Non racist myth and misplaced piety

 

I have written 2 articles which have raised a lot of disquiet. The first is about doing what is right and wrong. The second is about the issue surrounding the presence of the Serdang MP in a surau.

I am more interested in the preliminary conclusions that I can make out from the various comments that came over into the articles. Those who profess and subscribe to the idea of a muhibbah and harmonious Malaysia are encouraged to examine the issues carefully too. See whether we can agree on the fundamental issues.

The first to me seems to expose the hypocrisy of many who claimed to be non racist among the Chinese. All this while, we are accustomed to the conditioned thought that only the 'oppressive Malays" and the various Malay dominated institutions can be racist. Hence they , the Malays cannot be the victims of racism.

Naturally then the oppressed or feel as such, ( in what ways we have yet to debate) feel they cannot be racist . They are always and forever the victims of racism. The Chinese and non Malays therefore hold to an almost universal and cannot be contested notion that they can't be racists and shall forever be victims of racism.

My argument is, if we are ever ready to classify Malays as being racists in general, we must also accept the possibility that non Malays can also be racists and Malays can also be victims of racism. We must shatter this sitting on the high horse myth first.

Unless we choose to be dumb, we can dismiss the rap content of this Namewe as non racist and proclaim by asking the pompously innocent statement- what is racist about the rap? Its directed only at the racist Head Mistress? Of course the issue behind the loaded question of haven't you read( understood) that it is WE CHINESE who made Malaya and Malaysia rich is dismissed as just an ordinary rhyme . If you do, you Malays have better keep your fucking mouth shut. That would be a plausible interpretation of what Namewee wanted to say.

So, the message there is- unless you help build up this country- you can't speak. In other words babe- Malays- you shut the fuck up!

But the more insidious issue here is- the Chinese have this self-righteous and smug thought they are pristine and pure. Therefore any suggestions that this thinking isn't true invite the most puerile but also spiteful responses. But none more childish when failing to address the real issue, one reduces whatever I write in that article as coming from an UMNO man. The general notion of course is- an UMNO man is an ogre who is not capable of advanced and rational thinking. That monopoly belongs to US. So you have that condescending and patronizing rejoinder that says, oh you are an UMNO man, so no mystery, yadda..yadda.

So I am saying, reading from the many comments in following that article, do not delude yourselves into believing that you cannot qualify as racists. This recognition at a very personal level must be appreciated if we want to forge a truly Malaysian nation. It's pathetic to avoid confronting the real us by hiding behind the overrated phrase of 'let us celebrate and gain strength from our diversity'.

About the second article. I am surprised that many commentators are sidetracked into confining their thinking on issues surrounding the Serdang MP. She is not the central point here unless many salivate at the sight of her wearing tight and stewardess looking attire.

The point of the general backwardness of the Muslims and possibly the relative poverty of Malay/Muslims represented by a general disowning of any pride in being Muslims is truly shocking. There was also one commentator who included a verse from the Quran saying that Allah encourages Muslims to be friendly to non Muslims- he of course, probably inspired by his own partisan stand forgets- the sting of that verse, is that Muslims should exercise the upper hand in being charitable and kind. A Muslim is prouder to be the giver, not the recipient and hapless supplicant.