In the old days, when ideologues of any persuasion encroached on and exploited for whatever reasons the age-old contentions of religion, race and royalty, the sledgehammer called the Internal Security Act (ISA) would fall swiftly and decisively.
The ideologues were manifold, but they didn't go far enough or went too far before they were expeditiously hauled into the "sin bin" to cool off.
The biggest dragnet on issues threatening the "3Rs", as defined by the government then, was instituting the Oct 27, 1987, Op Lalang, where 120 people were detained.
That was the epoch when ISA was wielded like Thor's hammer to curtail, in its original design the menace of the Communist Party of Malaya, but deployed anyhow for one-size-fits-all transgressions. After that 1987 infamy, ISA was still deployed, but sparingly.
In recent years, ISA has met its demise, replaced by another law designed to curb the terrorism that bloomed from the 9/11 attacks in New York.
Now, the encroachment meant to exploit any of the 3Rs is viewed through a softer prism, from layers of nuanced textures, viewed as "debates and discussions" stemming from the new lens of free speech.
This new phase wasn't the least codified, but somehow, it progressed unevenly, against howls of protests, brickbats and resistance.
You could say the cacophony is all part of the grand scheme of a maturing Malaysia, able to confront its most sensitive sacred cows with facts, figures, humour and aplomb without fearing the spectre of a tough police clamp-down.
So, when a very patient prime minister issued a final warning against antagonists for playing up sentiments as "political ammunition" that could disrupt national stability, it is telling: the exploiters of the 3Rs have gone too far.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a persistent victim of prior ISA terror campaigns, understands the value of free speech to thrash out problematic socio-political and economic grievances. But even he, too, is aghast at the brazenness of the enmity.
Let's be clear: the hypocrisy, virulence and inanity spouting from a certain ex-prime minister and several religio-political extremists is odious, mendacious and insane.
Their backwards screams of outdated rent-seeking self-entitlements churning on an unstoppable social media loop is self-evident.
The antagonists have abused Anwar's openness for reasoned arguments: they are simply disinterested in engaging in a level playing field of discourse.
As much as we love to see these antagonists trip on their waywardness and obvious self-interest, we urge Anwar to "guide" them. But if all else fails, then apply the meatier part of the security law to dilute them. Our fragile society can't afford to take a big hit.
In a sense, this is the perfect time for Anwar to cement his fledgling Madani policy of good governance, sustainable development and racial harmony.
We trust his good judgment will neutralise the seething antagonistic minority. All he has to do is maintain the faith and let its his policy permeate naturally, like a sort of natural healing power.