Who is your enemy, Ibrahim Ali?
Meng S YeePublished: Feb 3, 2001 2:33 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
I cannot help but feel a sense of hostility as I read the premise for this Sunday's Melayu Bersatu (Malays unite) rally. Even the symbol of an outstretched hand with the kris against a red background seem rather militant. I would like to ask Ibrahim Ali, who is the enemy? Who are they going on the offense against?
The reason for a disunited Malay today, according to the Umno leadership, is "the one who must be destroyed at all costs" and is serving a prison sentence. In the eyes of the opposition parties, it is the man leading Umno. In the eyes of Umno Youth, Suqiu, perhaps. So who is Ibrahim's Malay Action Front going on the offense against? Surely you must know your enemy to fight a winning battle?
Fighting for Malay unity is the best way to destroy the opposition. Parties like Keadilan and PAS and PRM are not founded on a race-based platform. Yet it has drawn a majority of Malay voters and a growing support from the Chinese. It is fighting for the rights of ordinary citizens of Malaysia who are not linked politically or economically to the ruling elite few. It is fighting for justice and the rule of law. It is fighting for the future of our beloved tanahair.
So if any entity is to be the enemy of this Sunday's rally, it should be Barisan Alternatif. The Malay Action Front cannot claim to be non-political as politics and race under the rule of Dr Mahathir Mohamad is synonymous. It has to be an agent of the ruling government and therefore obtain the full blessings of the Polis Diraja Malaysia and complete and unbiased coverage of the mainstream media.
Should every race in Malaysia hold a similar rally, then how can we achieve national unity? It simply does not make sense. One cannot say national unity will flow like the river wide once we have achieved Malay unity.
On the contrary, perhaps the reverse is more true, i.e. Malay unity will flow once national unity is achieved. When there is unity amongst every tribe of Malaysia and Malaysians are simply proud to be Malaysians, then there is no more fear of one race exploiting another. There is just the pride that we are Malaysians of Malay, Chinese or Indian descent. And there is a continual fight against tyranny and oppression, no matter our race or skin colour.
The reason for a disunited Malay today, according to the Umno leadership, is "the one who must be destroyed at all costs" and is serving a prison sentence. In the eyes of the opposition parties, it is the man leading Umno. In the eyes of Umno Youth, Suqiu, perhaps. So who is Ibrahim's Malay Action Front going on the offense against? Surely you must know your enemy to fight a winning battle?
Fighting for Malay unity is the best way to destroy the opposition. Parties like Keadilan and PAS and PRM are not founded on a race-based platform. Yet it has drawn a majority of Malay voters and a growing support from the Chinese. It is fighting for the rights of ordinary citizens of Malaysia who are not linked politically or economically to the ruling elite few. It is fighting for justice and the rule of law. It is fighting for the future of our beloved tanahair.
So if any entity is to be the enemy of this Sunday's rally, it should be Barisan Alternatif. The Malay Action Front cannot claim to be non-political as politics and race under the rule of Dr Mahathir Mohamad is synonymous. It has to be an agent of the ruling government and therefore obtain the full blessings of the Polis Diraja Malaysia and complete and unbiased coverage of the mainstream media.
Should every race in Malaysia hold a similar rally, then how can we achieve national unity? It simply does not make sense. One cannot say national unity will flow like the river wide once we have achieved Malay unity.
On the contrary, perhaps the reverse is more true, i.e. Malay unity will flow once national unity is achieved. When there is unity amongst every tribe of Malaysia and Malaysians are simply proud to be Malaysians, then there is no more fear of one race exploiting another. There is just the pride that we are Malaysians of Malay, Chinese or Indian descent. And there is a continual fight against tyranny and oppression, no matter our race or skin colour.
View Comments0