Something very sinister is happening in Malaysia. On the one hand Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is sparing no effort in promoting his idea of peace through his 1Malaysia brand. Elsewhere, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad has warned non-Malays not to get too comfortable living in Malaysia.
It was in February this year that Mahathir told the non-Malays that this country belongs to the Malays because it was once called Tanah Melayu.
And he went on to lecture the non-Malays that they should be grateful for being citizens of this nation.
Then there is Malay-rights group Perkasa which keeps badgering the non-Malays to keep their mouths shut when on the question of Malay supremacy and privileges. Its founder Ibrahim Ali never fails to blow his top each time Article 153 of the Federal Constitution is talked about.
And before Perkasa came into being post the 2008 general election, there was Umno, never failing to threaten anyone who discussed the special rights of the Malays.
For some time, certain Umno leaders kept drawing out the keris at the party’s general assemblies as a warning to the non-Malays that all hell would break loose should Article 153 be debated.
Circa May 13,1969, Malaysia faced a racial riot which left hundreds dead and the rest severely suspicious of one another’s faith.
Forty two years later, ‘lessons’ left by that bloody incident have not been appreciated by a large number of Malaysians, as proven by racial remarks made by Mahathir and leaders of the country’s ruling party, Umno.
Now, a businessman, William Cheng has stepped into the wrong footsteps left behind by the likes of Mahathir by insulting the Indians and Buddhists residing in this country, whom he labelled as ‘minorities’ and not deserving of a public holiday.
Cheng, chairman of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Chamber of Commerce, suggested that Deepavali and Wesak Day public holidays be scrapped as both were bad for business.
And since they were celebrated by minority groups, revoking these public holidays was hardly a reason to fuss over.
Does it matter that 87% of the 1, 970,000 Indians in Malaysia are Hindus and they celebrate Deepavali? Or that three million people in this country celebrate Wesak Day which marks the birth of Lord Buddha.
Harmony slipping out of hand
No doubt what Cheng said is an insult to the Hindu community and to the Buddhists.
The disrespect shown to a smaller number of people and the liberty taken to ridicule their presence has brought about the much dreaded question – just how truly united are Malaysians?
Cheng, having lived in Malaysia for many years is well aware that Deepavali, the Festival of Light, is the only national public holiday
accorded to the Hindu community.
For so many years, the Hindu community has urged the government to consider making Thaipusam a national public holiday but it never did.
This considering the fact that it is a religious event and one that has achieved global recognition.
If Cheng is disturbed with the 17 public holidays enjoyed by the people of this country, he could have asked that the New Year or the Hari Raya Haji public holidays be cancelled. But he did not?
Was it because he realised the significance behind these events? If so, how did he forget what Deepavali and Wesak Day signify? Or was Cheng afraid of the repercussions had he dared suggest that Hari Raya Haji no longer be treated as a public holiday? Beneath all these, there remains this nagging worry that Cheng has no respect for the minority communities, hence the insensitive suggestion.
Picking on the “minority” community is a folly Cheng can ill-afford. The country has not totally recovered from the shocks of May 13, so instead of the ‘superior race’ and ‘minority is not important’ attitude, it would help much if Cheng developed compassion towards the minorities.
Should turbulence between the different races be the order of the day, all the dollars and cents will not do Cheng any good.
Stop bullying minorities
Reacting to Cheng’s suggestion, Reverend Thomas Philips, president of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) said the statement smacked of disrespect for the religion.
“It’s not a question of majority or minority. Everybody should be treated as equal in this multireligious, multiracial society.
“We’ve been living with these holidays all along. The question of business should not arise as we should view the holidays as a long-term investment which brings diversity and peace,” Thomas said.
The reality, as painful and hurting as it is, shows that festivals like Hari Raya Puasa and Chinese New Year are given much priority and importance, all because they involve the majority race.
The television stations go to great lengths to provide an influx of special programmes, some for over a week, during the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya celebrations. But when it concerns Deepavali, the television stations become less enthusiastic in serving their Indian viewers? Why?
For Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak who has been ambitiously promoting the 1Malaysia brand, it is time to put the brakes on his latest gig, the RM50 million worth 1Malaysia e-mail project and set the gear in reverse and re-look why 1Malaysia has thus far not been successful.
Ironically, after 53 years of tasting independence, Malaysia has yet to free itself from the clutches of racism, made worse over the years through the indoctrination perpetuated by the ruling party, Umno.
Education system at fault
What Mahathir, the boys of Umno and Cheng have displayed are mentalities of years of indoctrination that have reinforced by the education system.
The hierarchy of the different races was and still is – Malay, Chinese and Indians. It has become second nature for Malaysians to describe the different races living in this country as per this order. Is this necessary?
Clearly, the ruling government has done Malaysians a disservice by segregating the different races in this country according to majority and minority, resulting in the smaller groups being treated as less important.
Perhaps looking at how the Barisan Nasional government has shown no respect for the Indian community on the issue of the ‘Interlok’ novel, Cheng concluded that his suggestion could do no further harm.
When the ‘Interlok’ novel meant for Form Five students pursuing Malay literature describes the Indians as pariahs and demeans the community
and this hardly troubles the Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, something dangerous is brewing.
Are any more excuses necessary to avoid engaging in interfaith discussions or put in place an interfaith commission, keeping in mind the shaky foundation of the harmony once-upon-a-time enjoyed by the people of this country?
Stop bullying Indians
On Feb 19 this year, FMT reported that a 28-second video depicting a Malaysian Indian student forced to say “keling babi” by his nschoolmates was making its rounds on YouTube.
In the video, the antagonist who is behind the camera says: “Cakap sekarang, aku sepak sekarang. Aku terajang karang. Cakap keling babi.
Cakap keling babi.” (Say it now, I’ll slap you. I’ll kick you. Say Indians are pigs. Say Indians are pigs.)
When the student concerned did not respond, the antagonist continued until the Indian student relented.
The video had been viewed more than 18,000 times since it was put up on Feb 12. It was first uploaded by someone who identified himself as Amingenji and subsequently uploaded by Hindraf Makkal Sakthi, the user name for Human Rights Party (HRP).
HRP believes the incident shown on YouTube took place in SMK Shah Bandar, Klang, Selangor. Its protem secretary-general P Uthayakumar said no police reports had been lodged then.
“The police are not going to take action. The Attorney-General’s office is not going to prosecute,” Uthayakumar had said.
Looking at the disrespect meted out to the Indians, Cheng has assumed it is not wrong to treat the minorities as the government treats them – but this may just be the straw that break’s the camel’s back, sooner or later.
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