Recently, Khairy Jamaluddin (who is also the UMNO Youth Chief) criticised the actions of the UMNO Youth members who stormed the Penang State Assembly seeking for RSN Rayer who infamously uttered “UMNO Celaka.”
In the exact statement, Khairy Jamaluddin (henceforth KJ) also said that the actions of the members were ‘understandable’ as they were “extremely upset”
Prima facie, it would appear as if KJ’s statement is an oxymoron. On one hand he criticises the actions undertaken, yet on the other hand, he says it is understandable. This of course led to many netizens including accusing KJ of being a political chameleon
Netizens say that KJ said it to please the public and yet maintain support from the members of his party. KJ’s criticising of the actions by the mob would mean he believes the conduct of the thugs was unacceptable
Upon further inspection, what KJ said isn’t oxymoronic. All it takes is a proper analogy and what KJ said would make perfect sense
For example, where a young girl has been murdered in cold blood and the father exacts revenge by killing the perpetrator, many would regard his actions as understandable but unacceptable
It is understandable because the father loves his daughter and the actions of the murderer took her away from him forever. Even the courts would sympathize with the father in such a situation
However, the courts cannot disregard the fact he has murdered another person. The taking of another person’s life is morally and legally wrong no matter what the reason. As such, the father will still be tried for murder
What the courts can do is to use the murder of the daughter as a mitigating factor in which the father may be handed a lighter sentence or whatnot. The father may even be given a suspended sentence if the court thinks it is just and equitable taking into account the circumstances of the case!
Ergo, it is possible for an action to be unacceptable but understandable. This doesn’t mean I condone the actions of the mob as I clearly stated my stance in “Reactions and Overreactions.”
What I’m merely trying to point out is that maybe KJ isnt a political chameleon after all. It isn’t fair to judge and condemn him without first critically assessing the logic behind his statement(s)
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