PabloPabla

Malaysians. A typical feel-good advert on the telly will feature 3 Malaysians of different ethnic origins - a Malay, an Indian and a Chinese. Funnily, the rest of the country are not usually featured. In case you are clueless, I am talking about the indigenous people - the Senois, the Negritos, the Ibans, the Dayaks, the Kayans, the Kenyahs, the Penans, the Orang Ulu, the Kadazans, the Bajaus and many others. Anyway, I am quite envious of the rest of the country.

Whereas those of the main ethnic groups are not just known as the Malay, the Chinese and the Indian, back in many homes and micro-society (if there is such a word), phrases like “lazy Malay”, “Chinese conmen” and “Indian liar” are used with impunity. Afterall, such phrases are almost exclusively used within a community of the same ethnicity in a hush-hushed tone unless one decides to make a grand shocker in public. It is puzzling indeed that people react with anger and revenge in mind when they hear such things called about their race or ethnicity. Perhaps, the amount and regularity of “Cina babi” and “Chinese conmen” levelled at my kind has made me numb so much so that it goes into one ear of mine and gets out in one breath. In a sense, it is a waste of time asking for apologies when my own kind also degrades others in a similar fashion. You can’t ask for an apology to a whole race when some within the race also does the same thing to others. Get it? Not unless you can prove that no individual within the whole race which was being ridiculed has never made a racist remark.

No, it is not nice to say such things especially to generalise one whole race with a stereotype behaviour or character. I don’t condone it. But equally, it is not so nice to react as if it is the first time you’ve heard such taunts in your whole life especially if you call yourself a Malaysian.  Let’s get real. Unpleasant racist taunts and ridiculing has been around our society for as long as I can remember. Or have I missed something? That the Malaysians that I know have suddenly woken up in solidarity against racist taunts and stereotyping and I have been sleeping all these while? Have we reached a truly Malaysian race where none of us - save for the individuals in the media limelight recently, and I mean absolutely none of us could be caught slacking off the other race with some slurs or even had momentary thoughts about it?

Pray tell.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar told The Star that Raja Petra was detained under Section 73 (1) of the Internal Security Act as he was deemed a threat to security, peace and public order. I could not but laugh at such flimsy excuses given by the Home Minister to justify detaining someone with no right to trial.  Shortly after, Deputy IGP Tan Sri Ismail Omar confirmed that Sin Chew Daily News reporter Tan Hoon Cheng was also detained under Section 73 (1) of the Internal Security Act. Presumably she’s deemed a threat to security, peace and public order. Then, Member of Parliament & State Assemblywoman Teresa Kok was also arrested about 25 minutes ago.

I don’t know about you but I never felt that Raja Petra, Tan Hoon Cheng or Teresa Kok were a threat to security, peace and public order. Instead, news such as a maid being bundled into a car whilst walking along the road and gang-raped by 5 men and how 2 armed robbers staged a hostage drama in a new housing area resulting in the murder of the hostage evokes feelings of not being safe living in this country. As crime rate does not seem to reduce and as people choose to stay in gated and guarded communities for extra security if they could afford to do so, I do sense that the real threat to the nation’s security, peace and public order is not Raja Petra, Tan Hoon Cheng or Teresa Kok.

And now, it appears that signs of a crackdown by those with political powers have started - and warnings made that the crackdown is imminent, and has already started. It is not the time to retaliate and retaliation should not be considered in any way. It is time to stay cool and not be sucked into dangerous political games which some are trying to play. Rather, it is time to pray. A time to pray for God’s intervention for the sake of this country’s future.

Update (13.09.2008 @ 1231hours) :

I just popped into Teresa Kok’s blog and I saw this on the sidebar:-

The Lord is my Light and my Salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? (Psalm 27:1)

Indeed, it is no sheer coincidence that this verse appeared on the very night Teresa was arrested. God knows what is happening and by our prayers, He will shield all those who stand for justice and truth.

Stating the Obvious!

Latest news on Malaysiakini states that Ahmad Ismail’s supporters are shouting ‘Hidup Melayu‘ (Long Live the Malays) as Umno leaders arrived at the tower block which housed the party HQ. I don’t know about you but is it just me who notices only the Malays (or selected few Malays) shout “Hidup Melayu” during protests? I can’t seem to remember the Chinese shouting “Hua Ren Wan Sui” (love live the Chinese) or the Indians shouting likewise.

Somehow, I can’t help but be amused (rather than alarmed or feel threatened) by these expressions of longetivity being shouted by these small groups of people whenever they perceive that their race is being threatened. To me, such shouts are made when the demonstrators feel that there is a need to prove that their race is still strong and can withstand any onslaught. It’s my personal opinion anyway. But are they just stating the obvious?

The rights of the every citizen of Malaysia are enshrined in the Federal Constitution and the special privileges accorded to the Malays are also indicated there. So, I can’t keep wondering why there is a perception that a whole race is being threatened and there is a need to shout the obvious “Hidup Melayu”. The Melayus will always live and they will live long enough like everyone else. And unless there is ethnic cleansing, shouting “Hidup Melayu” is only stating the obvious and does nothing else.

It is quite obvious that these small band of people still could not shake their racial way of thinking - that the Malays are the superior race in this multi-racial country and that being superior gives them the right to trample and ridicule on others. Somehow, they fail to realise that their actions reflect back on themselves as so-called “defenders of Malays”. They fail to realise that by unashamedly declaring that they are voicing out on behalf of all Malays in this country, they are representing to the world how Malays act and react. Of course, to those who are more familiar with these actions and reactions, we will dismiss their theatrics as nothing but plain politics. To the outside world, however, such actions and reactions would be attributed as a characteristic of the Malay race. And really, is that the real character of a Malay or a person, for that matter? Is the Malay one who tears down the photo of someone he dislikes or one who barges into a peaceful meeting demanding an end to the meeting failing which there will be a storming in?

No. I don’t think the Malays are like what these small bands of demonstrators and I refuse to think that they are like these small bands of demonstrators who get heated up into a primal character whenever they are unable to have a civil discourse. I refuse to think that the Malays, who are Muslims - the people of the religion of peace, are unable to exercise restrain whenever they perceive that their rights are under threat.

It is quite obvious that there is a strong display of political power play as demonstrated in recent events and this is nothing more than a prelude to the UMNO General Elections which is looming near. It’s not really about “Hidup Melayu” for that is stating the obvious. It is about “Hidup Kuasa” and showing who is more powerful politically.

I am leaving early tomorrow morning and won’t be back until Saturday.

Can you guess where I am going?

and especially to the Honourable Mr. Lim Kit Siang…I know many Pakatan Rakyat supporters, Pakatan Rakyat members and Pakatan Rakyat leaders were elated with the March 8th General Elections result. It was truly unexpected and the winning of so many seats by Pakatan Rakyat and thus denying Barisan Nasional a 2/3 majority was labelled a “Political Tsunami“.

Over the past 5 months, the word “Political Tsunami” was used almost regularly to remind the Barisan Nasional leaders of the rakyat’s displeasure with the Barisan Nasional government. Now, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has won the Permatang Pauh by-election by a greater majority and suddenly, some are saying a “2nd Political Tsunami” is on the horizon.

Frankly, I have grown tired of hearing the words “Political Tsunami” or anything to that effect. Today, Mr. Lim has again quoted “With the success of the second political tsunami in Permatang Pauh and the coming of the ‘Titanic’ next time …,” (source) in reference to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s winning. Don’t you get tired repeating the same phrase?

Please-lah! I think it is about time you guys move on and use some other words rather than repeating the tiresome “Political Tsunami”. And even “Titanic” itself, though a grand looking cruise liner, met with disaster. I am sure you guys are matured enough to use better choice of words to express yourself rather than keep repeating Tsunami which is always associated with disasters, destruction and death. At the very least, spare a thought for those who actually suffered or lost their loved ones in a real Tsunami (the one where the waves hit the shores!).