On Oct 12, Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its 2016 report entitled Deepening the Culture of Fear: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia, which stated that Malaysia’s persecution of peaceful speech over the past year had spread beyond activists and politicians to ordinary citizens on social media.

The government’s actions (for example, the recent use of vaguely worded laws) signal an ever-broadening crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly in the country. People are punished for criticising the government, for commenting on the massive 1MDB scandal and for “insulting” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Since HRW’s 2015 report entitled Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalization of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia, the government has done little to bring these laws and practices in line with international fundamental liberties and legal standards. Instead, it has suggested that it will strengthen statutes that limit speech on social media and other laws that offend rights.

This reminds me of a book by sociologist Frank Furedi, called Culture of Fear. According to Furedi, attitude towards the democratic ideal of free speech is directly influenced by whether or not we believe that people are capable of making an intelligent choice between competing views and whether or not we fear them. This implies a high level of faith in humanity and has significant implications for political liberty. In contrast, the individual with low faith in people tends to believe in suppression. People who possess a positive valuation of human nature tend to have a tolerant attitude towards free speech and social experimentation. Those who fear human nature tend to opt for a risk-averse and illiberal approach.

The government definitely has an attitude towards free speech and does not trust the people. What else can we say when, besides applying draconian laws, the government also condones threats and intimidation by certain quarters, including the “red shirts”?

Fear has become an ever-expanding part of life today. We live in terror of disease, abuse, theft, stranger danger, environmental devastation and a terrorist onslaught. Some of the fears are valid. Furedi argues that the greater danger in our culture is the tendency to fear achievements that represent the more constructive side of humanity.

We worry about certain things and advancements, for example, the dangers of mobile phones. But the facts often fail to support the scare stories. Our obsession with theoretical or imagined risks is in danger of distracting or overwhelming society from dealing with the real dangers and making actual efforts to build a better world.

In this country, there is another version of the culture of fear or perhaps this second version is actually the setting that was reported by HRW. Here, I am referring to the fact that even without government suppression, some Malaysians fear they will be scolded, boycotted, given negative appraisals or not be recruited.

This happens because there are people who scold, threaten or intimidate others. They are harsh and wrongly interpret laws and regulations (including religious ones). There are those who indoctrinate and manipulate people’s apathy and those who are simply alarmists or scaremongers. Unfortunately, there are also experts and professionals who deploy alarming fiction to promote their cause. The end result is purely negative — people end up living in fear.

In a family, there are parents who are quick-tempered, use force and restrictions, and dictate to their children. In school, some teachers do not like students who ask questions and punish those who answer wrongly. In university, some lecturers do not encourage debate, like to control the students’ activities and threaten to use the Universities and University Colleges Act. Some parents and teachers like to play God by issuing warnings on blessings, being ingrates, passing exams and going to heaven.

We all know that the culture of fear is bad for us and that it is important to put an end to it.

Denial, depression, helplessness, apathy, cynical criticism, anger, revenge, hate, resentment or not voting is not the answer. We have to act with wisdom, do good work and debate in the best of ways, be rational, fair and reasonable, be guided by universally shared values and accepted norms, and steadfastly and bravely fight to uphold truth and justice.

Certain things have to be addressed in a certain way. In the realm of politics, there are political answers. The same is true for other areas. What is certain is that we have to work together to differentiate fact from fiction in both versions of the culture of fear so that we are not distracted or overwhelmed. What is more important is to focus on fearlessly achieving more for the betterment of all.

Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah is chief secretary of Pakatan Harapan and former deputy minister of higher education. He is active on twitter @saifuddinabd.

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