On November 10th, more than 40,000 people participated in demonstrations in Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur. They were demanding clean, legal elections and fairness for all citizens of Malaysia. A large percentage of the demonstrators were poor ethnic Malays and Chinese and Indians, all of whom are dissatisfied with the race-based politics in Malaysia's elections.
The demonstrators are outraged that phantom voters keep appearing on the electoral rolls (dead people, children etc.), that every party does not have equal access to state run television and newspapers, and that the postal vote is nothing but a license to cheat. Widespread corruption within politics in Malaysia also continues to exist and very little is done to stop it.
On November 25th, 2007, demonstrations broke out again, this time outside the Petronas Towers, and again police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the Malaysian Indian crowds accused Malaysian government of marginalising them.
In both demonstrations, the government controlled press played down the demonstrations and blocked access to certain websites where the demonstrations were being discussed. Not exactly a sign of a true democracy, eh?
The ruling party the United Malays National Organization or UNMO is known throughout the region as a racist party. It is the largest political party in Malaysia and is very right-wing. It was created under the premise that Malay supremacy and Islamic fundamentalism are the true national rights and that people who are Muslim or Malay should have special privileges not available to everyone else. It also absolutely supports the idea that Malays are the "true masters of this land".
Fifty years ago, when Malaysia first established statehood, maybe this idea worked. The problem now though is that Malaysia has a growing number of Indian and Chinese citizens who are not willing to sit by and let this blatant racism continue.
Poor Malays are also furious as, even though Malaysia is getting richer as the cost of exports grows, they are not seeing the trickle-down effect at all. They remain just as poor and disadvantaged as ever, and no government policies are being put into effect to help solve this problem. They still remain disadvantaged in employment, schooling, housing and healthcare.
Indians and Chinese who were very unhappy with the situation calling Malaysia a "joke democracy", so I would not be surprised if the demonstrations not only continue but actually get larger.
mi1
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