COMMENT | Has anyone seen a python capture its prey? It catches the prey in its jaws then coils itself around the prey's body and exerts enormous pressure. This stops the blood supply to the prey's brain and disrupts its neural function. Once the prey is dead, the python slowly swallows.

Think of the government as the python. Its victims are certain members of the rakyat, like students, politicians, actors, social activists, NGOs, journalists and foreign and local newspapers which have been investigated and charged with sedition.

The pressure exerted on the prey is the use of the Sedition Act coupled with the bullying by state-sponsored agents (read: cybertroopers) and several deranged lone-wolf nationalists.

The prey may be the only victim for the python, but in the Malaysian context, it is not just one victim, because his family, friends, work colleagues and employer, may also be subject to the same pressure. These other victims are probably urged to persuade the main victim to conform and retract his statement. Or else...

Many victims would probably hold out, but because they fear for their families’ safety, reluctantly accede.

The University of Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) students are young adults, but the government treats them like...