KUALA LUMPUR: Former de facto law minister Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim condemned the government for the charge against the Cambodian lady, who accused Malays of being lazy in a viral video.
In a post on X (previously Twitter) last night, Zaid said the charges were completely unnecessary, asserting that the statement was general and highlighting that numerous other prominent figures have previously described the Malays as lazy.
He subsequently compiled a list of various personalities, including Windstedt, Frank Swettenham, Abdullah Munshi, and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who have previously described Malays as lazy.
"Why is the government so childish and unnecessarily sensitive? It's an opinion.
"Some People think the Chinese are selfish, women make bad drivers, the Indians are troublesome, and the Jews are cruel. Why criminalise this sort of thing?
"Malaysia must grow up. We must be able to live with freedom of speech. Freedom of speech is given to us, so we must bear to hear what we don't like," stated Zaid.
He challenged the essence of "freedom of speech," suggesting that if the law merely safeguards what aligns with our preferences, then the existence of such a law granting us the right to free speech becomes redundant.
Yesterday's report highlighted the plea of not guilty from Mariyah Yaakob, a 47-year-old businesswoman, at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court.
She was charged with inciting the community after her remarks in a viral video last month, accusing the Malays of laziness.
Initially hesitant, Mariyah Yaakob, with her lawyer's guidance, eventually understood the charge in Bahasa Malaysia and firmly declared her plea of "not guilty" before the Sessions Court judge.