Malay rights: Where are we heading?
Kim QuekPublished: Jan 5, 2001 5:07 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
Recent press reports of the willingness of PAS and Keadilan presidents to hold talks with Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Malay unity is a stark reminder to all Malaysians that the fault line of racial allegiance in Malaysian politics is still very much alive and potent.
This fissure, which has dominated politics and has made politics a dirty word in this country for the past four decades, may crack wide open and engulf all Malaysians, if not handled with care and wisdom by PAS and Keadilan.
On the one hand, both PAS and Keadilan are facing potential ground swells of Malay concerns of their interests being endangered (what with Umno-controlled media inciting Malay fears and anger almost daily), and run the risk of being accused of forsaking the well-being of the Malay race, if Umno's unity calls are ignored.
On the other hand, this kind of mono-racial unity talks across party lines with Mahathir runs contrary to the ideals and struggles of Barisan Alternatif (BA). It will alienate the non-Malay partners and jeopardise the decisive swing of Chinese support towards BA, so conspicuously and so heartwarmingly exhibited in the recent Lunas by-election.
So, where do we go from here?
Corruption and cronyism
The answer lies in the issue of what constitutes the genuine interests of the Malay masses. A continuation of Mahathir's rule of rampant corruption and cronyism in the name of Malay rights, or a brand new and genuinely multi-racial leadership of clean and efficient government?
Recent press reports of the willingness of PAS and Keadilan presidents to hold talks with Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad on Malay unity is a stark reminder to all Malaysians that the fault line of racial allegiance in Malaysian politics is still very much alive and potent.
This fissure, which has dominated politics and has made politics a dirty word in this country for the past four decades, may crack wide open and engulf all Malaysians, if not handled with care and wisdom by PAS and Keadilan.
On the one hand, both PAS and Keadilan are facing potential ground swells of Malay concerns of their interests being endangered (what with Umno-controlled media inciting Malay fears and anger almost daily), and run the risk of being accused of forsaking the well-being of the Malay race, if Umno's unity calls are ignored.
On the other hand, this kind of mono-racial unity talks across party lines with Mahathir runs contrary to the ideals and struggles of Barisan Alternatif (BA). It will alienate the non-Malay partners and jeopardise the decisive swing of Chinese support towards BA, so conspicuously and so heartwarmingly exhibited in the recent Lunas by-election.
So, where do we go from here?
Corruption and cronyism
The answer lies in the issue of what constitutes the genuine interests of the Malay masses. A continuation of Mahathir's rule of rampant corruption and cronyism in the name of Malay rights, or a brand new and genuinely multi-racial leadership of clean and efficient government?
How would the continued massive haemorrhage of billions of public funds for the benefits of the cronies (exemplified most recently by the cash infusion of RM6 billion to Halim Saad of Renong regarding the Light Rail Transit and RM1.8 billion to Tajudin Ramli [photo] regarding MAS) help to increase the wealth of the Malay men-in-the-street?
How would the complete absence of competition and transparency in the award of billions worth of government contracts to a few selected cronies improve the competitiveness of the Malay businessmen in general? How would these billion ringgit spendings at inflated prices uplift the financial standings of the ordinary Malays?
The answers to these questions would show that Mahathir's government has squandered billions under the camouflage of Malay rights without bringing commensurate benefits to the Malay society in general. In the course of it, Mahathir has brought into being a business culture of privileges and non-competitiveness and a political culture of money politics and corruption.
The most eloquent testimony to these two cultures is the virtual collapse of most of the crony enterprises and tycoons that sprang up in Mahathir's reign and the rejection of Umno by the Malays as a corrupt and self-serving political organisation.
What about Chinese split?
Umno claims that the Malays are split, and that the proposed unity talks are to re-unite the Malays.
True, Malays are split. But the split is only between the great majority who have rallied to former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's call to uphold truth and justice, against the small minority who have clung on to Mahathir's corrupt and oppressive regime for selfish and pecuniary considerations.
What is wrong with a split within a race on political grounds? The Malaysian Chinese have been split for decades between those supporting the DAP in the opposition and those supporting the sycophantic MCA and Gerakan in the ruling coalition; and yet they have never been so alarmed by their racial destiny being threatened by this split that they have to call for an across the party conference on Chinese unity among the Chinese-dominated parties of DAP, MCA, Gerakan and SUPP to defend their racial interests.
This, in spite of the fact that the Chinese as a racial group should have more reasons to feel insecure, being in the minority and having their political representation and constitutional positions reduced through successive amendments to the Constitution.
In fact, Malays should celebrate the birth of the reformasi movement as renaissance from decades of enslavement by Umno's feudal and racial politics. In this day of breathtaking IT advancement and globalisation, the challenge to the Malay destiny comes not from the Chinese, but from competitors beyond our shores. It is now a case of either we buck up as a united nation and raise our competitiveness collectively and cohesively as a unified people, or we perish in the relentless and accelerating march of history.
Consider carefully
Those in PAS and Keadilan contemplating Malay unity talks with Mahathir must consider what they can gain by holding such talks, for their parties, for the Malays and for the country.
They must firstly ask themselves: Are Malay interests under siege? Are these threats so pressing that they must risk contradicting their principles and losing non-Malay support to sit down with someone whom they have taught us to believe to be the root cause of the evils that bedevil our beloved country now? Where is their credibility? Where are their lofty promises of justice, equality, democracy and good governance?
No sane person could doubt even for one fleeting moment that any race other than Malay can hold political power now and for generations to come. Whether it is Barisan Nasional or Barisan Alternatif that wins in the national election, political power will still be firmly in the hands of Malays. The difference between these two is: the former will continue to flash the racial cards to carry on business as usual, while the latter will stress more on moral principles and democratic ideals.
And certainly no one is contemplating a constitutional amendment to abolish or reduce the special position of the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak as enshrined in Article 153 of the Constitution. Nor is such amendment considered remotely possible without the consent of the Malays.
Danger level
It is not difficult to understand why Mahathir has chosen to hold Malay unity talks with PAS and Keadilan at this time. To the credit of the Youth wings of these two political parties, they have instantly rejected Mahathir's call for these talks and exposed Mahathir's ulterior motives, which are to divert attention from his present predicament.
Mahathir's leadership position within Umno has plunged to danger level, following a humiliating electoral defeat in an Umno stronghold within his home ground, made possible by a decisive switch of Chinese support to the opposition BA.
This was followed quickly by a succession of financial scandals where massive government funds are used to bail out his cronies (Tajudin and Halim [photo], totalling almost RM8 billion). For these fiascos, Mahathir has been openly criticised and condemned by Umno leaders, a development that was considered unimaginable only a short time ago. Repudiated by Malays and Chinese alike, his standing as the prime minister of this nation has sunk to the lowest in memory.
Drowning man
Hence, agreeing to hold a grand meeting of Malay unity with Mahathir at this crucial time would be tantamount to throwing a lifeline to a drowning man. With the immense capacity of Barisan Nasional to spread false propaganda through the electronic and printed media (all TV and radio stations and all newspapers are under the iron-fisted control of the ruling coalition), no one can be certain that this unity talk would not be turned into a publicity extravaganza where Mahathir may yet be ballyhooed as the unifier and saviour of the Malay race.
To reject Mahathir's call for unity talks, Malays have to be told and convinced of the truth. In this respect, the Youth leaders of both PAS and Keadilan have eminently risen to the task. They have rightly pointed out that there is no crisis arising from the lack of Malay unity.
There is only the crisis of moral bankruptcy in the Umno leadership who has plundered the wealth of this country in the name of Malay rights to fatten themselves and their cronies. They have failed the Malay masses. They have damaged the economy through gross mismanagement and corruption. They have mutilated the Constitution and destroyed the independence and integrity of all the democratic institutions.
They deserve to be rejected and punished. They should not be given a chance to revive through a Malay unity talks or any other phony talk for that matter.
KIM QUEK is a freelance writer.
This fissure, which has dominated politics and has made politics a dirty word in this country for the past four decades, may crack wide open and engulf all Malaysians, if not handled with care and wisdom by PAS and Keadilan.
On the one hand, both PAS and Keadilan are facing potential ground swells of Malay concerns of their interests being endangered (what with Umno-controlled media inciting Malay fears and anger almost daily), and run the risk of being accused of forsaking the well-being of the Malay race, if Umno's unity calls are ignored.
On the other hand, this kind of mono-racial unity talks across party lines with Mahathir runs contrary to the ideals and struggles of Barisan Alternatif (BA). It will alienate the non-Malay partners and jeopardise the decisive swing of Chinese support towards BA, so conspicuously and so heartwarmingly exhibited in the recent Lunas by-election.
So, where do we go from here?
Corruption and cronyism
The answer lies in the issue of what constitutes the genuine interests of the Malay masses. A continuation of Mahathir's rule of rampant corruption and cronyism in the name of Malay rights, or a brand new and genuinely multi-racial leadership of clean and efficient government?
How would the continued massive haemorrhage of billions of public funds for the benefits of the cronies (exemplified most recently by the cash infusion of RM6 billion to Halim Saad of Renong regarding the Light Rail Transit and RM1.8 billion to Tajudin Ramli [photo] regarding MAS) help to increase the wealth of the Malay men-in-the-street?
How would the complete absence of competition and transparency in the award of billions worth of government contracts to a few selected cronies improve the competitiveness of the Malay businessmen in general? How would these billion ringgit spendings at inflated prices uplift the financial standings of the ordinary Malays?
The answers to these questions would show that Mahathir's government has squandered billions under the camouflage of Malay rights without bringing commensurate benefits to the Malay society in general. In the course of it, Mahathir has brought into being a business culture of privileges and non-competitiveness and a political culture of money politics and corruption.
The most eloquent testimony to these two cultures is the virtual collapse of most of the crony enterprises and tycoons that sprang up in Mahathir's reign and the rejection of Umno by the Malays as a corrupt and self-serving political organisation.
What about Chinese split?
Umno claims that the Malays are split, and that the proposed unity talks are to re-unite the Malays.
True, Malays are split. But the split is only between the great majority who have rallied to former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim's call to uphold truth and justice, against the small minority who have clung on to Mahathir's corrupt and oppressive regime for selfish and pecuniary considerations.
What is wrong with a split within a race on political grounds? The Malaysian Chinese have been split for decades between those supporting the DAP in the opposition and those supporting the sycophantic MCA and Gerakan in the ruling coalition; and yet they have never been so alarmed by their racial destiny being threatened by this split that they have to call for an across the party conference on Chinese unity among the Chinese-dominated parties of DAP, MCA, Gerakan and SUPP to defend their racial interests.
This, in spite of the fact that the Chinese as a racial group should have more reasons to feel insecure, being in the minority and having their political representation and constitutional positions reduced through successive amendments to the Constitution.
In fact, Malays should celebrate the birth of the reformasi movement as renaissance from decades of enslavement by Umno's feudal and racial politics. In this day of breathtaking IT advancement and globalisation, the challenge to the Malay destiny comes not from the Chinese, but from competitors beyond our shores. It is now a case of either we buck up as a united nation and raise our competitiveness collectively and cohesively as a unified people, or we perish in the relentless and accelerating march of history.
Consider carefully
Those in PAS and Keadilan contemplating Malay unity talks with Mahathir must consider what they can gain by holding such talks, for their parties, for the Malays and for the country.
They must firstly ask themselves: Are Malay interests under siege? Are these threats so pressing that they must risk contradicting their principles and losing non-Malay support to sit down with someone whom they have taught us to believe to be the root cause of the evils that bedevil our beloved country now? Where is their credibility? Where are their lofty promises of justice, equality, democracy and good governance?
No sane person could doubt even for one fleeting moment that any race other than Malay can hold political power now and for generations to come. Whether it is Barisan Nasional or Barisan Alternatif that wins in the national election, political power will still be firmly in the hands of Malays. The difference between these two is: the former will continue to flash the racial cards to carry on business as usual, while the latter will stress more on moral principles and democratic ideals.
And certainly no one is contemplating a constitutional amendment to abolish or reduce the special position of the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak as enshrined in Article 153 of the Constitution. Nor is such amendment considered remotely possible without the consent of the Malays.
Danger level
It is not difficult to understand why Mahathir has chosen to hold Malay unity talks with PAS and Keadilan at this time. To the credit of the Youth wings of these two political parties, they have instantly rejected Mahathir's call for these talks and exposed Mahathir's ulterior motives, which are to divert attention from his present predicament.
Mahathir's leadership position within Umno has plunged to danger level, following a humiliating electoral defeat in an Umno stronghold within his home ground, made possible by a decisive switch of Chinese support to the opposition BA.
Drowning man
Hence, agreeing to hold a grand meeting of Malay unity with Mahathir at this crucial time would be tantamount to throwing a lifeline to a drowning man. With the immense capacity of Barisan Nasional to spread false propaganda through the electronic and printed media (all TV and radio stations and all newspapers are under the iron-fisted control of the ruling coalition), no one can be certain that this unity talk would not be turned into a publicity extravaganza where Mahathir may yet be ballyhooed as the unifier and saviour of the Malay race.
There is only the crisis of moral bankruptcy in the Umno leadership who has plundered the wealth of this country in the name of Malay rights to fatten themselves and their cronies. They have failed the Malay masses. They have damaged the economy through gross mismanagement and corruption. They have mutilated the Constitution and destroyed the independence and integrity of all the democratic institutions.
They deserve to be rejected and punished. They should not be given a chance to revive through a Malay unity talks or any other phony talk for that matter.
KIM QUEK is a freelance writer.
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