The Naked Truth

So Selangor state assemblywoman and exco member Elizabeth Wong has tendered in her resignation after being caught in a nude photo/video scandal. The said photos have been in circulation for the past few months - some say as far back as November - and were taken by her now ex-boyfriend, a party member.

Okay, this issue concerns her personal life, and there has been a lot of support for her from human rights activists and politicians from both sides of the divide.

The photos were allegedly taken while she was sleeping in a compromising position, though there are rumours that there are more photos and videos that show her as a willing participant.

Let's set aside the morality issue for the moment and look solely from the point of law. Eli Wong did no wrong. She is single, and was not involved in an adulterous affair with a married man. She is not Muslim, and as such concepts of khalwat and zina do not come into the picture. So Eli Wong did not break any law. It is not against the law to take photos of yourself in the nude - provided they are not shown outside the privacy of your home.

She is entitled to her private life, and having multiple partners may be frowned on, but it certainly isn't unusual or illegal.

However, keeping such photos in an easily accessible place - like an unsecured laptop, for instance - or putting yourself in such a position where you end up choosing partners without considering that they could turn against you - be it by their own choosing, or doing the bidding of someone else - is not very smart.

Oh Eli! You should never leave such photographic evidence lying around your home unsecured, and neither should you have allowed others access to your home when you are not around.

So many women have fallen prey in the same manner; they trust their lovers enough to have sex on camera, but then cry foul when the relationship ends and the boyfriend shares the footage with others. If your like taking videos or photos in the nude, then be smart - make sure you are the one who keeps it safe. Don't allow copies. When the relationship ends, destroy the evidence immediately.

Eli Wong is, by all accounts, a hardworking and well-liked PKR assemblywoman who has a no-nonsense attitude towards corruption and illegal development. But she has made some powerful enemies, including from within her own party, as well as fellow Selangor exco members whose toes she has stepped on. Developers in the state, too, have an axe to grind with her for campaigning against hillslope projects.

Eli Wong has cost these people money. And they are gleeful over her downfall.

Eli, this did not have to happen. Now all your hardwork has come undone.
You showed poor judgment in this matter; yet, with your resignation, the real losers are the people of Selangor.