Another racists pushes racial line in 1 Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — Mingguan Malaysia columnist Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah today pushed the powder-keg issues of race and religion further, by arguing that the Malay-Muslim’s majority meant they had more rights and accused the other races of putting their interests above national needs.

Without mentioning the DAP by name but calling it an “ultra-kiasu party”, the National Defence University senior lecturer accused it of working with what he called racist parties within the Barisan Nasional (BN) for their own benefit and political mileage by supporting the 1 Malaysia concept espoused by prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Kiasu is a Hokkien word that literally means “fear of losing”.

Tee also put forward a formula based on the racial and religious breakdown of the country’s 27 million population, to apportion the share of what is due to each community in terms of rights, festivities and celebrations, adding no one should question the “social contract” from the founding of the nation 52 years ago.

“Remember, Islam is the religion of the majority community of this country. Islam has a very special position in the constitution. If there is any ‘advantage’ in Islam, it is not discrimination because as the majority Malay-Muslims, they have the rights, let alone it had been agreed upon through the social contract,” he wrote in his column carried by the Mingguan Malaysia today.

The column — “Beza antara penjahat dan jahat” — was also posted on his personal weblogs at ridhuantee.blogspot.com for Bahasa Malaysia and ertee.blogspot.com for the English translation.

Tee also noted there should no further question of unfairness, including the use government funds to expand Islam although the matter was never formulated by law as “each race or party interpreted according to their interests respectively, basing on the racial and religious background”.

He introduced his formula, based on the statistical breakdown of races and religions in the Year 2000 census, where the percentages of Malaysians by religions were “60 per cent Islam, 40 per cent non-Malay (22 per cent Buddhist-Taoism-Confucius, nine per cent Christian, six per cent Hindu, three per cent others).

Dr Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah. — ridhuantee.blogspot.com pic
“This formula can be applied in the context of the nationalisation, including justification on the rights of religious festivals and celebrations of all races. This formula fulfils part of the meaning to justification in Islam, which means to put things in its place although not completely.

“On the basis of tolerance, this formula was not applied completely, either in politic, economic or even social fields. For example, the number of non-Muslim places of worship exceeded overwhelmingly, their festival celebrations actually drowned the Muslims celebrations even though they are less in numbers.

“Just look at the shopping malls, although Christians are only nine per cent, the Christmas and New Year 2010 celebrations are incomparable to the Hari Raya and the Islamic New Year. If you do not believe, visit the states ruled by the ultra kiasu and its allies, and the shopping malls of their allies throughout the country,” Tee said, alluding to Penang and Selangor which are the main states of commerce and industry.

He wrote further to compare the difference between Muslims and non-Muslims in the country, which has for years carried the tourism tagline “Malaysia. Truly Asia”.

“I think the Muslims in this country are very tolerant and soft. Their religious festivals and funerals are well mannered and simple. Roads are not congested. Their graves are very small. Compared to other religions, which the number is already smaller, at times the roads are congested the whole day on certain festivals. The graves are so wide and large.

“How long will this practice be continued, whereas the population is growing but land is limited? So far, the Muslims are not that noisy compared to others, although their graves are narrowing and protests from the non-Muslims are increasingly bolder when there is an increase in Islamic cemeteries.

“My formula should be used as a guideline. Is it fair if the numbers of non-Muslims are not many, but their graves actually sink the Muslims graves? Have we asked the views of the Muslims and their sensitivity? Those with money build the tombs so high and so wide and beautify them with statues as far as the eyes can see.
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“Meanwhile, the Muslims graves, irrespective of their positions, are simple because Islam does not believe in the designing of the tomb. Having no graves is also not a problem. What is important is faith and piety, which are brought into the intermediate state or barzakh. Have the Muslims ever claimed equal rights and equal opportunities? No, because they are not ultra kiasu,” said Tee, who is also secretary-general of the Malaysian Islamic Chamber of Commerce.

He also questioned calls for religious rights in Malaysia to be based on equal rights and opportunities, in the light of complaints about the difficulty in building temples and churches. A DAP leader had recently questioned the large government allocation for mosques and the comparatively tiny sum set aside for houses of worship for other faiths.

“Are the number of churches and the pile of houses of worship to the extent of sinking the number mosques and suraus not considered as rights? Have we ever prevented them from going to church every Sunday? Do not compare with the Muslims because we worship differently. We have different needs. Similarly goes the requirements for jamaah prayers.

“Hence, the concept of equal rights and the equal opportunities should be based on the formula that has been outlined in the constitution and by proportion of races (religions),” Tee said when dismissing calls for equality.

He also waded into the controversy over the word “Allah” which has been banned from use by Christians to describe their God,

“All this while they have never use the word Allah in our country, so why the sudden need for the word of Allah to be used? It is definitely their strategy to confuse the Muslims into following their religion. My advice to all parents is to take care of your children and not to be deceived by their evil strategies and evil intentions.

Only nine per cent Christians, so Christmas celebrations are too much, claims Tee.

“Unfortunately, these will and has occurred in Selangor and Penang, if we continue to allow this ultra kiasu to rule and to be mighty. Look at Penang today, as if it is no longer a Malay island. It is full of Santa Claus and New Year greetings, while they consist of only nine per cent,” Tee added.

He took up the line taken by politicians who have described Malaysia as the land of Malays and others as immigrants.

“Therefore, let us make the changes before it is too late. Do not end later with our religion going nowhere in our own land. By then, it will be too late. You cannot allow the creepers to grow higher. When they have gone up, they will remain there, and it will be difficult for them to come down,” Tee said.

The academic also defended the Utusan Malaysia from charges of promoting hate sentiments and disturbing harmony among races, levied by opposition parties and even Umno supreme council member Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

“The extremist labelled the newspaper as criminals. If the newspaper is considered as criminal then it also meant that the journalist, newspaper columnist and author are also criminals. My question is, whether the ultra kiasu party news tabloid and the other racist political parties and those concocted with them are they also not evil?

“The ultra kiasu party and its group are not only evil, but it is already clearly a fact that they have an evil intention by not accepting the social contract and rejecting the federal constitution and also challenging sensitive matters that have long been agreed upon,” he added.

While admitting that the Umno-owned daily could make mistakes, Tee hit out at its critics and told them not to go overboard with their views and reflect on their own mistakes.

“Is staying together without marriage considered good moral? Retaining executive council (exco) known for their evil deeds is not actually evil? At least Utusan Malaysia is frank, meaning not too bad instead of [condoning the] camouflage [of] doing evil, like being sweet in front of people but, when behind [them], actually are not. Those are their actions to obscure the eyes of the public,” he said, obliquely referring to DAP’s outrage over the paper’s racial tone.

“If we spy their movement, I am confident we will see their true colours, including the one exco that brought Santa Claus to meet their state leader. To this leader, if you enjoy celebrating with Santa Claus, please do not over do it. As Muslims, we are taught to respect other religions, but do not go overboard.

“They are very cunning at planning. Many Malays have sidetracked because of being too close to Santa Claus,” he wrote.

Tee also accused the DAP of raising sensitive issues that could lead to chaos similar to the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

“The sensitive issues were raised to demand equal rights and opportunities for the ultra kiasu group. They know these things cannot be raised openly as they can be held under the Sedition Act. They deliberately want to test Umno, which currently is at its most crucial situation because of not getting two-thirds majority [in Parliament] and [is] also facing the painful disunity of the Malay-Muslims,” he said.

An ethnic Chinese, Tee also reserved some vitriol for Umno’s BN ally, the Chinese-majority Gerakan, which had been outraged over an Umno proposal to take over the chairmanship of the Penang BN in an effort to recapture the state from the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat state government.

Stoking racial tensions risk another May 13, Tee wrote.

“My question is that, if Umno can sacrifice the Grik parliamentary seat, why can’t Gerakan? Who is more tolerant and having the nature of giving? The political parties on this island are so ultra kiasu. Because of that, they do not care who ruled the island, as long it is their own people. There are not many strategies made to win back the island. That’s why I can feel that Umno is not comfortable with this situation,” said Tee, referring to Umno providing Gerakan the Malay-majority Grik seat in the last general elections.

“The Malay majority had to vote the non-Malay (Gerakan) even with resentment. This is the noble nature of the Malay-Muslims. Is this tolerance being appreciated? It is like a dog biting its own master.

“Can we still remember that this member of parliament of Grik from Gerakan issued a statement stating that the Malays were also immigrants? This member of parliament was also appointed as a deputy minister. Have we ever heard Umno contend that since the Grik parliamentary seat had been held by them for a long time, why should they give it to Gerakan, as what [was] spoken by the Penang BN chairman?” he asked.

Tee contended that Gerakan’s opposition to the idea was based on the fear of losing the Penang chief minister’s post to Umno if the Malay party led the BN in the state.

“The root to all of these is power, power, power and the ultra kiasu attitude. All [are] putting the race interests ahead rather than the national interests. If this is how it is done, I think, we are far from achieving the 1 Malaysia concept.

“It will be taken advantage [of] by those with the attitudes of foxes in sheep skins, and scissors in the fold. To them, their race strength must be defended even with whatever reasons and challenges given. Who are the real criminals and more evil?” Tee concluded.

MI
27/12/09