Every prime minister who assumes the highest office in this country without a blink comes up with his own catch-phrase or slogan. The latest that is making the rounds is the catchy '1Malaysia' slogan. Not that anything is wrong with this phrase or slogan itself but the average Malaysia seems to be fed-up with slogans.
When Pak Lah, our former PM started churning out interesting slogans (and mind you, he was very good at it) he coined one that appeared very catchy indeed -'I am the prime minister for all races and not just for the Malays'.
But after being terribly let down by him, he has fairly convinced Malaysians either to dismiss or take such slogans with a pinch of salt. So while current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak proclaims '1Malaysia', his deputy says he is a deputy prime minister for the Malays first.
Now the Malay rulers, too, have joined the chorus, and it would be foolish for the non- Malays/non-Muslims ever to expect a fair stand from the rulers. We have been dreaming, haven't we? They are rulers for the Muslim Malays.
When the 'Allah' controversy surfaced immediately after the Dec 31 High Court decision, the worth of the '1Malaysia' slogan became quite apparent. The attorney-general filed an appeal and applied for a stay in the High Court. Instead of getting the parties involved to sit down together to resolve the issue, the government of the day has taken sides - yet again.
With the appeal and stay application, the government or the prime minister could mean only one thing – that they represent the Malay Muslims and the minorities are left to fend for themselves. It has become amply clear, as the DPM has stressed, that the PM, chosen by Umno and representing the Umno Malay interests, can never ever claim to be the PM of all Malaysians.
Most of us have awoken to the charade being dished out. We are being courted for only one thing – our votes. There is nothing to be sad about the sort of politics that has devastated the Malaysian landscape.
During the last general election, the major component parties of BN were routed. The voters were very upset and angry for the disastrous handling of their positions when championing their rights in that they have given-in too much to Umno and we are no more equal citizens under the constitution.
Today, the likes of Khalid Samad of PAS happen to give more confidence and support to the minorities rather than the MCA, MIC and Gerakan. The likes of him have become the reason that it need not necessarily be someone of your own race that would be there to give the understanding and meaning that there is room for all the races in this country.
This unlike what the DPM says in being a DPM for Malays first while all the BN component party leaders maintain a stony silence. There have been instances where the minorities have been left wondering and wandering over inter-religious/racial issues with the government taking a partisan stand in supporting the Malay Muslims.
The minorities have had to lick their wounds with hurt and dismay. Whatever happened to the leaders of component parties who would rush to the sides of the minorities as Umno did for the Malays? The BN way of discussing and negotiating as former MCA president Ong Ka Ting was fond of repeating in the end had him booted out too.
In reality, the non-Malays have for the sake of peace and goodwill, given-in on too many occasions. The government and all the statutory bodies are dominated by the Malays. The public universities need no elaboration. There would and should not be any grievance if this has been need-based but when it has majored into 'Ketuanan Melayu' then something is terribly wrong.
The Moorthy case laid the foundation for what aills the minorities in this country. This country has never been the same. This 'Allah' controversy is going to be the next major slip for BN, particularly Umno. It is not the money being dished out to the burnt church or any amount of money that is dished out to the minorities that is going to propel any support for BN.
The issues that are going to bring the numbers in for BN are being dismissed or given scant regard. Pak Lah infamously squandered his overwhelming support and by the time he realised it, it was too late.
Ultimately, politics being such, by the time Umno wakes up, it will be too late as in this polarised country anything could trigger a deep divide thanks to the divisive politics that has been nurtured all these years.
And all that has been built for years could just end up as ruins. If such an issue erupts closer to a general election then BN can say goodbye to the goodies it has enjoyed since independence. The sooner Umno learns this, the better it will fare in the next elections.
When Pak Lah, our former PM started churning out interesting slogans (and mind you, he was very good at it) he coined one that appeared very catchy indeed -'I am the prime minister for all races and not just for the Malays'.
But after being terribly let down by him, he has fairly convinced Malaysians either to dismiss or take such slogans with a pinch of salt. So while current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak proclaims '1Malaysia', his deputy says he is a deputy prime minister for the Malays first.
Now the Malay rulers, too, have joined the chorus, and it would be foolish for the non- Malays/non-Muslims ever to expect a fair stand from the rulers. We have been dreaming, haven't we? They are rulers for the Muslim Malays.
When the 'Allah' controversy surfaced immediately after the Dec 31 High Court decision, the worth of the '1Malaysia' slogan became quite apparent. The attorney-general filed an appeal and applied for a stay in the High Court. Instead of getting the parties involved to sit down together to resolve the issue, the government of the day has taken sides - yet again.
With the appeal and stay application, the government or the prime minister could mean only one thing – that they represent the Malay Muslims and the minorities are left to fend for themselves. It has become amply clear, as the DPM has stressed, that the PM, chosen by Umno and representing the Umno Malay interests, can never ever claim to be the PM of all Malaysians.
Most of us have awoken to the charade being dished out. We are being courted for only one thing – our votes. There is nothing to be sad about the sort of politics that has devastated the Malaysian landscape.
During the last general election, the major component parties of BN were routed. The voters were very upset and angry for the disastrous handling of their positions when championing their rights in that they have given-in too much to Umno and we are no more equal citizens under the constitution.
Today, the likes of Khalid Samad of PAS happen to give more confidence and support to the minorities rather than the MCA, MIC and Gerakan. The likes of him have become the reason that it need not necessarily be someone of your own race that would be there to give the understanding and meaning that there is room for all the races in this country.
This unlike what the DPM says in being a DPM for Malays first while all the BN component party leaders maintain a stony silence. There have been instances where the minorities have been left wondering and wandering over inter-religious/racial issues with the government taking a partisan stand in supporting the Malay Muslims.
The minorities have had to lick their wounds with hurt and dismay. Whatever happened to the leaders of component parties who would rush to the sides of the minorities as Umno did for the Malays? The BN way of discussing and negotiating as former MCA president Ong Ka Ting was fond of repeating in the end had him booted out too.
In reality, the non-Malays have for the sake of peace and goodwill, given-in on too many occasions. The government and all the statutory bodies are dominated by the Malays. The public universities need no elaboration. There would and should not be any grievance if this has been need-based but when it has majored into 'Ketuanan Melayu' then something is terribly wrong.
The Moorthy case laid the foundation for what aills the minorities in this country. This country has never been the same. This 'Allah' controversy is going to be the next major slip for BN, particularly Umno. It is not the money being dished out to the burnt church or any amount of money that is dished out to the minorities that is going to propel any support for BN.
The issues that are going to bring the numbers in for BN are being dismissed or given scant regard. Pak Lah infamously squandered his overwhelming support and by the time he realised it, it was too late.
Ultimately, politics being such, by the time Umno wakes up, it will be too late as in this polarised country anything could trigger a deep divide thanks to the divisive politics that has been nurtured all these years.
And all that has been built for years could just end up as ruins. If such an issue erupts closer to a general election then BN can say goodbye to the goodies it has enjoyed since independence. The sooner Umno learns this, the better it will fare in the next elections.
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