Mortars in action

Malaysiakini : “It is the same in all wars; the soldiers do the fighting, the journalists do the shouting, and no true patriot ever gets near a front-line trench, except on the briefest of propaganda tours.” - George Orwell

COMMENT Warisan MP Mohamaddin Ketapi’s alleged insult of the state security apparatus is just another footnote in the history of the propagandising and manipulation of the state security apparatus by the political apparatus of this country.

The howls of outrage from folks who claim that they are shocked that a political operative would “insult” the hardworking men and women of the state security apparatus is indicative of the hypocrisy that permeates the political landscape here and around the world.

I despise the use of the state security apparatus as just another tool in the propaganda toolbox of political operatives and civilians who, when politically convenient, either canonise or demonise the men and women who serve the state often at the costs to their lives.

I do not have a romanticised view of service to the country, coming from the school of thought that believes that professional service in the defence of the realm for coin while a noble profession is not one that should be glorified. This is because, ultimately, the profession is bound by political and not altruistic dictates.

Of course, what the Warisan MP said was dumb, but this idea that politics and the security forces are mutually exclusive is complete horse manure. Take the Lahad Datu remarks, for instance. Even former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak got into the outrage act. He wrote in a Facebook post:

"Ini ialah penghinaan sangat besar pada pasukan keselamatan kita yang bertarung nyawa untuk mempertahankan kedaulatan kita, terutama kepada keluarga 10 wira dan 6 warga Sabah yang terkorban."

Automatic 40 mm Grenade Launchers in Action

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