Holy festival: A Hindu devotee carrying a kavadi during Thaipusam at the Kallumal Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple in Gunung Cheroh, Ipoh. — Bernama
THE action against three Era FM radio hosts, who were featured in a TikTok video mocking a Hindu religious festival, has been swift.
The DJs – Nabil Ahmad, Azad Jasmin, and Radin Amir Effendi Ahmad Arunani – who had made fun of the Thaipusam kavadi dance while chanting “Vel Vel” have been suspended by their station.
With over 70 police reports against them, they have been hauled up by police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
The MCMC has also issued a notice of intent to suspend Era FM’s licence with the licensee given 30 days to submit a response before a final decision is made.
This is probably the strongest move made against a radio station by MCMC, which governs digital and electronic platforms. The print media comes under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry.
Let’s hope that tempers will cool down now.
The DJs have also apologised profusely through social media and have gone to meet the Batu Caves Temple Committee.
I am sure they regret their childish antics, probably done without thinking about the repercussions.
Regretful: The Era FM deejays have also apologised profusely through social media and have gone to meet the Batu Caves Temple Committee. — Screencap from Sivakumar Nadraja’s Facebook page
To be suspended indefinitely as well as awaiting the decisions of the police and Attorney-General’s Office must surely be tormenting.
The key figure in the video is Azad @ Jazmin John Louis Jefri. He has admitted that he was wrong, and that he had hurt the Indian community, including his family members. He has reportedly told Kosmo! that he is of Indian descent.
It is hoped that the open apology, police investigation, suspension, and warning to the DJs’ employer will end this issue.
There is no point in suspending the licence of the radio operator over the silliness of three persons. A fine and a warning will be sufficient.
The three have taken responsibility for their actions. Any form of debate, challenges, and polemic now will be unproductive and unnecessary.
Kosmo! also quoted a lawyer claiming that, from his observation, it was not someone mimicking the kavadi dance but the entrance of a Muay Thai boxer into the ring.
The lawyer’s claim was hardly convincing. If anything, it insults the intelligence of Malaysians and he certainly doesn’t warrant space, whether in print or on a digital platform.
The issue, like most religious and political ones, has divided the nation.
While many angry Hindus want strong action against the three, others, including those in Muslim circles, claim the authorities have been slow in acting against those who insult Islam.
The thing is, many non-Muslims, unfortunately, also feel the same, claiming that the government is slow in acting against those who insult their religions.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, meanwhile, has reminded all parties not to exploit opportunities to incite negative racial sentiments and sow seeds of hatred.
The Prime Minister’s senior press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah said Anwar was aware of malicious attempts by certain groups to create the perception of “double standards” in enforcement actions.
He pointed out that comedian Harith Iskander and social media user Cecelia Yap were each fined RM10,000 for uploading offensive content and comments that insulted Islam.
Tunku Nashrul also cited as another example the action against KK Mart and its supplier, who were fined RM60,000 each for the sale of socks with word “Allah” on them.
Managing race relations has always been difficult for the authorities. In the past, the fear of the Internal Security Act was enough to send fear to those who exploited the 3Rs – race, religion and royalty – issues.
The ISA, with its indefinite detention, was effective but was also horribly exploited by the government as even its critics were jailed. It became a political tool.
In the era of print, it was also easier to tame the media and some found their printing permits revoked. The world of the Internet and social media has made things different, and much more difficult.
The authorities certainly must act against religious and political figures, regardless of their faiths, for any hurtful comments made against other religions or communities. Some are said to be “serial critics”.
There is no reason and justification for anyone to put down other religions. It is as if they need to prove to their peers or congregations that they are more religious or more ethical, especially if they are converts.
These personalities wouldn’t be allowed any space in mainstream newspapers previously, but social media has given them an open platform.
Comments from online users on some platforms are also racially disturbing and the comments do not seem to be moderated. The owners of these platforms do not know – or do not seem to care – that they are legally responsible.
In 2021, news portal Malaysiakini was fined RM500,000 over some readers’ comments.
The Federal Court ruled that Malaysiakini’s operator, Mkini Dot Com Sdn Bhd, was liable over its facilitation of five readers’ remarks against the judiciary on its website.
Many religious and political personalities have grown more influential, as hate content always garners more clicks. It’s an online strategy that works.
This has been proven via algorithm research, and the growth of right-wing politics in the West.
“YouTubers who were particularly intent on gaining attention noticed that when they posted an outrageous video full of lies, the algorithm rewarded them by recommending the video to numerous users and increasing the YouTubers’ popularity and income,” wrote award winning author Yuval Noah Harari in his bestseller Nexus (2024).
“In contrast, when they dialed down the outrage and struck to the truth, the algorithm tended to ignore them.”
Some hardliners are said to have their own news portals to give a religious or racial angle to Malaysian politics, which, unfortunately, heightens the political temperature, usually with the Madani government as their target.
These hardliners can reach out to a larger audience as they are able to direct their narrative via their portals.
To put it bluntly, they don’t need the media. They get larger audiences than all the mainstream media.
Then there are some new news portals run by people with no editorial background or training, or possibly no understanding of legal implications. They too have contributed to raising the racial temperature.
The authorities will be sending a wrong message to Malaysians if these people are seen to be untouchables or even tolerated, despite their seemingly serial offences.
In the case of the three DJs at least, they should just be regarded as ignorant and foolish personalities, without any political ill will or negative religious intentions.
They surely have learnt their lesson, and we should move on, but the authorities should now move in on the serial recalcitrants.
We must not allow trivial matters to undermine our strength and uniqueness at a time when Malaysia is growing and on a promising trajectory, as Tunku Nashrul put it. Well said.
