(On Wednesday, I asked the Prime Minister what steps he had taken to promote the Bangsa Malaysia objective of Vision 2020 in the face of worsening racial polarisation with greater communal clamour for “ketuanan Melayu” and “kedaulatan Melayu”.
Placed No. 29 out of 97 questions, it did not come up for answer on the floor of the House in the 90-minute Question Time.
The following is the written answer from the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz which completely avoided the question by not touching on the rising crescendo in the assertion for “ketuanan Melayu” and “kedaulatan Melayu”:)
Tuan Lim Kit Siang minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan langkah-langkah yang beliau ambil untuk memupuk objektif Bangsa Malaysia sejajar dengan Wawasan 2020 memandangkan masalah polarisasi kaum kini semakin memburuk berikutan dengan bunyi riuh komunal mengenai “ketuanan Melayu” atau “kedaulatan Melayu”.
Jawapan: Sepertimana Ahli Yang Berhormat sedia maklum, perpaduan dan integrasi nasional sememangnya merupakan salah satu aspirasi utama Kerajaan. Kita percaya bahawa sebuah negara bangsa yang utuh hanya akan dapat lahir hasil daripada perpaduan yang teguh dan mantap.
Bagaimanapun, negara yang aman dan makmur tidak mungkin lahir dengan sendirinya. Atas kesedaran inilah maka Kerajaan senantiasa berusaha untuk memastikan agar pembangunan ekonomi negara terus berlangsung dengan pesat, di samping memastikan agar tiada mana-mana golongan yang merasakan mereka ketinggalan dalam arus perdana pembangunan negara.
Di samping memastikan kesaksamaan dan keadilan ekonomi di kalangan rakyat, Kerajaan juga turut berusaha untuk memupuk semangat kekitaan melalui system pendidikan, program-program perpaduan negara, program latihan Khidmat Negara dan pelbagai inisiatif lain.
Sesungguhnya Kerajaan percaya bahawa kita akan mampu membina sebuah negara yang aman, makmur dan bersatu padu sekiranya semua pihak dapat sama-sama berusaha untuk membina semangat perpaduan yang jitu dan kental.
Di samping itu, saya juga ingin mengingatkan semua pihak bahawa retorik yang bersifat perkauman – yang berpunca dari mana-mana kaum sekalipun – akan hanya menimbulkan suasana tegang di kalangan rakyat, yang pastinya akan membantutkan usaha ke arah mencapai matlamat perpaduan nasional. Saya percaya bahawa keadaan antara kaum tidaklah begitu buruk sebagimana yang didakwa oleh YB Ipoh Timur. Namun demikian, kita harus senantiasa berwaspada agar keadaan aman dan makmur yang sedia ada ini tidak akan diganggu gugat oleh mana-mana tindakan yang akan membawa kepada perpecahan dan perselisihan faham di kalangan rakyat.
#1 by Godfather on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 8:26 am
Kit:
Can you ask Nazri and Sleepy Head for their reaction to this, since they say that Ketuanan Melayu is not a big issue ?
http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/9317/84/
#2 by wtf2 on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 9:13 am
BN playing with labels and the grassroots’ inferiority complex
#3 by lopez on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 10:50 am
What is there to be ketuanan about?
In these times of globalisation, ketuanan in what aspect?
And dont they know , Even great races of the world that we learnt from history has becomes extinct, and those that manage to survive don’t brag about their ketuanan.
So what aspect of ketuanan that much to brag about…lets check..
Warmonger ? Wealthy ? Intelligence ? Business acumens ? Hardworking? Diligence ? Innovativeness ? Creativeness ? resourcefulness ? Sportsmenship ? Bravery ? Quantity ? Quality ? Friendliness ? Fairness ? Cruelty ? Envious ? Jealousy ? Irrelevant ? Bully ? New Discovery for mankind ? …blah blah….
Using delaying tactics, acts of prevention, excuses on whatever grounds show unwillingness to accept reality.
Self praising is trait of lame loser, self declaration is just narrowmindedness.
Universal Laws ….action = reaction
……..Cause gives Effect
Every aspire to be somebody great, but nobody wants aspire to be something that is un contemporary and backward.
Need to use model for reference, look carefully yurself don’t be blinded by your own narrowmindness or your peers and your elected nkp.
#4 by Godfather on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 11:02 am
You guys still don’t get it. By shouting “Ketuanan Melayu”, the path is clear for promotion – whether you are a politician or a civil servant, or a student. The ladder to riches becomes available to those who shout. You could start at Putera UMNO, and then get elevated to UMNO Youth and then to mainstream UMNO. You will get your share of APs. You will get to control Mat Rempits in your area.
In time, you will get to be a Chief Minister like Ali Rustam, or a minister like Kerismuddin or a divisional chief like Azeez Rahman. Who cares whether there is brain drain ? Those who leave are those who create trouble for UMNO anyway, so good riddance. They would rather control a population that is contented with living under the coconut tree, and not a population that starts to push for equality.
#5 by bystander on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 11:35 am
it is fact and there is a conspiracy by UMNOmalays to steal and marginalise all nonmalays. do we honestly believe that bumi equity is still only 19.4%? where is the methodology? this is a smokescreen to give the malays the licence to steal and marginalise the nonmalays. BEWARE OF THE RISE OF THE NAZI MALAYS.
#6 by bystander on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 11:53 am
The way and rate this country is going is heading down the abyss not dissimilar to Zimbabwe. MM/Umno are now behaving like Mugabe. sad but true
#7 by cheng on soo on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 12:13 pm
Will they also come out with “Kehambaan Bukan Melayu” or “Kepatekan Bukan Melayu” ???
#8 by taiking on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 12:31 pm
Ketuanan Melayu is a serious issue. There are 20+ million of us malaysians of which 13 million are malays. A big number? Actually no. For it means, on the face of this earth, there are only 13 million malaysian malays. What a tiny drop indeed!
Being small in number and hence weak in its ability to fight for survival as a race, the malaysian malays will simply be swamped by other races with larger numbers. And, if they do not take active steps to preserve themselves, the malaysian malay race would become extinct as a consequence of being absorbed by some stronger (in terms of numbers) races. The self-preservation steps can only delay the process somewhat but can not stop it.
To my mind, the absorption process will take place in two distinct phases. First, the malay language would vanish. Not having a sufficient number of users to form the critical mass necessary to ensure its continued usage and survival, the malay language would eventually be dropped as a language of communication in favour of some other more popular languages. This is a natural consequence of selection and preference. We, men and women, are slaves of communication. We need to talk and to communicate with others for all sorts of reasons; and we do so with the language which most people use.
When the language of a race disappears, the culture of that race too would soon disappear. This is because language is the bearer of culture. When the malay language loses it popular use in the country, the malay culture too would lose its meaning and significance. The vacuum created would then be filled by the culture of other races. And the absorption process then completes.
So the ketuanan melayu issue is in fact a reflection of the malay’s feeling of insecurity as a race. The need to increase their numbers (whether by drawing on indonesions or by affiliating themselves with people of the muslim faith) and the emphasis on the malay language are signs of the insecurity.
But unfortunately for them, we are not a one-race nation. UMNO may implement whatever steps they deem necessary to preserve the malay race so long as those steps are not unfair or prejudicial to the rest of us or at our expense. That is the essence of our demand. Its not a lot to ask actually. Equally, it would not be too much for us to question the steps taken if the implementation seem to benefit only a few.
Yes because we are malaysians therefore understand your position. But please try and understand our stand. It is not unreasonable. Definitely not.
#9 by boh-liao on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 12:59 pm
One of the many, many examples of ketuanan Melayu and with Umno connection: the appointment of Dr Mohd Razali Agus as Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel) vice-chancellor.
What’s Mohd Razali Agus’ academic eminence that qualifies him to be the VC of a university? Ask people at Universiti Malaya to elaborate on his qualification or kulitfication. What was his contribution to UM as a deputy vice-chancellor for over four years?
His signature qualification would be: “Mohd Razali is an Umno member as well as a committee member of the Overseas Umno Clubs Alumni”. (The Star, 28.6.08)
At least the current Selangor state government is sensible not to extend Mohd Razali Agus’ service as Unisel VC after the expiration of his second six-month period of probation. (The Star, 28.6.08)
“I am in total shock because I have given my best to manage the university and to help make it one of the fastest growing universities in the country,” Mohd Razali Agus said. (The Star, 28.6.08) “One of the fastest growing universities” is his mission?
Currently there are far too many incompetent pseudo-academics masquerading as intellectual leaders helming our local universities. They are political appointees who benefit directly under NEP, ketuanan Melayu, and the Umno patronage system.
Having politically-appointed incompetent pseudo-academics as VCs of universities is the surest suicidal way that leads to academic disaster and wastage of public funds for self enrichment and self gratification.
A good sad example is Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST), which was established 10 years ago as a a world-class university. (In Malaysia, we always without fail like to call a project world-class right from the beginning without the faintest clue of its performance. Malaysia boleh self indulgence!) How is MUST today, despite its linkage with the truly world-renowned MIT? Degraded? Upgraded? Are previous and current Presidents and Provosts of MUST answerable to the huge sum of money spent in the last 10 years to achieve the current sad state of MUST?
It’s best to cull intellectually mediocre or incompetent and bankrupt VCs ASAP before they cause harm to the academic institution.
#10 by Godfather on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 1:52 pm
Of course, a university VC must promote government policies, must be able to bodek the UMNO thieves. If one objects to a money-spinning initiative from UMNO, then that person has to look for another job. Witness the creeping privatisation of UM landbank.
Meritocracy kills the right to steal, hence there can’t possibly be any meritocracy.
#11 by One4All4One on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 2:34 pm
Any discerning Malaysian, be it Malay, Chinese, Indian, kadazandusun, Iban, etc., etc. would be able to tell that racial polarisation is a serious problem in Malaysia.
Goverment policies which are divisive in nature coupled with ethnic-centric officials/workers in the mainstream administration is of no help either. Since my earlier days till now, it is so sad that there is no improvement in policies which could be deemed as bridging the racial divide. In fact, it has gotten worse. If those in the government ‘ivory tower’ care enough to just cursorily observe, racial polarisation could be considered to be at its worst.
THere may be some pockets of community which exhibit ‘muhhibah’.
Outside of that confine, racial harmony and unity are mostly superficial, artificial and not inherent
If the government truly believes that racial truly exists in the country, then there should be no fear at all for people to talk about racial, religious, and government policies. However, the opposite is true. Whenever a non-bumiputra, to be more specific a non-Malay, raises issues about equality and race, some party would stand up and shout to bring it down. This is reality. This has happened over and over again. And will happen again and again, unless and until there is real change.
As is always the case someone would say no to to bring up racial / religious issues because they are sensitive(?). What is there to be sensitive about if there is true and real understanding? It shows that if there is any semblance of unity (at all), it is very fragile indeed.
If there is no polarisation, why bother so much whoever gets the scholarship, if they are deserving? Why the quota? Isn’t merit a more deserving criterium rather than racial/ethnic background? Not only the people are polarised. The policies are even more polarised. Polarised policies = polarised people.
There is no need for selective discrimination if the government truly believe that Malaysians are truly united indeed.
There are just too numerous segregative policies in the country to be comfortable with. From the most humble town-ship to the cities, whenever a project is up for consideration, there would be cries for the government to look at the interest of a particular group.
Even a policy of utmost importance like the judicial appointment review is questioned for fear of certain parties losing out. Tell us, isn’t this also polarisation?
This discussion is not to cause racial tension, but to bring to light the realities in the country. Isn’t it the people’s right to voice their honest opinions in the country? Doesn’tthe government want to know the truth?
A lot more could be elaborated in a systematic and orderly way. Let others tell their side of their story. I rest my case for the time being.
#12 by One4All4One on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 3:00 pm
Religions are not possesed by anybody or any group of people. Because the one true God is the God of all humanity, no one can lay claim to ‘own’ Him. We all belong to Him.
So to say that because such and such a religion is what they profess, then they have the sole right to teach and even ‘own’ and ‘posses’ it is erroneous. So there is no question of anyone protecting the religion from anybody else. It is just the individual and the religion. It is personal. It is religion which is protecting the people, not otherwise.
Religions encourage people to learn about them. Discussing about a religion, its teachings, and questioning about them are methods of learning about it. How could there be learning if there are no questioning? No one has a monopoly over the religion they profess. They cannot question anyone who is questioning it in the course of learning. Questioning should not be equated with disrespect.
To make a religion a ‘state religion’ is just a preference, an inclination. In fact there is no such thing as a ‘state religion’. It should not be imposed on anybody. God does not impose, He encourages seeking and learning. If God does not impose, who are people to do so? The choice rests with the individual him/herself.
Let’s not be overzealous. I think the wise know about this.
We have to move away from erroneous man-made rules.
#13 by shamshul anuar on Saturday, 28 June 2008 - 11:58 pm
Dear Lim Kit Siang,
I am amused with your question to the PM. Of course, I am not denying the validity of the question. Indeed, it is very pertinent.
Racial remarks are on the rise. Perhaps you are not aware that many feel you and your party you control also play with racial cards. Not believing me? You played up the issue of Sekolah Wawasan and scared away the Chinese community with lies that it is the first step in abolishment of vernacular schools.
You played with racial sentiments over transfer of A Chinese School in Damamsara several years ago.
You played the sentiments by saying that a vote to MCA is a vote to UMNO( hence supporting UMNO’s supremacy in Malaysian politics).
You did not say anything when Dr Kua of your DAP party published a review on May 13 that put the blame squarely on the Malays. When I told my non Malay friends on insult hurled on Malays during the sad episode, my remarks were met with silence. Then the usual remarks were then made. We never hear that part , they said.
You are silent over numerous incidents of unfair treatment to Malays in private sectors.
You never remind those who participate here on the importance of mannerism when they hurled unprintable words to UMNO, Malays or whatever the Malays cherish. For example, reading from Godfather make one wonder whether all Vice Chancellors are idiots. He ( known for being insolent and I guess A matter of lack of good breeding) said that A Vice Chancellors must “bodek” UMNO thieves.
As for bystanders, If UMNO had wanted to marginalize non Malays, it would have done that long time ago. What chance , pray God( if you believe one) that you have again a political party that at once controlled almost 70% of seats in Parliament.
At its strongest time, it never terrorize non Malays. It still allowed the mind boggling practice( the rarity in this world) by allowing non Malays to win in Malay majority areas .
Yes Sir racism is alive in this world and in your heart.
#14 by Godfather on Sunday, 29 June 2008 - 10:27 am
“For example, reading from Godfather make one wonder whether all Vice Chancellors are idiots. He ( known for being insolent and I guess A matter of lack of good breeding) said that A Vice Chancellors must “bodek” UMNO thieves. ”
Says the UMNOputra Shamsul Anuar.
Yes, if there is true meritocracy, ALL the vice Chancellors of the local universities will NOT be in their present posts. This is not a racial comment, for there could be better Malay candidates than those currently in their posts. For example, I rever Ungku Aziz.
And YES, those in the current posts are kaki bodek for the den of thieves known as UMNO.
#15 by Godfather on Sunday, 29 June 2008 - 10:28 am
Shamsul Anuar:
Stealing is not an unprintable word. Stealing is a hard habit to break, but break it we must.
#16 by Godfather on Sunday, 29 June 2008 - 10:41 am
“If UMNO had wanted to marginalize non Malays, it would have done that long time ago.”
Can you hear us rolling about on the floor right now in uncontrollable laughter ?
#17 by Godfather on Sunday, 29 June 2008 - 2:06 pm
Shamsul Anuar:
You called me “insolent” for branding UMNO as a den of thieves. You say it is due to poor upbringing. Let me ask you (and any UMNOputra reading this) the following:
1. Did you call Kerismuddin “insolent” when he waved his keris? Did you say that the UMNO Youth exco had poor upbringing when they asked Kerismuddin when he was going to use the keris ?
2. Did you call Bung Mokhtar or Mohd Said “insolent” when they called a lady MP as “bocor” ?
3. Did you call Ali Rustam “insolent” when he said that Melaka doesn’t need the Chinese or Indians ?
4. Do you label KJ and Azeez as being of poor upbringing when they support the mat rempits, many of whom are involved in criminal activities ?
5. Did you label the late Zakaria Mat Deros as being of poor upbringing when he chased his satay competitors out of business, and alienated land for his own family ?
Let me tell you something. UMNO knows who I am, and where I am. They can always make a police report or ask their lawyers to sue me for slander. But they won’t. They won’t because the list of UMNO’s crimes are so long that it will take months to chronicle them.
Shame on you, supporter of thieves, liars and cheats.
#18 by Barisan Rakyat on Sunday, 29 June 2008 - 10:17 pm
There is no ‘KETUANAN MELAYU’. KETUANAN MELAYU is only UMNO propaganda. UMNO is not fighting for the ‘BUMIPUTRA’ their actual fight is only for ‘KETUANAN UMNOPUTRA’.
#19 by One4All4One on Wednesday, 2 July 2008 - 12:02 am
Again please let good sense prevail.
Nothing ought to be a licence to do as one pleases, and this includes ‘ketuanan’ or whatever.
‘Ketuanan’ melayu…well…where is it stated in our constitution that there is such a thing as ‘ketuanan’ melayu?
No one has a right to be overbearing..to lord over another.
Doesn’t our constitution espouses equality? If so, why the question of one having more right than the others? Don’t make a mockery of the federal constitution.
And let’s differentiate between political rights and other activity-related situations in the country.
Firstly, how could the various races own proportionately equal wealth? Unless this is done through intervention (rightlly or wrongly), it is not achievable at all. We know that wealth is attained through economic activities. The chinese had been very industrious through mostly their own effort and toil and sweat. What wrong had they committed to have achieved success through their effort? Why have to set quota and restriction to allow the rest, who don’t put in the required effort, to achieved what the chinese had?
The government can certainly put in place policies to help those who need assistance, but not at the expense of restricting the progress the others. So many years of detrimental selective protective policies and the ‘blokade’ has not been lifted.
Where are we headed? The government knows that its policies had an impact on holding back the progress of the chinese, but do not quite admit it, in the guise of the having increased the size of the pie to be shared damong the various ethnic groups.
A lot of chinese are suffering, do they but know it.
‘Ketuanan’ does not give anybody any right to come up with discriminatory policies to to sideline anyone. Don’t claim that the country is practising democracy if those policies are practised.
Polarisation would not rear its ugly head if there is no discrimination.The common rakyat are crying to be heard. But their cries are not heard, and not meant to be heard?
Well, again ‘ketuanan’ is not a licence to do as one wishes. It should not exists at all. I rest my case.
#20 by imranj78 on Thursday, 3 July 2008 - 11:25 pm
Bangsa Malaysia is still very far off for as long as we have divisive systems.
NEP should be for all who needs it, not only for Bumis. There should not be any more schools based on race – no more chinese schools, no more indian schools. All should be national schools to promote national unity. National schools should continue to be strengthen. Much more to do, but these two as a start.