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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright November 2022
"Terlajak perahu boleh diundur terlajak kata buruk padahnya". (Malay proverb)
We have anticipated Mudslinging in the run-up to GE15 would reach the courts and true enough two are already on their way.
By mudslinging, we mean making malicious or scandalous allegations about opponents with the aim of damaging their reputation.
Any parliamentary candidate would not give up an opportunity to smear and mud-sling an opponent when given the chance to do so on campaign trails.
But mudslinging has consequences. Every candidate does so at his own perils because political mudslinging might end up costing a candidate millions.
Anwar Ibrahim made his intention known when he announced he is demanding RM10 million from the PAS election director and immediate past MB of Kedah, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor for injurious and defamatory comments made during a recent campaign.
Similarly, Tian Chua is planning to take legal action against Prabakaran, the incumbent of the Batu constituency, for slander and defamation.
Tian Chua took offence when Prabakaran claimed that he aimed to "sap support" away from PH in Batu, as a means to stop Anwar from becoming prime minister. (The Vibes)
That's quite a serious allegation against Tian Chua who paved the way for Prabakaran to succeed him in Batu in 2018. Tian Chua's lawyers said that they were filing a suit against Prabakaran under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation.
If found guilty Prabakaran is looking at imprisonment for two years. Or, a fine, or both.
Anyway, Tian Chua has given Prabakaran 24 hours to retract his statements and apologise and hopefully, Prabakaran is willing to eat humble pie. That means humbly apologising for his hasty statements and accepting humiliation.
On the other hand, in a letter of demand (LoD) sent to Sanusi, Anwar said he would instruct his counsel to apply for an injunction order against Sanusi and RM10 million as compensation for allegedly causing serious injury to his reputation plus all legal costs that arose from the case.
The demands grew out of what Sanusi reportedly said in a speech during the "Perikatan Nasional Best" programme in Tambun that was carried "live" on Facebook, attacking Anwar who is standing in Tambun parliamentary seat.
The video garnered more than 81,000 views, 383 comments and 500 reactions, and was shared 61 times.
In the video, Sanusi was clearly seen reminding the crowd of Anwar's previous convictions while calling him a "morally bankrupt" person. (NST)
The moral of the two cases is when you are a candidate be wary of an old Red Indian proverb, "Two things come not back; the sped arrow and the spoken words". Or in Bahasa Melayu "Terlajak perahu boleh diundur terlajak kata buruk padahnya". How very true because unlike the boomerang the arrow once off the bow does not make a U-turn.
However, spoken words in modern times are easily recorded and they do return to haunt you like a boomerang.
The Red Indians and the Malays would have developed a different idiom had they been informed that in the 20th century video recording would be easily available as part of a handphone that could be taken on campaign trails ready to capture the spoken words which may now cost Sanusi RM10 million.
This is bad for Sanusi who recently insulted women with his unkindly words. He had been warned about the bad consequences of his words. Now he knows what "buruh padahnya" really means.
Yes, mudslinging does have its consequences! Spoken words are not like perahu there's no reversing.
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