Cowboy country or Rule of Law

The lunatic fringes are lurking in the cowboy country in cyberspace. In the other physical dimension there are all kinds of rules and laws governing the citizens and the lunatic fringes. I am presently surprised that there are more rules than I have thought of that are enforceable by the men in blue.

I read a case of a TOC reporter being hauled to the police station by the transport authority for taking photographs of an accident involving buses. According to the transport official, the organization has rules that forbid the public from taking such photographs. Though the police initially said that there was no case, they eventually took down the particulars of the photographer at the insistence of the transport official. Not sure if the photographer has to submit a report of the incident.

This is especially frightening to me as an avid photographer. Now I am not sure when a private organization is going to drag me to the police station for violating their company rules and regulations. Scary isn’t it? Would the police be kind enough to enlighten the ignorant public of such private rules and regulations and whether the police will apply these private laws to apprehend the public.

We also have a non political organization like the PA with the authority to ban elected representative of the people from public functions because they have ownership of the property by virtue of a lease. I cannot imagine property owners renting their properties to individuals and forbid them from inviting politicians to their premises. The Workers Party is reported in the Today paper for accusing the HDB for abuse of authority by leasing common areas to the PA which then forbids MPs, unless appointed as grassroots advisers, from attending functions held in those properties.

Funny that a non political organization like the HDB ‘is abusing its powers as land owner of common property in HDB estates to help the PA(another non political organization) achieve the political objectives. The part in within inverted commas was quoted from the Today paper.
Very strange developments. Non political organizations somehow seen as playing politics or achieving political objectives. I am sure the HDB and PA are doing everything within their constitutions and rules and regulations as non political organisations, and their actions are all within the principles of rule of law. I am wondering what would happen if an opposition MP invited himself to a community event in a PA leased property that forbids his presence? Would the police be called in to take down the MP’s particular and record a statement from the MP?

Rule of law is good as it makes it very clear what the citizens can or cannot do. What is troubling is that many of these rules and laws are private and not known to the public and many innocent people with no intent to break these rules of private authorities will be caught unguarded. Perhaps organizations like the transport authority could publish all the forbidden rules in the media to help the public to avoid violating their rules and laws. And all organizations with their private rules and laws should also do so.

I will stay indoor for the next 6 months until all the private authorities publish their rules and laws affecting the public. Then only will I feel safe to step out of my flat. And definitely I will not dare to take photographs of public transport vehicles and their activities. Maybe I should hang up my camera for good. I am a law abiding citizen and will obey all laws as long as they are laws. If the karang guni man has his own laws, I will also make sure not to infringe them. Life can be quite scary in a country run by the rule of law.