Stray Into Political Arena And You Get Clobbered

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A Kadir Jasin
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم
PREAMBLE: Views expressed herein are entirely mine. I am writing in my personal capacity as a blogger. It has nothing to do with whatever position I may hold.
History is the witness: In 1893 the Hawaiian Kingdom came to an end CONSPIRACY, plot, komplott and intrigue are common in politics. They are also common in dark world of espionage.
They are real but can also be mere theories. These days, conspiracy theories are aplenty and we in Malaysia are not immune to them.
Recently a prince of a royal household was widely reported as saying that he suspected he and his father are being monitored for their social media activities.
The police apparently took the claim seriously enough so as to prompt the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, to issue a statement saying that there is no monitoring of the Johor  royal family's social media accounts.
He is so serious with his denial that he said he is seeking an audience with the affected ruler.
For me, having been a writer for 49 years and adopted the digital medium as one of my platforms – when I started this blog in 2006 – I don’t bother much about anybody monitoring me.
In fact, for the sake of ego, I love people monitoring me. It means they read what I write. So, my advice to people who are active online is to start accepting the fact that “you are being monitored”.
You may not be monitored by the police or the Malaysian Communications and Multi-media Commission. But depending on who you are, you may also be monitored by foreign and domestic intelligent agencies.
You may be watched by foreign governments who think that your postings reflect the point of views of the government or some powerful organisations.
Or, more importantly, because you could be used as a bargaining chip in international espionage and negotiations.
During the Cold War, it was very common for spy agencies to lure important political figures with beautiful women, wine and money.
Once these sex-craved politicians were caught on film, they would be used as double-agents and puppets to topple or weaken their own governments.
But in the case of the prince and his father, the more immediate concern is not about the monitoring of their social media activities.
The concern is about them straying into the political arena where they may get clobbered, their immunity questioned and their status lowered.
Anybody who plays politics must be prepared to be treated like a politician more so when he or she takes to the media – social and formal – to air partisan views.
For instance, the New Straits Times had quoted one Tengku Mahkota as saying before the May 9 General election that the people must open their eyes and not be deceived by a 93-year-old individual who wants to be prime minister. The people know who the 93-year-old the prince was referring to.
He asked the people to use their wisdom, saying he knew things that they did not.
"This is the time to restore order to a system damaged by a 93-year-old individual who now wants to be the prime minister,” the NST reported.
So I am not surprised if the people are now “monitoring” the social media activities of this crown prince and his father to see if they continue to express partisan views instead of being royal and regal.
Wallahuaklam.

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