Do We Want To Live With 3R Issues For Decades to Come…

A final warning was issued recently by the prime minister to all parties to not exploit issues touching on 3R due to insistence from thinkers and to protect national security.

Forgive me, I am not talking about the environmental 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle).

I fully support the government’s seriousness and its stance on race, religion and the royal institution (3R) issues especially, hate speech which surely will erode interracial trust, stability and national security.

The UN General Assembly established the International Day for Countering Hate Speech to counter discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech. It calls on all relevant actors, including states, to address this issue in line with international human rights law.

However, it seems that our 3R framework is increasingly used as a catch-all category regardless of its nature or severity. It grew louder since the Madani administration came to power and hate speech occurs across different groups.

The current application of laws looks like an overreach, trying to stifle legitimate expression and inconsistency in enforcement. There must be greater clarity on what constitutes a sensitive issue with proper policy guidelines on racist sentiments, extremist religious arguments, mockery and insults towards the royal institution.

The problem is the way we talk about 3R issues. Politicians need to shoulder much of the blame especially when using “us versus them” arguments.

Pakatan Harapan (PH), whilst in opposition, was a fierce proponent of freedom of speech (FOS). But it seems the Madani government has a complicated and debated record on FOS with many arguing that free-speech reform promises have been backtracked.

We have swept the 3R issue for too long without any concrete and open-minded actions and do we want to live with it for decades to come? We need to tackle it in a more meaningful and measured way. Suppressing anger creates pent-up emotional and physical tension. The side effects often shift into anxiety, depression or sudden emotional outbursts.

Malaysia ranks 95th in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) dropping seven spots from 88th previously.

If contentious topics or viewpoints are censored, constructive dialogues restricted and the root causes remain unaddressed, how to solve the problem? To solve problems permanently, we should not only treat surface symptoms but identify the core issues.

The MADANI concept (representing a civilised society) with its six core values can actively promote more open dialogue through civic engagement and public feedback. Provide proper platforms, from the highest level downwards and allow meaningful discussions about identity, belonging, discrimination and prejudices to address these issues.

In an efficient and effective democracy and for reforms to be effective, racial and religious sensitivities must be addressed. Reform policies that was promised are necessary to regain public trust and political stability.

Political figures must set good example by condemning discrimination and intolerance while themselves must avoid such behaviours.

There may be certain people or parties who feel since they are close to ‘the powers-that-be’, they are ‘untouchable’ and cannot be charged or challenged.  This must not be allowed to continue.

According to the Edelman Trust Barometer 2026 annual study, Malaysians trust NGOs and businesses more than they do the government and levels of trust toward both mainstream and social media have also declined – indicating high levels of public skepticism. There is also fear that “foreign actors” are deliberately spreading false information through the media to inflame domestic divisions.

We welcome the need to amend existing laws or drafting stricter legislation to deal with the 3R issues but true success depends on political will, enforcement consistency (without external pressure) at all levels and a transparent justice system.

Again, the MADANI concept with values like compassion, fairness and mutual respect to strengthen racial and religious harmony can make it happen. We should be promoting shared identity rather than differences.

We are a vibrant country that boasts about its diversity and famous for being a “melting pot” that is ‘Truly Asia’. We are not truly Asia if we need to draft stricter legislations and does not truly respect the Rukun Negara.

Let us keep the vibrancy and be truly Malaysians showcasing a unique Malaysian identity or do we still want to be individualistic?

Let us assess the citizens and political parties’ maturity and accountability to engage constructively and thoughtfully.

What say you…

 

Saleh Mohammed