The recent spat between former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz is surely the biggest miracle since the 8 March general elections last year.
The two UMNO stalwarts have, in the wake of their bitter battle, left exposed the plain truth about our politics and policies which have for so long been falsely glossed over as being blind to race.
There were no winners in this battle. The sad fact of the matter is that they were both correct in their respective statements. Dr. Mahathir’s statement that UMNO is a racist party because no other race can join is bang on the money. It is in line with one of the many definitions of racism and as close as one will get to the truth about Malaysian politics which is built on foundations of racism.
One of the simplest definitions of racism is prejudice or discrimination based on race. The three so-called leading parties in Government are all race based and in this regard exclusive instead of inclusive and therefore they are racist based on the above definition.
This brings us to the fact that a system of government which subscribes to this “separate but one” style of governing can only offer false hope. In this connection, individual race based parties cannot effectively lead all of us under the 1Malaysia banner because they are each sworn to ensure the triumph of their own people.
What we really have therefore is a government based on compromise where a give and take approach is practiced.
While giving and taking is acceptable where it concerns minor matters, it is quite unacceptable in matters relating to the fundamental guarantees such as equality and rights in respect of education and property.
These are the inalienable rights guaranteed by our Constitution to each citizen and they can never be subject to a give and take approach via policies such as the NEP. Where the fundamental guarantees are concerned, the only policies that work are need based policies which are open to all and blind to race.
Speaking of policies, Nazri’s admission that the National Civics Bureau programme or BTN needs a revamp because it concentrates on Malay supremacy was a long time coming and provides validation to critics who argue that this country is infected with divisive racist policies. The next step is to look into every area from university admissions to the awarding of government contracts and expose all the policies that favour one race over another.
Whatever the reasons behind it, the candidness from Nazri and Dr. Mahathir must be lauded. They may have been fighting but how refreshing it is that the truth has come out.
Let us hope that this sudden generosity towards speaking the truth and recognising racist elements within our country does not abate. The people demand for more of the same from the rest of our politicians.
On that note, could someone from Government please stand up and admit that this country needs the UMNO owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia as much as it needs a knife in the back or a hole in the head?
The latest incident involves Utusan Malaysia author Zaini Hassan who penned an article titled Tales of Indians in India and Indians in Malaysia. His observations about Indians in Malaysia were downright rude and racist.
To illustrate this effectively, I have translated selected bits of his article which appeared last Wednesday below.
“In Malaysia, only the smart Indians always make noise. They control the Bar Council and now there are many of them in Parliament, not representing the MIC, but representing the DAP and PKR... Never mind. The Malays are not like the Indians, although there are Malays with 'keling' blood, but the soft Malay blood in them is more overwhelming.”
The Malays are not like Indians because the Malay blood is softer than the keling blood. Wow. I’ll just let that sink in without saying more.
This Hitler-esque observation deserves the strongest condemnation from every member of the Government.
Either that or UMNO can continue to mollycoddle this newspaper and get blown away at the next General Election by its own gun because the Utusan Malaysia is currently the most objectionable of all the Government linked political machineries.
The real danger about articles like this from Utusan Malaysia is that it has the potential to stir up the more radical quarters among the Malays such as the infamous “cow-head protesters” into committing further irresponsible acts which serve only to destroy race relations in the country.
So to the rest of the members of Government, please follow the fine examples of Nazri and Dr. Mahathir.
Feud if you must but at the same time go ahead and speak the truth and decry the shackles of racism and divisiveness which bind this country. For the truth will set this country free.
(by DAVID D. MATHEW,MySinchew)
16/12/09
The two UMNO stalwarts have, in the wake of their bitter battle, left exposed the plain truth about our politics and policies which have for so long been falsely glossed over as being blind to race.
There were no winners in this battle. The sad fact of the matter is that they were both correct in their respective statements. Dr. Mahathir’s statement that UMNO is a racist party because no other race can join is bang on the money. It is in line with one of the many definitions of racism and as close as one will get to the truth about Malaysian politics which is built on foundations of racism.
One of the simplest definitions of racism is prejudice or discrimination based on race. The three so-called leading parties in Government are all race based and in this regard exclusive instead of inclusive and therefore they are racist based on the above definition.
This brings us to the fact that a system of government which subscribes to this “separate but one” style of governing can only offer false hope. In this connection, individual race based parties cannot effectively lead all of us under the 1Malaysia banner because they are each sworn to ensure the triumph of their own people.
What we really have therefore is a government based on compromise where a give and take approach is practiced.
While giving and taking is acceptable where it concerns minor matters, it is quite unacceptable in matters relating to the fundamental guarantees such as equality and rights in respect of education and property.
These are the inalienable rights guaranteed by our Constitution to each citizen and they can never be subject to a give and take approach via policies such as the NEP. Where the fundamental guarantees are concerned, the only policies that work are need based policies which are open to all and blind to race.
Speaking of policies, Nazri’s admission that the National Civics Bureau programme or BTN needs a revamp because it concentrates on Malay supremacy was a long time coming and provides validation to critics who argue that this country is infected with divisive racist policies. The next step is to look into every area from university admissions to the awarding of government contracts and expose all the policies that favour one race over another.
Whatever the reasons behind it, the candidness from Nazri and Dr. Mahathir must be lauded. They may have been fighting but how refreshing it is that the truth has come out.
Let us hope that this sudden generosity towards speaking the truth and recognising racist elements within our country does not abate. The people demand for more of the same from the rest of our politicians.
On that note, could someone from Government please stand up and admit that this country needs the UMNO owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia as much as it needs a knife in the back or a hole in the head?
The latest incident involves Utusan Malaysia author Zaini Hassan who penned an article titled Tales of Indians in India and Indians in Malaysia. His observations about Indians in Malaysia were downright rude and racist.
To illustrate this effectively, I have translated selected bits of his article which appeared last Wednesday below.
“In Malaysia, only the smart Indians always make noise. They control the Bar Council and now there are many of them in Parliament, not representing the MIC, but representing the DAP and PKR... Never mind. The Malays are not like the Indians, although there are Malays with 'keling' blood, but the soft Malay blood in them is more overwhelming.”
The Malays are not like Indians because the Malay blood is softer than the keling blood. Wow. I’ll just let that sink in without saying more.
This Hitler-esque observation deserves the strongest condemnation from every member of the Government.
Either that or UMNO can continue to mollycoddle this newspaper and get blown away at the next General Election by its own gun because the Utusan Malaysia is currently the most objectionable of all the Government linked political machineries.
The real danger about articles like this from Utusan Malaysia is that it has the potential to stir up the more radical quarters among the Malays such as the infamous “cow-head protesters” into committing further irresponsible acts which serve only to destroy race relations in the country.
So to the rest of the members of Government, please follow the fine examples of Nazri and Dr. Mahathir.
Feud if you must but at the same time go ahead and speak the truth and decry the shackles of racism and divisiveness which bind this country. For the truth will set this country free.
(by DAVID D. MATHEW,MySinchew)
16/12/09
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