Utusan Malaysia is quick to blame the Chinese for their lack of support, their ingratitude and their racism, whenever BN receives less than the expected number of votes from the Chinese community after an election.
The Umno mouthpiece did not fail us this time, when BN’s share of the popular votes slipped from 63% to 55%. However, what Utusan failed to realise was that it wasn’t only the Chinese that had rejected BN. More indigenous voters had also crossed over from BN to the Opposition camp.
In the post-mortem of the Sarawak election, we see the usual line from Utusan, which is that the Chinese are an ungrateful lot.
The incredulous article from Utusan’s senior assistant editor Zaini Hassan, attempted to stir-up racial tension by claiming that the result of the Sarawak election was because of the strength of Chinese unity against the Malays and other bumiputera of Sarawak.
Zaini’s article derided PAS and accused the party of abandoning the struggle of the Malays for its own political agenda. Not content with that insult, Zaini then claimed that the DAP was using PAS to do its dirty work of disuniting the Malays on its behalf.
It is incredible that the petty-minded Zaini cannot recognise the Sarawakians desire to rid themselves of a tyrannical despot in the form of its Chief Minister Taib Mahmud. Over three decades of Taib’s corrupt rule has failed to lift the various races, principally the rural community, out of poverty.
By right, we should ignore the provocations and racist rants of Utusan but Zaini has urged various groups to start a “1Melayu, 1Bumi” movement to counter what he claimed was Chinese political unity.
Earlier, former Prime minister Mahathir Mohamed had accused DAP for “bringing racist politics into Sarawak” after they won 12 out of 15 seats contested in most of the urban areas in the recent state election.
But even Mahathir balked at the ‘1Melayu, 1Bumi’ movement proposed by the right wing NGO Perkasa and said that it would be ‘very bad for the country’: “I hope it doesn't happen. It's very bad for Malaysia.”
But why should we believe him? He has thus far been stoking the fires of racism. Perkasa is his own personal mouthpiece.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak claimed that his administration would have nothing to do with the ‘1Melayu, 1Bumi’ movement.
“That's the personal opinion of the writer. As for the government, we have a very clear concept which we will continue to work on. And, as for the Malays, it is most important that they support Umno if they want to be politically united.”
So what is stopping Najib from taking firm action against the racist Zaini of Utusan? Is it because he is afraid? He is aware that most of Perkasa’s supporters belong to Umno. Najib does not want to lose both the support of the extremists and Umno members.
So why does Najib practise double standards?
Najib has a deputy who is a Malay first, a Malaysian second. Najib has done nothing to rid the country of the BTN programmes. A Sin Chew reporter was arrested under ISA for “her own safety” when she reported about a racist politician from Penang Umno and yet, Zaini is free to spew more hate.
It is curious that the two premiers – one current and one former – have the moderate public face to present to us but behind the scenes, they are just as racist as Zaini.
Why won’t Najib arrest Zaini and censure the paper? He does not translate his words into action and because of this, he loses credibility.
Finally, who says the Chinese are not grateful?
There are several who are indebted to Umno/MCA/MIC for showing them how 54 years of BN rule has not improved things and so they had to make the choice between a better life out of Malaysia or to remain in Malaysia which is plagued by racism and inequality.
Come to think of it, several Malays and Indians are equally grateful to Umno/BN for showing them the exit to a better future for themselves and their children abroad.
Malaysia Chronicle
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