According to reports, Siti Aishah had contracted him for help after he represented himself as being able help her “overcome emotional stress”.

Despite his tainted reputation, some feel that the arrest of Syed Abdullah and his girlfriend itself was also controversial. His father, renowned political writer Syed Hussein Al-Attas, when contacted by Malaysian Digest, had questioned why his son was taken to Johor after being arrested in Negeri Sembilan.

"What more can I say? What can we do? When police have detained him (in Negeri Sembilan) and then kept him in Johor Baru. The thing that makes me wonder is that he was nabbed in Senawang but how come he was taken there (Johor Baru)", he told Malaysian Digest.
 
Others have also questioned if it was normal procedure for the police to do a urine test for suspects who are detained for violating the OSA.

In fact, in the interview, Syed Hussein also hinted that the authorities would slap his son with additional charges unrelated to sedition, such as drugs.

"We are not panicking. We all know that he is not being remanded for drugs, rape, theft or robbery – no… He is being detained because he was trying come into the defense of (self-exiled lawyer) Kamal Hisham. He is brave because he is telling the truth! I think in Malaysia he is the only person who dares to oppose the Sultan.

"There are no bloggers who dare to oppose the Sultan. If there were, it is only came about recently and they (the bloggers) were ordered to apologize. So we’ll just have to wait. God knows better," he added.

Meanwhile, Rembau PKR chief Badrul Hisham aka CheguBard also raised questions over the couple’s arrest.
 
“If he had insulted the Sultan and it’s included in our laws that this is wrong then he should be brought to court and be tried.

“Whatever it is, it’s rather peculiar that with such gossips PDRM were so gung ho about hunting him down to the extent of arresting him and his girlfriend near the Senawang toll at night. And why was his girlfriend remanded too? Why didn’t they just ask him to turn himself in at the station (for questioning)?” said Badrul, stressing that this is his own opinion.

On the contents of Uncle Seekers' blog, Badrul admitted the comments made by Syed Abdullah were offensive. However, he said, these allegations should not be disregarded totally.

“Honestly, his writings are definitely hurtful (to those he targeted) but I think we can’t entirely ignore the facts that he has brought forth,” said Badrul who is also president of Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM).

Badrul who is also the president of Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM) raised concern over why his girlfriend was also arrested and the use of OSA on the couple. However, he also said that Syed Abdullah should be brought to court if he did actually break the law.

“The police statement which said that the case is being investigated under OSA also has raised questions. What were the official secrets that were exposed taken so seriously? Is the number of cars owned by certain individuals or the pictures of these cars or that of a lover of these individuals come under the official secrets of the government?
 
“Or his allegations of wrongdoings involving several high-ranking police officers or was his reminder of the case of a member of the Johor royal family attacking a member of the Negeri Sembilan royal family which involved abduction, assault and a big fight at a public place under the official secrets act?”

 
Diary of a Madman?

Many people say Khalil is crazy while others say he’s stupid. We don’t know for sure but, by the look of it, he had set his mind to do what he did on Monday and was ready to die. His last blog post was entitled “Hidup Dan Mati... Apa Yang Dipertaruhkan” (Life and Death... What’s Being Waged).

- mD