Winning the battle, losing the war

You would all have read about the arrest, under the draconian Internal Security Act, of blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, senior state executive councillor Teresa Kok and journalist Tan Hoon Cheng. What a brillant tactical battle strategy by the beleagured Barisan Nasional government of Abdullah Badawi.

To recap, after the infamous racist remarks by UMNO strongman Datuk Ahmad Ismail, the component parties of BN, especially MCA and Gerakan, was baying for his blood. Pak Lah, of course, couldn't just do nothing or he may see MCA/Gerakan help make Pakatan Rakyat's claim of a government change by 16 Sept a reality. But neither could he afford to offend an UMNO heavyweight like Datuk Ahmad. So, his reluctant action in suspending Datuk Ahmad's membership for 3 years - a mere slap in the wrist and placated MCA/Gerakan. Then, slap an ISA arrest on the journalist who reported the racist remark - I am sure Datuk Ahmad will be a happy man. Imagine just 3 years of suspension but the mere reporter who reported his misdeeds is now under detention under ISA for God knows how long. ( I dont understand the logic here though - MAKING a seditious/racist/imflammatory remark and you get a slap in the wrist for affecting social peace/safety but merely REPORTING the same and you are deemed a major threat to the same that requires your incarceration). So MCA/Gerakan, you have won your battle and got your little satisfaction of seeing Datuk Ahmad getting a slap in the wrist - are you happy that journalist Tan is now detained under the ISA? Have you not just won a battle and lost a war?

And, from this, in another battlefield, BN/Abdullah Badawi may have won a battle in incarcerating the trio but may have made a major strategic blunder in the war to keep their pants. Merely placing RPK under ISA when there are a myriad of laws under which he can be charged (if indeed he is guilty as claimed) shows that maybe he is not guilty - at least in many peoples' minds. Also, placing Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng under the ISA may indeed convince a lot of fence sitters that this is the move of a desperate government in pulling out all stops to stay in power - a very good reason for their removal.

And, of course, if this offends the BN/Abdullah Badawi, I do not mean it.