Assault of disabled man: MP calls for urgent education against injustice

THE recent attack on a person with disabilities (OKU) is not only shocking but heart-breaking and forces us to confront a deeply unsettling question: what has become of our humanity? 

According to Bukit Bendera MP, Syerleena Abdul Rashid, more painful than the heinous act itself is the inaction of those who stood by, watching without lifting a hand to help. 

“In Malaysia, where we pride ourselves on our semangat kekeluargaan — our spirit of family and community — how could this happen? 

“This is not just an attack on an individual; it is a reflection of our society's growing indifference and a sobering reminder of how far we’ve strayed from our values of compassion and unity,” she said.

She said that when bystanders choose to look away, they silently endorse the violence and their passivity sends a message far more dangerous than words: that such cruelty is tolerable, or worse, that those from the OKU community are somehow unworthy of protection. 

“This is a betrayal not only of the victim but of ourselves. OKU individuals already navigate a world filled with challenges — discrimination, inaccessibility, and the constant fight for dignity. “To witness them being attacked while others stand idly by is an unforgivable failure — not just of the perpetrators but of everyone who had the power to intervene and chose not to,” she said.

Syerleena said there is an urgent, widespread education on the importance of standing against injustice, starting with teaching our youth that defending what is right is not just a choice but a shared responsibility. 

“While our laws may punish the attackers, true justice will come only when we, as a society, refuse to tolerate such behaviour.

“We cannot become a society that turns its back on those who need us the most. 

The strength of our nation lies not in its wealth or power but in how we treat each other,” she added. - January 20, 2025