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Sakmongkol ak 47

ariff.sabri@gmail.com

Wednesday 7 October 2009

On being Malay and UMNO

How do you measure guilt, whether it is racial or personal? Psychologists say guilt stems from a deep feeling on the part of an individual that they committed a wrong through neglect, dislike, or injury to another. It manifests itself as anxiety, remorse, anguish, and depression. Have we consciously and deliberately injured others? Do we condition our children to hate others who are different from us? I don't think anyone in his right mind can accuse UMNO of doing that.

Non Malay Malaysians aspire to have equality in every sense of the term. That state of mind- aspire to have, does not contain elements of neglect, disliked, injured or having a wrong committed on them. They are not innocent victims that someone splattered on the side of the road in an accident, or a child or relative that someone harmed and now feels an acute need for atonement.

Malays haven't wronged the Malaysian Chinese. We do not dislike the Chinese or Indians. I don't think there is a primal and deep seated animosity towards any other race in a Malay. If at all, they acquire the tendency to despise others, it must have been achieved through conditioning. Conditioning is a direct and purposeful process. The indoctrination by Hitler's Germany of German children to hate Jews qualifies as conditioning. That's a conscious shaping of the mind. Apartheid in South Africa was a direct and conscious state wide policy designed to dehumanise South African Blacks.

Do we have that in our school curriculum? Do we see the contribution of Chinese to the Malaysian economy being erased from our history books? Have we engaged in choosing a selective departure point of history such as saying for example, the history of Malaya began on a very arbitrary date in order to leave out some unpleasant aspects? For example, to emphasise the Muslim-ness of Malaysia, we could have easily obliterated the fact that Malays were Hindus or non Muslim before the advent of Islam. We didn't re-write our history books to avoid our discomfiture.

Elsewhere for example, we read that the history of Singapore started in 1819 implying that before 1819, the existence of Malays there or that Singapore was in fact part of the Malay kingdom was deliberately deleted. Now, that is conditioning whereby there is a conscious and deliberate process of shaping the minds of people for a specific purpose- in this case, the complete erasure of acknowledging the existence of a history of Singapore before Raffles.

Can we apply the same rigorous standards on UMNO in particular and by extension on the Malays? For example in the custodial death of Kugan, was there any justification to claim that his death was at the hands of Malay policemen? Isn't placing the word `Malay' in front of the noun policemen suggests attempts to make it consciously a race issue? Similarly the death of Teoh Beng Hock is being made out as the outcome of a sinister ethnic cleansing policy carried out by UMNO. Hence, in Beng Hock's case, his death is caused by Malay racist officers.

Here's the source of contention. I don't think UMNO consciously conditions the mind of Malays to despise the non Malays. The hawkish and bellicose pronouncements do indeed heighten Malay insecurity and fears. They tend to produce self preservation measures and policies yes. But primal hatred? Not so.

So we reject the flippant and puerile explanation that UMNO is racist by nature because it has been responsible for the creation of many measures and policies designed for self preservation. Self preservation is not an option, it's a right. How can anyone feel guilty if they take measures for self preservation? Even worse, how can any other group deprive another of its right to take measures for self preservation and if they do, they are made to feel guilty for doing so?

Study the formation of UMNO. It was formed in 1946 as a response to a severe threat to the self preservation of being Malay. Understand the meaning of being Malay. Being Malay means to maintain its eminence in the land of their birth, being Malay means being able to nurture all things close to the Malay- his language, his culture his religion. Being Malay entails also the preservation of his system of government. The Malay must have his sultans. Never mind if his obsession for his sultan defies rationality.

What was the one calamitous threat and at once a deliberate policy that can deprive the Malay from being a Malay? It was the introduction of the Malayan Union. This was essentially a political concept that will result in the destruction of being Malay. This challenge was met with the response which saw the birth of UMNO. Hence UMNO wasn't formed to victimise and wrong the non Malays. It was formed directly as a response to the threat that endangers Malay self preservation.

How does a typical Malay relate to his other fellow Malaysians who are not Malays? Ordinary Malays are easily overwhelmed by the wealthy towkays and readily attribute the Chinese as superior economic actors. Malays are held captive to the idea that Chinese are naturally superior in business. Chinese are accepted as being precocious and inherently sharper than Malays. Malays actually feel inferior to the Chinese in many ways- and this defeatism is shown in many aspects of everyday life. They are seen in the ways the ordinary Malays grovel to accommodate Chinese domineering and sometimes bullying behaviour.

Malay government workers go out of their way to make land applications of Chinese easy. They send forms and plans to Chinese at hotels. Some land office workers are even on retainer fees to provide valuable inside track of land matters. Malay officers in Forest Departments prefer dealing with Chinese loggers because they know they can get money. Never mind if they are treated as tambhys or coolies, shouted at or ill-treated in anyway.

What do the non Malay Malaysians want? Many years ago, the late Lee Yan Lian lamented that he feels like a 3rd class citizen. Here was Malaysian Chinese many times a millionaire making public his discomfiture for feeling 3rd class and that prompted the PM then, Hussein Onn to say, if a millionaire like Yan Lian feels like a 3rd class citizen, a Malay would rather choose to be one.

Who controls the wealth of this country? If I say, the Chinese do, it may not be politically correct because there's a racist sour after taste in saying that. But it's mathematically correct. The Malays have only 19% of the corporate wealth. If that's not satisfactory, one can easily call into account the breakdown of wealth in terms of land ownership, size of land owned, number of plantations owned and their comparative acreages. Ownership of business premises, plants, and so forth. Very politically discomforting but mathematically correct. So the Malay who questions these inequities is a racist? And he is supposed to feel guilty for feeling that way and saying it out loud?

39 comments:

tamanlaman,  7 October 2009 at 09:07  

Tok,

Kenapa GLC (SKK , Syrikat Kaitan Kerajaan?) yang UMNO punya tu ambil bukan Melayu berkerja? Pasal Melayu tak pandai ke? Dalam blog bukan melayu tu berselindung dengan anon hentam Umno dan melayu habis habisan. Dalam Syrikat bukan melayu tu , adale Melayu yang jadi despatch boy aje. Yang kilang tu dapat le business jual nasi lemak tepi parit nak masuk ke kilang. Tapi Melayu cepat Lupa, ambil kroni dan lepas tu bukan melayu kerja dengan GLC, melayu terbiar.

~pemborong payung nasi lemak

Frank,  7 October 2009 at 09:25  

Dato Sak

There is a convenient excuse not to see the elephant in the room.

And that is, predominance of race in the national conversation is because of the of race-based political parties, which have ruled the country unbroken since independence. And these race based parties led by UMNO failed to unite the three races to be Malaysians first and Malay, Chinese Indian and other races as second. In fact the process went backward for a perversely good reason...to embed the raison d'etre for these race based parties in the psyche of Malaysians.

Your blog and almost all the blogs and the mainstream media, as a result of the agenda for conversation set by these race based parties, used race as the point of entry in discussing or social and political landscape.

Isn't it time to constitutionally ban the existence of race based political parties so that the national conversation will make a secondary issue rather than a primary issue.

Of course, you would disagree as an UMNO member, so are the towkays of MCA and elitist Indians in MIC,

Until and unless we ban race based parties or Malaysian voters throw out all race based parties from running the government, race will be negative factor.

History has shown that Race mixed in politics has never been positive. Hitler has proved his point. Bosnia proved its point. And Malaysia is continuing to prove the same point.

All the talk about racial harmony, racial equality, fairness and justice are distractions from the fact the elephant in the room is being blatantly ignored.

My few cents worth.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 10:11  

Land and plants?


Why dont you take ownership of banks as an indicator?

Thats the real wealth of the Malays, way more than 19% lah!

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 11:04  

Dato'

Do you really believe that Malays/Bumis only own 19% of the Corporate wealth? I have my doubts as to the basis of the calculation. What is the reason for this since the 30% equity requirement was always enforced during listing and fund raising exercises? You have acknowledged previously that the Malays/Bumis did not hold on to what was allocated to them and preferred to cash out. So whose fault really is this if the situation is true?

Curious

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 11:07  

Greed . That is the culprit . The idea to take and keep on taking run in the blood.

Lifestyle expenses is another case.While your usual dinner at regular Thai warong for a family cost RM50.00 others cost like RM350.00. You have constant saying bersyukurlah Tuhan bagi others has 'What more to explore and gain.

Regular outing for you is at mamak watching fooball..others has to open up bottel of XO or Martel.

You are so happy to own a Waja other at minimum a Vios.

Sometimes this what contributes to same job but lower pay.Do not take about politicians loots etc when all are the same but those high on horses .. willing to go down and walk the talk in commoner , public arena ? My answer is no.

WY 7 October 2009 at 11:09  

dear datuk,

i think your arguments are flawed in many layers, but i shall only pick on your main argument.

Self preservation is a right? Self preservation is the excuse for racist policies, fear-mongering, racist-threats? Self-preservation is the reason for corrupted bereaucracy, civil services, feudalistic political system?

Our school curriculum does have the elements of 'nationalistic'. Perhaps you have not read the recent versions. Compare it to those of the yesteryears. Umno today is no longer the Umno of Dato Onn and Tunku Abdul Rahman. Hell, the umno today is not even the Umno when Tun Mahathir took over. I dare to say, half the Umno members are there for the benefits (direct and indirect).

As for your analogy of the superiority of non-Malays, particularly Chinese. I beg to differ. As a chinese Malaysian, who have dealt with different layers of our 'efficient' government services, i don't see any racial tendency - fast or slow. I do feel that if i speak proper malay, i would be given better services.

Alas, you like your Umno colleagues reside in the palace of elites. How would you know what's on the ground!

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 12:55  

Tell me who control all the major private sectors especially BANKS?

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 15:01  

The first part of your reasoning appears to be "Well, they're bad people too. So they should take their lumps like they're supposed to."

The second part appears to be "Well, we could have done worse. But, because we didn't everyone else should thank us".

On plain reading, thats what it appears to be. You probably should clarify that and accost me for misrepresenting your text.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 15:01  

Dato Sak, have you ever seen a non malay grovel asking for a loan or government for biz opportunities ?
If you have not you obviously have not seen the other side of the coin. In the past, policies were drawn to help and support the disadvantage but don't you think these policies need to be restudied to suit present times ?
There are presently a lot of Malaysians NEED HELP too.
Why do Malaysians asked that Malaysia practised meritocracy ? ?
Wouldn't Malaysia benefit from the BEST ?
Would meritocracy put any race at a disadvantage?
Why ?
To my opinion it is not a specific race at a disadvatage but the poor and the rural folks, which includes the Sarawakians and the Sabahans.Why not concentrate on this issue instead of race or party ?

Dato Sak, your love for your race and your party is understandable, but if we look at it collectively, Malaysia and Malaysians will not go very far if everyone are fighting for themselves only. We should be working together to increase the pie and everyone would have a share. Malaysia will destroy itself if Malaysians were fighting amongst themselves

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 15:06  

Dato Sak, there are so many inter marriages these days, race is going to be a blurred line. So many malays married chinese and indians.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 15:52  

Dato' Sak,,

Good Point.The Chinese are forever racist.Very clan concious.The are trying hard to potray that they are not.If not how come so many chinese based society or club ever existed in the country.

Their community activities hardly involve with other.very much closed to their people.Lot of private function and closed door meeting.They guard they interest and community fiercely.

Only deluded malay will think that they have a chance to survive decently,wealthily and perhaps peacefully among chinese if they are in power.Manis mulut sahaja.

Look at the Nepalise,Tibetan and UIgher.Are they not being oppressed in every thing.We have to kowtow if they come to power.

Please bangsa ku bangun dari tidur mu.Jangan leka diulit mimpi.Jangan kelabu dirasuah oleh cina.Celik mata,buka telinga,baca yang tersurat dan tersirat.Hanya bangsa kita je lembut.Ke lumbik sebenarnya.Takut serba serbi.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 16:56  

Malay is not UMNO and UMNO is not Malay.
In the early days UMNO started out with noble intention. The struggle is genuine. Along the way, some group of elite malay hijack the UMNO agenda for their own selfish gain. Instead of struggle for Malay masses, it became struggle for one's own pocket. They raid the treasury. Consumed by greed.
To perpetuate their control, all sort of ways are devised to control the Malay masses.
It is sad to see Malay masses be shackled. All in the name for the good of their own struggle!!

And that's the real Malay dilemma not the Dr M version.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 17:29  

Nobody question your good intention in defending UMNO. That is your Malay’s interest. We live in a democracy society. Whether the non- Malay will accept UMNO, the non-Malay will decide for them. Before deciding to discuss further our government policies, please re-look on the Biro Tatanegara policies. Today, the old days of good ethic Malay politicians are gone in Malaysia. UMNO is filled with corrupted Malay within UMNO. It will be great for all Malaysian, if we can have a leader such as Tengku Razeleigh. From the tone of his speech, there is an assurance of all races will be protected under the Malaysia's constitution.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 19:01  

race based political party like DAP should look into itself and be embarrassed.

having an old goon like Kit Siang with a dynasty of son and daughter in law really is not Malaysians are looking for.

Like a tired old horse, approaching 70 yrs old, how could he be the beacon of PR's new rise to power???

DAP is just like an old dynastic political party too ashamed to admit about this biggest slanted eyed elephant in the room...

and yet its Umno who is practising nepotism!

DAP can say goodbye to morality. They have none.


"Ordinary Huaren"

Suci Dalam Debu 7 October 2009 at 19:17  

Sir,

Rupanya kuman di seberang lautan, dato nampak, gajah bertenggenk kat batang hidup. dato tak perasan.

I don't know which kampung you are from but my experiences are definitely very different from yours.

You are bright enough to certainly know what Hitler did was indoctrination. Aneh bin Pelik, you could not say the same about what UMNO did to the Malays through MARA, Ketuanan Melayu, ASB, APs and the list goes on. Is it not UMNO that is indoctrinating the Malays that it is their inherent right to receive and demand something without working hard for it?

Ingatlah Dato, PEROSAK MELAYU adalah UMNO sendiri!

May I ask yourself if you, being highly educated has "illegally" taken advantage of your position as a Malay and hence deprived someone else who are poorer, Malay or non-Malay, who are more deserving or better qualified?

Don't talk about exceptions. There are always nice people from all races in Malaysia.So do Timbuktu and Somalia, still got nice folks.

Not all Malays have wronged the Chinese or Indians, very true but UMN O Malays have wrong every-right thinking Malaysian, Malays included. UMNO adalah pertualang melayu dan negara.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 19:20  

Dato Sak,

What are you trying say ?

All these issue 'Perkauman' only played up by UMNO in order to stay relevant to the Malay community.

Malaysian as a whole has already look beyond UMNO/BN to lead them to the future.

UMNO/BN have nothing good to offer to the rakyat except the blatant abuse of power and corruption.

Right now, the ground feelings are Malaysian are better off without UMNO/BN.



Alf.

eddy 7 October 2009 at 19:34  

Definitely you are not a rascist Tok, definitely this is one of the smartest and impressive posting on this now sensitive of subject yet.

Great food for thought and will
definitely shape the minds, positively I hope, of many who read this article. TQ.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 21:10  

Hang Tuah bersaing dengan Hang Jebat untuk jawatan laksamana. Hang Jebat berketurunan sama dengan Sultan Mansur Syah dan juga Bendahara Seri Nara Di Raja bin Raja Benua Keling Mani Purindam. Setelah Bendahara Seri Paduka Raja Tun Perak bin Tun Perpatih Sedang berkuasa, kedudukan Hang Tuah menjadi semakin penting. Hang Tuah berketurunan Melayu daripada sebuah negeri di utara Semenanjung. Tun Perak juga telah meletakkan Raja Muhammad, putera sulung Sultan menjadi Raja Pahang tetapi bukan sebagai Raja Melaka. Keputusan itu dibuat berikutan peristiwa Raja Muhammad membunuh Tun Besar, anak Tun Perak dalam satu permainan sepak raga. Beliau melantik Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah menjadi sultan kerana Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah ialah anak saudara Tun Perak. Raja Munawar yang sepatutnya menjadi sultan tidak dilantik walaupun ia beribukan seorang Melayu tulen dan pewaris takhta yang lebih berhak. Sebaliknya, dia menjadi raja di Kampar.

Hang Jebat cuba melakukan rampasan kuasa namun percubaan itu gagal. Hang Tuah yang dibantu oleh Tun Perak serta pasukan-pasukan tentera dari negeri-negeri Melayu di utara semenanjung termasuk Selangor, Kedah dan Kelantan menggagalkan percubaan itu. Hang Jebat dihukum bunuh walaupun ia adik Sultan Mansur. Hang Jebat memilih untuk mati di tangan Hang Tuah.

Puak Tun Perak dan Hang Tuah terus berkuasa di Melaka sehingga zaman Sultan Mahmud Shah. Setelah Tun Perak meninggal dunia, jawatan bendahara berpindah kepada adik Tun Perak iaitu Tun Perpatih Putih bin Tun Perpatih Sedang.

Apabila Bendahara Seri Tun Mutahir bin Tun Ali, atau terkenal dengan gelaran Temenggung Seri Maharaja berkuasa, politik Melaka dikuasai oleh penyokong Hang Jebat. Penyokong Hang Jebat terus berkuasa sehingga kedatangan Portugis.

Penyokong Tun Perak dan Hang Tuah tidak berpuas hati. Mereka bersekongkol dengan Alfonso de Albuquerque untuk menguasai Melaka. Panglima Awang membantu Alfonso de Albuquerque dengan meriam, kapal perang dan pasukan tentera. Beliau dibantu oleh Panglima Hitam. Pembesar Melaka lain yang membantu Panglima Awang ialah Raja Abdullah iaitu anak kepada Sultan Munawar Shah, Sultan Kampar. 16 Julai 1511 ialah tarikh yang amat bersejarah. Ini kerana pada tarikh inilah Panglima Awang menyatakan sokongan yang tidak berbelah bagi kepada Alfonso de Albuquerque. Alfonso de Albuquerque membawa pasukan marinnya memasuki kota Melaka pada 24 Ogos 1511 setelah sekurang-kurangnya 25,000 buah bangunan dimusnahkan dan lebih daripada 130,000 orang terbunuh. Raja Abdullah menjadi Bendahara Melaka pertama di bawah pentadbiran Portugis.

Yap 7 October 2009 at 22:12  

What the chinese don't like were the threats thrown at them. I am sure you are aware of it yearly at the annual umno assembly and years back. ""Bath the keris in chinese blood, burn down the chinese assembly hall, toyol bathe in blood, the chinese as enemies of the state and compared us with communist and Al-Maunah insurgents"

Have you forgotten all these??

"Let the UMNO Malays be warned," said Dr Hatta Ramli, political secretary to the PAS President, "They would have to step over the dead bodies of the Alternative Front Malays before they can harm the Chinese."

So where do you think the support will go to???

After contributing so much to the nations economy yet being called pendatang and the malays gave them citizenship. It is not the malays who gave the chinese citizenship but by operation of law when the british granted independence. Without this clause, there would not be any independence. As for the words pendatang, some of us have been here longer that alot of malays who migrated from indonesia. Batu Bersurat in trengganu tells a story. Don't you think we feel hurt when called as such???

We are not against giving the malays priveliges but these must be implemented across the board fairly for all races. We know perfectly well in any jobs the malays must make up 60% to reflect the races composition.

The chinese do not dislike the malays but dislike umno. Here it is two different cattle of fish. If the chinese dislike the malays they would not vote for PAS or Keadilan malays politician. It is the umno politicians that are to be blamed. Why are there so much hatred towards umno, you have to ask youself this question??

In schools blame some of the teachers who were racial and un necessary bad mouthing the other races. When these were reported no action were taken to punish those teachers and as such it aggravates more unhealthy feelings.

BTN is another stupid set up undermining the chinese. Don't you agree?? Lots of stories have been told and said by participant...

On Teoh Beng Huat, I am sure you know it is umno's move to destabilize selangor esp DAP. DAPs adun majority are the chinese and in doing so provided the feelings of hatred towards umno and not the malays in general. Umno do not represent all the malays in this country..We have to face this fact.

On the ground there are beautiful interaction between the chinese and the malays, it is umno's attitude and behaviour that destroys these harmony. Siting everyday with my malays eating and joking and the final is always on umno bad attitude,policies and implementation. Mind you these group of friends are from PAS,umno and pkr.

""What do the non Malay Malaysians want"" Same as what the malays wants.

You have written a good posting but there are also other ares that are subjected to debates.

Are You Gonna Go My Way,  7 October 2009 at 23:08  

People started condemning you when you again test the water by speaking out as a Malay person. By looking at the many comments you have proven your point dato. The non Malays will tell you that you are a racist and the Pas malays will accuse you of asabiyah.

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 23:12  

AK says,

"Malays haven't wronged the Malaysian Chinese. We do not dislike the Chinese or Indians. I don't think there is a primal and deep seated animosity towards any other race in a Malay."

If there happened to be the majority populace of any nation bear animosity towards a small number of people that do not belong to the same race, and if that phenomenon are allowed to go on and on, for a long period of time (more than 50 years already), the most likely scenario would be impossible to see peace and harmony in all the cities and in any of the major housing estate!

The fact that some business enterprises stay open round the clock, peoples are free to move to any part of the country and all race are allowed to pursue their education in the vernacular school, is without a shadow of a doubt, beyond reasonable doubt the people from all walks of life do appreciate the current population landscape and its diversity.

So in this aspect I totally agree with AK for saying that the Malay was wrongly perceived as being racist and guilty for creating policies that beneficial to their own race; and it is sickening to know that those false perception were not created by the enemy of the nation but the peoples that the Malays had given the blessing and comfort to be the partner in developing the nation.

Dulu Pas

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 23:39  

Anon 9.25

If u want to ban race-based political parties, then , ban, Chinese & Tamil schools, what say u ?

Anti-Politics

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 23:55  

Dato,

Malays are the majority. Malays hold political power and set the rules for the economic game, 30 % of listed company for bumis, discount on houses to bumis and so on.

If the Malays as judge, jury & arbiter cannot have the upper hand after 40 years, ie. after 1969, what else do you propose that the Malays do to be in control ? You set rules to tie the Chinese right hand and decree that we can only use our left hand. We say, okay, henceforth, we shall only use our left hand. Then you find that it did not stop the Chinese from doing what they are doing well. So you say, henceforth, you cannot use you left hand as well. So we say, okay, we shall use our legs only. But still the Chinese continue to prosper. Every new rule you set, the Chinese will adapt and survive. You set quotas for universities and more Chinese are graduating with degrees, from overseas without any help from the government. We save every penny and make sure our children have a good education. As a result of the quotas to fill the places, you lower the standards for the local universities then we have complaints that local graduates cannot find jobs.

Then there are complaints that the Chinese do not hire bumis. The Chinese are practical people. Believe me, if they come across a smart and qualified bumi who is willing to work for them, you can be sure the bumi will be hired. But the problem is, why would a smart and qualified bumi want to work for a Chinese when the government offers so much more opportunities for him ?

You have answered some of your own questions. What does the NEP mean to the farmers and fisherman in the rural areas ? Has it made a difference to their lives ? You yourself acknowledged that even if the 30% share bumi scheme and many others were to be removed, it is not going to make any difference to the ordinary kampong folk.

Why do we not have commitments that the government will raise the income level of the bumis by 20% in 5 years time or that 90% of kampong folks will have piped water and electricity before the next GE or proper schools will be provided for all children? Perhaps you should ask Anita Sarawak whether she feels safe walking around at night around her mother’s estate ? These are issues that the common folks are interested in, not whether Lotus is racing in the F1 or a Malaysian has gone into space ? If Honda & BMW do not think they can afford to spend the kind of money they have being spending on F1, can Malaysia seriously afford it ? Where is the priority ? Form is more important than substance ?

I am not an opposition proponent for I think they are not much better than BN. But looking at the present situation, the opposition cannot be worse off then BN. People are willing to try anything other than the current government. After all, if you are already bankrupt, what does it matter that you bet on a different horse, which perhaps may have a slim hope of bringing changes compared to the current lame horse.

Take a closer look at UMNO and see who are the beneficiaries of the NEP. Look at Fiji. It is not the Chinese but minority Indians who hold economic power. The moment they have an Indian PM, the army have a coup de’tat. Look at the other countries in SE Asia. The minority Chinese hold economic power in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, & Vietnam. So, it is not something out of the ordinary. Think of Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Survival of the Fittest.

Only the Malays will be able to change the situation for themselves and it is for the enlightened Malays to lead your brethren for you would never trust a non-Malay to carry out that task. So Dato, tepuk dada tanya selera for the non-Malays can only be bystanders and support a good government for all, be it UMNO or PKR, or PAS .

Ex-M

Anonymous,  7 October 2009 at 23:58  

Cemburu bukan bermakna rasis. Cemburu kerana seseorang itu tidak memiliki sesuatu yang orang lain memilikinya adalah naluri semula jadi manusia.

Cumanya kalau perasaan cemburu digunakan secara negatif, ia akan melahirkan sikap "matlamat menghalalkan cara" tetapi jika digunakan secara positif ia akan memberikan dorongan untuk individu itu berusaha memiliki apa yang tidak dimilikinya tanpa perlu menyentuh hak milik orang lain.

Contoh terbaik adalah antara BN dan PR. Dulunya hanya BN yang mengamalkan konsep "unity in diversity". Pemilikan konsep sedemikian rupa terbukti amat berjaya. Kejayaan ini menimbulkan perasaan cemburu dalam kalangan Pas, DAP dan disusuli oleh PKR. Susulannya timbullah perkataan Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

Apakah PR boleh dianggap rasis kerana menyimpan perasaan cemburu terhadap kejayaan konsep 'kesatuan dalam kepelbagaian'? Selagi PR tidak menyentuh hak milik lawannya (BN) dalam usaha mereka untuk membentuk konsep berkenaan, sudah tentu PR tidak boleh dianggap rasis kerana cuba memiliki apa yang mereka tidak memiliki sebelum ini.

Dulu Pas

kuldeep 8 October 2009 at 00:09  

Even in a sophiscated golf club the tendency is that you will see the segregation whereby the majority Chinese or Malays will be playing with their own group.The usual and predominant variance will be the Chinese entertaining business partners or government servants.
If its a purely social circle..you will see the segregation very clearly.
Is this racialism?

Its not..cos you play with friends..and somehow gravitates towards such groupings.

Racialism is when you have a hatred based on a purely racial delineation.Preference is not racialism.

UMNO encourages racialism by bannering "Ketuanan Melayu" as a political tool to retain power.How many Malays have enjoyed the so-called benefits?I have not got any APs,negotiated contracts,pays for my children's education,works in a MNC..well so whats the big deal?

I am more knowledgeable and experienced then a non Bumi who gets government contracts with the backing of a rich tycoon and abetted by an UMNO boss.He has the network and good luck to him.I don't complain about the non Bumi ..only the UMNO boss who gets the free ride.

Our PM is most likely to grant a meeting to Vincent Tan,Francis Yeoh then to me..and its logical cos those guys are BIG and I am insignificant in the scheme of things.

So quit highlighting Ketuanan Melayu whereas the real issue is about Ketuanan Orang Kaya.

And I will vote for whoever appeals to my senses or against someone I feel not deserving the respect..not the party but the man.So if I am in Bagan Pinang..I will vote for PAS cos I doubt if ISA can change his stripes,

I will vote for Dato Sak if he is a candidate in my area cos he is not afraid to think and is genuinely working for a better collective future.

Don't have to be UMNO to be Malay..and PAS to be a Muslim.

nxforget 8 October 2009 at 00:24  

Dato,

I agree with you that UMNO devised some good policies to help the malays but the implementation is weak till today. Some of malays that screw their race and UMNO leaders did nothing but to join the bandwagon.

Like you said, it's the malay government servant go all the way to help fill form and deliver plan to the chinese towkays at their office and hotels. But wait, doesn't some of the UMNO leaders too colaborate to make things easier for such transactions and making them wealthy too.

It ultimately boils down to sheer greed beyond boundaries.

This is the problem the majority of malays are facing with UMNO and it's leaders. It not about "malay rights and preservation" but corruption and the abuse of power for self-interest.

Anonymous,  8 October 2009 at 11:51  

AK,
How much you love UMNO and try to paint a goody picture sorry to say its now one of malaysia 's despicable
party.
A bunch of leaders corrupted to the core leading the country spawned by good old TDM for 20 over years!What happen to the good old honest and humble kind malay ? Today they say its technical when found to be corrupted in money politics.All their leaders have loads of baggages and i cannot find a really cleaned honest soul in the Cabinet!
Tell you the malays have changed into something thats is money for the taking without working .Just take a walk into any government department and act stupid and its greasing the palms that get things done.
Here the chinese are to to blamed for encouraging bribery to get things done fast.A bit late now for changes is 'it?
It's too ingrained in the minds of the malays to change when religion or fear is like dust blown into the wind!
Ask any Upstart malay umno politician why they eye for the EXCO post and you get answers of the grovey train they wish to ride!

Peter,  8 October 2009 at 20:55  

Tok,

You have written many good pieces ... however this is not one of them.

You write without the understanding of the real issues behind all the accusations said.

There are just too many to dispute your article.

However, basically have you asked... what has the Chinese done in anyway to deny Malays to rise up even with government assistance for years and years.... tell us one instance. Can you see how many instances or policies that deny Chinese to go even higher ? Aplenty and what do the Chinese do? Just grumbled... that is all.

Yes , guys like you are still accuse the Chinese of being this or that and from this article seems to do that.

We are only asking for equal treatments without the need to stop raising the standards of Malays at the same time.

We are asking for a truly 1Malaysia where everyone get together as one family to help each other.

What do you see instead? Who are the guys shouting racists remarks almost everyday? You can easily see what is happening. Do these guys get prosecuted? Yes... only after the massive uproar. If not .. just nothing.

Take it from me, at this rate we are moving in race relationships we would be at the bottom behind almost every ASEAN countries very soon... with or without the massive Chinese presence in this country which formed the backbone the economic activities for 5 decades or more (and without oil of course).

walla 8 October 2009 at 22:49  

I remember Sak posting something which shows enough of the malay mind to add traction to the underlying theme of his post here.

In that post he said that Teoh was also someone's son, husband, friend, relative..

The notion of race disappeared in the humanity he reflected for the tragedy that befell that young man.

Somehow over the years we have lost that humanity in this country.

We should find it back. Goodwill over animosity. It is important because, left to our own devices, each race will articulate matters and issues only from different points of view and in action or reaction to one another.

The fault line for BN was that in assuming primacy over almost everything that matters in the governing of this country, its component member Umno forgot that when its leaders assume the mantle of federal or state posts, they are supposed to put national and multiracial interests above the exclusive interests of their own race. In a nutshell, they were unequal to their remits. That's a nice way of saying they were unfair.

Whether it is planning or execution, the scales were tipped too often too much until down-lines started to interpret things their own way and take opaque actions that would have been contrary to any spirit of a coalition.

All talks about checks and balances and sharing and so on were cut with the lallang. The party might not have thought it was racist but top to bottom matters were run too suspiciously not to be so.

Lest we think that all this goodwill thing is just sheer romanticism or hocus pocus, the practicality aspect can also be turned around.

The NEP should all along have been the NPE. National poverty eradication. Applied to all races evenly, the support would have inevitably fallen by itself onto the right groups. If the poorest are the malays, then the malays should get the bigger support. If the indians, then the indians. And since there are poor chinese, then automatically they too will get equivalent support. Without having to apply for it and then be turned down on the sly or having all hopes dashed before they could lick the envelope to post their application.

walla 8 October 2009 at 22:49  

Secondly, whoever makes it up on his own and becomes rich enough to pay more taxes should likewise be acknowledged for his contribution without fear or prejudice. If it's the chinese, then let all acknowledge their contribution without having to look over the shoulders whether they will lose votes or acceptance from their own kind. Chicken shit is still shit. And if it's a malay businessman made good, then all too, him. And if it's an indian professional, then all too, him. Recognize contribution where it should be recognized to reaffirm that this land on which we all stand is a land where fairness and justice are supported without fear or favor, where all can expect a hundred percent guarantee of fair treatment and no penalty for being better off from own hard work and ability. There are many chinese who have said the malays they have personally met have been the most fair and honest towards them. So if down there, what about up there?

Over time, as racial connotations are erased from the minds of the older ones even as these connotations don't prey on the minds of the younger ones who already rebel against them, then hiring and equity policies from government to semi-government to private sector to joint-ventures can become race-blind. Who dare not imagine and be enthused that if racial connotations be erased, there will be businesses who will hire and equit malays above fifty percent for instance because the business models of those companies are to expand and grow its retinue of companies for the world and not to give less in order to make more?

Right now, all this is not going to happen because racial issues drive a terrible wedge between brother against brother. It's just action causing reaction causing action causing reaction...ad infinitum. One action pulling out x to justify A will cause a reaction pulling out y to justify B. Now B may be correct in the final analysis but A will not allow it to go uncontested. Result will be a national impasse. The void will not be filled, the chasm remains unbridged.

Which comes to the historical aspect of Umno. Anything, for that matter. Each event is based on its position in time. Events will change over time and the participants will not be the same anymore. The malay then and the malay today ..not the same. Because the environment and related factors have changed. You cannot take a malay from a big family today and say he is in the same dire straits as the malay when Malaya started. It's not fair besides being inaccurate. As unfair as the malay who became CEO of a privatized body whose function is to deliver a basic need of all and that thing drops from the sky everyday and for that he earns fifty million a year which would explain why he can build a second mansion behind his first and proceed to join the two together across what should be a back lane in direct contravention of by-laws.

So, next to language, the foundation of culture. On calls to, say, TM, you are asked to press 1 for BM and 2 for english. So you press 2 but you speak in BM because you want to kacau the officer. In other words, whenever one can get the chance to speak in BM, speak it. It's the national language. As proud one should be of our King and royalty and flag and country and all things Malaysian, so too must the national language. But when it comes to knowledge and international interaction and changing the mindset of this country, speak the language of black-eye pea's and beyonce. Mandarin too if we value our future biggest customer.

The world has changed. Take James Bond. Connery likes his martini shaken, not stirred. He hits women and smokes unfiltered cigarettes. Craig doesn't give a damn whether his martini is shaken or stirred. He beds married women and won't be seen dead holding any cigarette but only because MOF has upped the price.

walla 8 October 2009 at 22:50  

Emphasis has changed. Demographics have changed. Change is not just the only constant. It has become the determining factor.

Has Umno changed? Umno speaks of development. Has Seremban developed? What about Port Dickson? It has many apartments, true. As many vacant and mal-maintained as there are those occupied. Is that good planning and good execution? Say someone has bought a unit and opens its door for a weekend tryst. He or she turns on the switch. There is no light. Then it is remembered. One should always bring a spare fuse because the one to the place in the common fuse room has been flicked by the maintenance people who will then sell it back to you when you file your complaint. Stay focused on the fuse, not the tryst. Is this national development or national degradation?

Back to race. The man was stabbed in the neck. Missed by centimeters. Bleeding heaps. Almost comatose. A young Chinese passer-by quickly lifts him up, puts him in the car and at breakneck speed drives right up to the door of the ICU of the nearest hospital. The hospital registrar, an Indian, operates on him and saves his life. But he has lost too much blood. A group of Malays rush over and donate their blood to save him.

So, in His eyes, who saved and re-made this man? The chinese, the indian or those malays? With all that malay blood in him, he might just wake up and apply for special status.

Back to rights. Take the rights. Type them in 14 pt garamond on 120g conqueror bond paper and laminate. Then go hawk it anywhere in this country, anywhere in the world. What is its currency?

The secret of getting rights is not to demand it but to be given it by people who care and can sympathize. Because they have in turn been treated like real human beings and real citizens and can be shown that they are all trusted to do the same right thing under the common umbrella of humanity and conscience.

Otherwise we will fall back to the same rigmarole of deciding who came from where. So what? More important is where we are going. Up or down.

And for religion. Respect all religions. Respect Islam for its essence. Respect its followers for their trying hard to abide by His laws. So many elements of good are common with those of other faiths. Faiths should unite, not divide.

I tried to write this like a man but that would turn the substance too much to On Being Malaysian and Malaysia.

It's so oh fatiguin' these hot days.

Anonymous,  8 October 2009 at 23:19  

"Let the UMNO Malays be warned," said Dr Hatta Ramli, political secretary to the PAS President, "They would have to step over the dead bodies of the Alternative Front Malays before they can harm the Chinese."

That remark coming from a comedian cum politician is just a political gimmicks for the purpose of showing how concerned this guy is towards his new blood crony (DAPek). In reality, whether this guy really believed that someone are capable of harming their political crony (DAPiss) or not, still open for debate!

To those with sane mind, what is there in its political rival gimmickry that could scared PR shitless so much so that a Malay clown needed to flex his muscle?

So it is not incorrect to say the perceived harmed is an individual politically related illusion. In fact high imagination and self-delusion is there in the blood for decades.

Given the fact that certain group is so successful economically, who in the world would ever believed they are so easily threatened with extinction except self-delusional Zion?

If that was the truth, what is this 'commie's protector' aiming for? The answer probably lies in the fact that there are more non-Malay members in BN as compared to PR! And this attracts creation of weird entity similar to Bendera of Indonesia.

The difference from the local version of Bendera lies in how commie's atrocities been viewed retrospectively. When commies rampaged through the village, locally assembled Bendera branded the perpetrators as nationalist!!

Are there consistency in their struggle? What about kemungkaran? Yes, for the sake of scoring political mileage, even if their own flesh and blood were exposed to elements of kemungkaran, still they won't give a hoot what the implication would be. Even to the extend that crony's trade secret stays intact and protected.

Antihopokrit

Anonymous,  9 October 2009 at 00:24  

Walla says,

"Somehow over the years we have lost that humanity in this country."

In political perspective, yes. Both sides of the divides seems to have lost their sense of humanity! In its place, there are stone cold sober people who think they could get drunk with power.

In the mind of ordinary people, the effort of sending voluntary workers to help the earth quake and flood's stricken areas abroad is a proof that humanity is still very much alive and kicking especially in the heart of the noble Malay-sians.

APOLITIKAL

Anonymous,  9 October 2009 at 00:52  

Walla,

The GI blue was shot in the neck. Missed by centimeters. Bleeding heaps. Almost comatose. A young Sunni passer-by quickly lifts him up, puts him in the car and at breakneck speed drives right up to the door of the ICU of the nearest hospital. The hospital registrar, a Kurdistan, operates on him and saves his life. But he has lost too much blood. A group of Shiites rush over and donate their blood to save him.

So, in His eyes, who saved and re-made this man? The Sunni, the Kurdish or those Shi'ite? With all that Shi'ite blood in him, he might just wake up and apply for a change in status?

No wonder it takes years for those GI blues to pack their WMD and walk out of Mesopotamia!

APOLITIKAL

Anonymous,  9 October 2009 at 07:59  

Dato,

I sense that a shift in your viewpoint. There is a feeling of dejavu similar to the time when rockybru was turned. Positions are taken based on selective facts. The main purpose now seems to be to congeal Malay support by playing to their inner most insecurities that they are being discriminated in their own land.

It is amazing that someone as obviously educated as you can take the parochial stance that Malays deserve a leg up based on the sole fact they are bumiputra and they lay "first" claim to the land.

You might want to note that government funds do not magically appear at the behest of the Governor of Bank Negara but is generated off the back of every tax paying Malaysian. By all means aid should be given to the disadvantaged but do not limit the field to only the Malays and those not even disadvantaged at that.

You talk about the Chinese in parading their superiority and such, which in part is a reflection of ones own inferiority complex. Is it implied in exasperation how the "minority" Chinese could succeed despite open effort to derail them? Maybe you would like explore how individuals managed to eke out a difference for an entire community through personal philantrophy instead of dependence on the government.

52 years on besides having all 4 grandparents born in Malaysia I see myself as one but am considered Cina on government forms. I pledge no allegiance to the Chinese government and pay no taxes to them.

Take off your blinkers and stop spreading the vile poison of your political masters. They have raped and plundered the nation enough and for far too long.


Rise Malaysians

Halim Tuah 9 October 2009 at 08:17  

PAS BERJUANG CARA REVOLUSI IRAN
Semasa Revolusi Iran tahun 1979 dan ketika pembentukan Kerajaan Revolusi Iran tahun 1980’an, ramai dari kalangan tokoh-tokoh PAS melawat Iran termasuk TG Hadi Awang, TG Nik Aziz, bahkan hampir kesemua tokoh kepimpinan PAS melawat Iran. Anak TG Nik Aziz kemudiannya dihantar menuntut di Qom Iran, juga termasuk ramai pelajar dari sekolah-sekolah Agama kelolaan PAS dihantar ke Iran.

PAS yang selama ini tidak menyokong MAZHAB SYI’AH, telah kemudiannya mengiktirafnya sebagai salah satu mazhab yang diterima oleh Dunia Islam selain AHLIL SUNNAH WAL JAMA’AH. Bahkan fahaman SYI’AH telah diserapkan ke dalam PAS, termasuk juga meniru teknik dan cara perjuangan Revolusi Iran. Kita dapati cara perjuangan PAS adalah ala revolusi dan sering terlibat dengan demonstrasi, bersikap kasar serta mencaci maki tokoh-tokoh pemimpin bukan PAS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRzYG9vJXAQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8Dw3Pv1Lbc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtRlJNbS_Ec

Anonymous,  9 October 2009 at 11:42  

Rise Malaysian,

"The main purpose now seems to be to congeal Malay support by playing to their inner most insecurities that they are being discriminated in their own land"

Both sides (opposition and establishment) claims that they are as much discrimination amongst PR as well as BN .

To lay man on the street, if discrimination occur in the work sector, it would lead to a large section of the community becoming jobless. Their purchasing power are low and in the end it will definitely affect the peoples and also the business community as a whole.

On the other hand, if it is felt by the successful lot, more likely than not it is related to a continued desire to get more and more of the 'pie' when the actual source and opportunity is not unlimited and at the same time consideration need also to given to the have not. In short, don't scoop every thing under the sun. Leave some portion to others.

APOLITIKAL

Anonymous,  10 October 2009 at 15:51  

Sak,

I believe you have shown your true color. Sad, I thought.......

Anonymous,  11 October 2009 at 23:33  

Since when Showing and expressing what you believe in , your aspirasion or even your fear as a segment of group is a crime ? to be branded 'showing your true colors'?meaning a Malay must not think too much ? must not air their sentiment or feeling because they are the majority? their despair should remains in the closet?a community expressing themselves is wrong?
Hear yourself some people here.Look at the mirror ... Sometimes I noticed when your God , Raja Petra even called some of you closet racist , whoa , right away you shoot him down.You guys even gang up on a PAS commentator in MT calling him Taliban for defending his religion being mocked.Looking at how you treat your 'sleeping partner' cant imagine how low you look down on regular Malay that passed by you on the street.Admit it.
Hypocrites ... I had enough of you , wel still it does not mean I wont scorn UMNO for their wrongdoings. Anyway I still love my oriental adopted son dearly.One day he will shows that nothing is wrong with gene or nature but looking down on others are groomed on coffee table,dinner table,wedding reception,closed door in office.

Jamal JB

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