Nobody doubts that if the Chinese and Tamil press had yesterday published on their front page the headlines “Chinese Arise” and “Indians Arise” respectively like Utusan Malaysia’s front-page headline “Bangkitlah Melayu”, followed by a report calling for greater unity among the race to face the other races, this will be a major and instant agenda in yesterday’s first meeting of the Najib Cabinet meeting followed by dire consequences for the Chinese and Tamil newspapers concerned.
No Minister will raise any objection that stern and immediate action be taken against the Chinese and Tamil papers for publishing such inflammatory and racist material, especially as it would be making a complete mockery of the overarching philosophy of the new Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced only 12 days earlier.
Why then the double standards by the Najib Cabinet as the chauvinistic and inflammatory Utusan Malaysia front-page headline and report were not raised at all at yesterday’s meeting?
After the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Najib called on Malaysians to break away from being in an “ethnic prison” and to think as one.
Unfortunately, the biggest “ethnic prison” in the country is none other than the Barisan Nasional, and this is why the Najib Cabinet could not break out from the four walls of the “ethnic prison” yesterday to act boldly and decisively to stop Utusan Malaysia from purveying communal poison which can only destroy all public credibility for Najib’s 1Malaysia concept.
Malaysians are entitled to ask why the “Monitor Minister”, “Super-Minister” Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon had held his silence when the Najib Cabinet failed its first KPI (key performance index) test – allowing Najib’s overarching philosophy of 1Malaysia to suffer a major blow when nothing was done with regard to Utusan Malaysia’s communal and inflammatory “Bangkitlah Melayu” front-page headline and story.
Who now are being incarcerated in the “ethnic prison” of Barisan Nasional?
#1 by madmix on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:08 pm
This is the TRUE AGENDA of UMNO; what Najib says is just a smoke screen. UMNO’s ultimate aim is the subjugation of all non-Malays affirming their right as the master race and others as their slaves to be allowed to live in their land on their terms.
#2 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:19 pm
To brake out of the “ethnic prison”, one must do away with communal parties i.e. UMNO, MCA, MIC, PBS, PRS, PBB, etc etc
We must have multi-national parties maybe “1Malaysia Party”.
#3 by ch on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:28 pm
Dear All,
Yes the article which enjoyed front page luxury and printed bold in Utusan Malaysia yesterday is outright racist and fully peppered with inflamatory innuendos against the non-Malays in Malaysia. Surely, all Ministers in Najib’s cabinet must have at least read the heading of “Bangkitlah Melayu” carried by Utusan as well as the haeding of “No Racial Barriers” splashed in the NST. When are we, Malaysians, going to rise above racial politics? UMNO has continued to play up the divide and rule among the respective races in Malaysia concept in order to stay in power. If Najib really aspires his 1 Malaysia to work, then he should at least instruct his cousin, Hishamuddin Tun Hussien to issue a warning to Utusan Malaysia for carrying out such article in its front page.
Also, Najib must work towards eradicating leaders in UMNO like Khir Toyo, who repetedly play up racial issues in order to be seen relevant in the party. I certainly believe that there are more of such calibre in UMNO which will stand as rock solid stumbling blocks for our newly minted PM to realize his dream of 1 Malaysia. UMNO must first do some deep soul searching by identifying these leaders as they represent contradiction to PM Najib’s vision statement.
Perhaps, every new PM will have their respective vision statement after newly taking office and which will eventually just remain as slogans.
#4 by chengho on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:30 pm
yeh do away with DAP, PAS ,ADIL ,ETC and set up only one party PR?….
#5 by DAP man on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:37 pm
Kit,
I am very concerned about the Federal Court (mis)ruling to lift the suspension by a State Legislature.
Now this opens the gate for all Opposition MPs who have been victimised by the Dewan Rakyat speaker to bring their cases to court as well.
But then they will never win the cases as Federal Court is owned by UMNO.
BN is trying to win over Perak through buying members and the courts as it knows it will lose miserably in a state election.
1Malaysia is meaningless when will of the people is trampled on with impunity.
#6 by sheriff singh on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:42 pm
Flood the Federal Court with review cases of abuses in Parliament and State Assemblies since the Court now says its has powers. Win or not what the heck. They asked for it.
#7 by waterfrontcoolie on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 3:52 pm
These myopic so-called leaders are concerned just with their pockets nothing more. Sad to note many are still sitting there and will continue to play on this theme.
I used to wonder as to why those Indonesian maids could learn to do things much faster than many locals. I know of one who actually help out in a ‘Chinese medical hall’ sorting and packing those herbs!! And she isn’t Chinese Indonesian! It is the attitude of the peson; very soon they will take over ALL the hawker food stalls in the country! [ Of course, this could be bad]
The issue I am raising is their ability to learn so fast. Why? Simple, their minds have not been indoctrinated by by” half-past six ideas’ at the young age; hence their ability to adopt and to discern for themselves. This certainly is not true for the greater majority of Malaysians. Their thoughts are so clouded with preconceived, toddler-age planted negative ideas, they could never get out of it.
And characters like those mentioned above will keep on frightening the majority of them til kingdom come! For a start, you have the ex-PM who had renounced his father to champion this cause! what else can be more treacherous than this? God who created his father for what he was would have shed tears in shame!!
#8 by a-malaysian on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 4:26 pm
Najib Is Playing With Both Sides Of The Coin
He is umno, remember that, whatever he does he will still have to satisfy his umno members so 1Malaysia is just superficial to get the rakyat to return to umno/bn fold.
GE 13 – No matter what, we must ensure that racist umno bn do not regain the power like they had for over the past fifty one years.
#9 by dawsheng on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 4:34 pm
Uncle Kit, you don’t need those ads on your blog.
#10 by LBJ on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 5:26 pm
The Super Minister cannot find his superhero underwear and is stuck in the phone booth. He did not read the inflammatory statements.
#11 by limkamput on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 5:31 pm
In Malaysia, truth does not matter. What is needed is to keep saying things that are “politically correct” and smoothing the ears of the people. Hence, 1 Malaysia (it sounds so nice, so inclusive and so hopeful). Can it work? It really depends on whether most Malaysians are gullible or not. Sometimes I do think most Malaysians are gullible and so 1 Malaysia may just work perhaps for a while before gullible Malaysians wake up again from their slumber. Didn’t we fall heads and shoulders to AAB with “work with me and not for me” sh!t in 2004. Ya, finally we woke up, but have we not wasted more than four valuable years! So with history likely to repeat itself, may be 1 Malaysia will give them another four years.
#12 by KennyGan on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 6:11 pm
As the newly minted “Minister of Unity” what is Koh Tsu Koon going to do about this racist outburst by Utusan Malaysia?
Or is he just a superflous minister and a seat warmer?
#13 by sotong on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 6:27 pm
The only way to stop the decades of narrow, divisive and damaging politics of race and religion destroying our country is a new inclusive government with long term objectives.
#14 by Godfather on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 6:29 pm
Utusan is UMNO’s mouthpiece, and since MCA and MIC are now “nutless”, there will be no condemnation from the running dogs.
#15 by OrangRojak on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 6:45 pm
dawsheng Says: Uncle Kit, you don’t need those ads on your blog.
dawsheng, you don’t need those ads on your screen – I wouldn’t have known unless I’d seen your comment!
Get FireFox from mozilla.org
Get AdBlockPlus from adblockplus.org
Web pages will load much faster and you won’t see any ads. It’s a different www when it’s spam-free.
#16 by zak_hammaad on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 7:03 pm
Utusan is not subjected to KPI, only ministers are! Lim’s blog does not make much sense these days as he is clearly confused and likes to take things out of context and sensationalise issues that are are non existant.
#17 by ktteokt on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 7:05 pm
To break the “ETHNIC PRISON”, Najis must immediately abolish the division of the people of Malaysia into BUMIPUTRAS and NON BUMIPUTRAS! Is he ready to do that? Does he dare to do that? Show us some guts, OK!!!!!!
#18 by taiking on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 7:08 pm
Wot? Najib is playing with both ends? Huh? Errr… did you say both ends?
Oi najib. Kerusi tu bukan selesa sangat. Ingat ya. Kalau tak tahan jangan duduk lama lama. Nanti sakit. Tak elok.
It is evident that the malay press is dictating things to najib. That fella is just too weak. He takes instruction from supporters, from mahathir, from muhideen, from the press. MIC is demanding for more positions. Bidayu too. The whole country is stepping all over him. How can he continue as pm?
Mark my word. He will be a goner sooner than we thought.
#19 by ekans on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 7:22 pm
… Najib called on Malaysians to break away from being in an “ethnic prison” and to think as one.
This man did release the two HINDRAF leaders from the imprisonment at Kamunting under ISA, but only to put them under ‘expanded’ house arrest, where they are not allowed to venture beyond their home city limits & must return home by 7pm.
Yes, let us all break out of this ‘ethnic prison’, but the ‘warden’ from UMNO still wants to control our political thoughts & make us into one people subservient only to UMNO and its BN…
#20 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 7:56 pm
Najib must have misheard his advisers.
Malaysians should break away from being in an ethnic “prism” – not “prison”.
A “prism” is a block often of glass with triangular ends and rectangular sides which separates and disperses white light passing through it into a spectrum of different colours of light. Hence looking at white light (Malaysian identity/nationality) through such a prism, is visible the different beams/colours of light representing the separateness and differences of the various ethnic communities here! The converse way of looking at it is that as much as a prism could split light, it can also trap the light and reflect it back at angles that allow for it to be broken up. Hence a multi-colored rainbow of light can be trapped inside and within a prism.
The only image I have of an ‘ethnic prison’ is one of olden colonial times in which aborigines, coloured, black and sometimes even yellow (as the term ethnic is often referenced) inmates/prisoners were incarcerated, separate from the whites – hardly an appropriate analogy to represent the communal tendencies of our people. :)
#21 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 8:18 pm
However the Barisan Nasional and its progenitor – the Alliance – were structured along ethnic/communal lines around principal race based parties comprising UMNO, MCA and MIC.
So to set good example (top down) these “ethnic” (as the term is understood to refer to commonal and racve based) political parties should first be disbanded or open up their membership to different races……shouldn’t this be the case?
#22 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 8:19 pm
“…communal and race based” in 2nd para
#23 by katdog on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 8:23 pm
Like i said before, Koh Tsu Khoon is akin to a mouse asked to make sure the cat does not steal the fish.
All the best to KTK in his new position. He is sure going to need it.
#24 by monsterball on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 8:41 pm
As long as the \M\ in UMNO stands for the word \Malays\ and not \Malaysians\ and they do not admit all races as members….PM or any UMNO BARU hypocrites are totally not sincere ..wanting a united Malaysia.
As long as UMNO BARU loves MCA…MIC and Gerakan to continue ….
\divide we rule\….each race takes care of itself…only Naif Ton Raza understands what \1 Malaysia\ means.
#25 by yhsiew on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 9:46 pm
What was deplorable, Rais and Khir Toyol when interviewed, also agreed that the Malays must unite together to fend off excessive demands by the non-Malays.
#26 by alberttye on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 9:55 pm
Umno is based on race and patronage.
Is it realistic to expect them to change for the better ?
As Najib said, either they change or be changed !
Prepare for the next General Election.
#27 by alberttye on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 9:59 pm
Let’s us now compile the list of Umno-ultraputras and Utusan-putras as follows:
Ibrahim Ali, Khir Toyo are old members.
Now add Mo Yu Din, Rais Yatim and Mukris ( the followers of MahaTail)
The list goes on.
#28 by kevchua on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 10:42 pm
The KPI looks real nice to brag about. KPI this, KPI that… but what really KPI means, I’m sure the Ministers are not clear about. All they know is that it’s about their performance. Let me tell you this, in the organisation where I now work, the managment has been spending over 6 months to try come up with KPIs for all levels, yet till today, we still do not know exactly what our KPIs are. Then suddenly we’re exposed to the 360 Degree Feedback just now which is related to our performance evaluation. If an established organisation is unable to come up with a solid and confirmed KPI for all its staff after half a year, I wonder how would Najib expect the KPI to be administered to ministers and govt. officers.
Come on la. Get real ok. KPI is serious business. It’s not the same as the Sasaran Kerja Tahunan (SKT) that all govt. servants have to do each year. Don’t do something just to show people that we want to be different; it might just have washback effect sooner than you think.
Let’s watch “the fun” – the world will be watching too ..KPI. Everyone’s talking about it now… just like what the word “blog”.
Good luck ler, Dr. Koh. I surely hope you won’t be BN’s puppet Performance Minister.
#29 by shamshul anuar on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 11:19 pm
Dear Madmix,
I beg to differ. If UMNO had wanted to subjugate the non Malays, It would have done that 50 years ago when it controlled almost 70% of parliamentary seats.
It would have not listed MCA and MIC in Malay majority area. It would gladly put Malay candidates to avoid PAS condemnation that UMNO is a sinner for asking Malays to vote for non Malay candidates.
However, you are right. racism is alive and kicking, no thanks To uncle Lim who for decades incites the Chinese that any alliance with UMNO by any Chinese based party is a betrayal to Chinese interest.
I read Utusan Malaysia frontlines. What is wrong about that. What is wrong in reminding PAS and UMNO leaders to defend the interests of the Malays. What is wrong about that. If DAP can defend Chinese rights by portraying that UMNo led govt tries to deny their rights, what is so wrong in utusan Malaysia in asking and reminding Malay leaders( PAS and UMNO but of course PKR is excluded) about the rights of the Malays.
All Malay leaders understand that Malay rights will not survive under DAP. The glaring example is Nizar led govt which in no time granted 1000 acres to Chinese schools and unbelievable 999 leaseholds to Kg Baru. But of course Malay villages are avoided. What is this if not racism.
As for UMNOPUTRAS, well that includes hundreds of thousands of Malay students in universities. Without UMNO, there will not be Malay professionals now. Let us get real. If there is any Malay who claim does not receive benefit from UMNO led govt, then I believe he has himself to blame.
As foe Ekans, Hindraf leaders accused( and lied) Malay leaders( UMNO ) to participate in GENOCIDE. Can you believe it? Even non Malay friends of mine do not agree. If I were to be PM , I would have them arrested too. What is so sacred about extremists detained? Why so much sympathy on detainees who insulted Malays by saying that UMNO involved in genocide.
As for ktteoks, if you want really One malaysia, the only possible way( time tested) is having one school system. Why Singapore does not have vernacular school? Why? Do you dare to ask DAP to support one school system with Mandarin as compulsory for Chinese students. Or you think it is dangerous for Chinese students to mix with Malay students.
Then you can talk about abolishing Bumiputera and Non Bumiputera talk. What about having “Mandarin is required”. If this firm is in USA, in no time it will be sued for racism.
Contrary to lies by Uncle Lim, Utusan Malaysia never promotes racism. The dishonour belongs to Roket and DAP . Utusan Malaysia never fails to remind Malays about rights of others as required even by Prophet Muhammad.
But I feel nothing malacious is committed ewhen the daily reminds PAS and UMNO to unite in defending Malay rights. What rights. such as defending the Malay interest againsts DAP that tries so hard to deny history. I never heeard DAP in telling Chinese youth about UMNO and Malay Rulers who granted citizenship to non Malays en bloc, unparalled in world standard.
I never deny contributions of Chinese. But surely reminding DAP that UMNO is defending Malay rights cant be construed as racial politics.
#30 by safeworld on Thursday, 16 April 2009 - 11:27 pm
I think it is nothing wrong for Malay to wake up to face the reality and challenge the difficulities in life.
There is no sample way to get reward, all must come through hard work. Rule of jungle clearly spell the strong will survive and the weak will be wipe out. see who can last in today’s severe condition. As you know, tough time wont last but tough people will last!
#31 by ablastine on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 12:44 am
The Star, Chinese Newspaper and Tamil Newspaper should publish exactly the same article but substitute the Malay with Chinese and Indians and see how the authorities will react. If they withdraw the licence of these papers they have to withdraw Utusan as well since they are the ones who printed the article first. If they censure the papers they have to censure Utusan as well. It would be interesting to see what type of stance this racist government will take.
#32 by ryan123 on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 1:06 am
ironically, they ask the malays to unite to fend off the unreasonable demands of non-malays RATHER than ask the malay to arise to live without affirmative policies.
It is the deep-rooted mindset which has been indoctrinated by our education system to them.
#33 by Jeffrey on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 6:01 am
YB LKS has said in this thread “Najib Cabinet failed its first KPI (key performance index) test – in allowing Najib’s overarching philosophy of 1Malaysia to suffer a major blow when nothing was done with regard to Utusan Malaysia’s communal and inflammatory “Bangkitlah Melayu” front-page headline and story.”
However Zak_hammaad said Yesterday at 19: 03.25 – “Utusan is not subjected to KPI, only ministers are! Lim’s blog does not make much sense these days as he is clearly confused and likes to take things out of context and sensationalise issues that are are non existant”.
Look closely and it is clear that nothing in what Kit said suggested or implied Utusan was subject to KPI(s).
It appears that Zak_hammaad has extrapolated what Kit said to something else in order for Zak to level this criticism.
#34 by yellowkingdom on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 6:28 am
Respect is lost on a PM, who has not apologised for his “..-soak -this-keris-in-Chinese-blood……” saga. It may be during his youth days but certainly warrants an apology. Now his goons have spoken and no action taken to reflect his sincerity in reinning in the extremists in his party. I will not buy all his hype and hypocrisy until I see him ACT justly to eradicate racism inhis party.
#35 by k1980 on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 8:17 am
1Malaysia?
It’s really 1Malaysia with 2 castes- Bumiputeras and non-Bumiputeras
#36 by blablowbla on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 8:39 am
bangkitlah melayu,
sepatutnya,
bangunlah melayu umno!
melayu PR dah mula bangun,bangkit dan berdikari,
kamu?
mau lagi AP,lesen,tongkat,saham dan bantuan?
lupakan sajalah,adapun semua pergi kocek umnputra,
akar-2 umbi,kamu perlahan-2 tunggu,
tunggu sampai i jadi tunkulah!
#37 by Bigjoe on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 8:44 am
By now, minorities in this country EXPECTS double-standard from BN govt. That is a given.
The failure of Najib’s KPI is that he is failing intellectually. His predecessor failed on execution skills but he got the big picture better than Najib. Najib by the looks of it is not up to the big picture challenge. In fact, he has no track record of success in that regard. You name it Glocal, Blue Ocean and now 1Malaysia, it all crap.
So what was and is he thinking with 1Malaysia? It sounds like he felt he needed to put something out there to look like a leader as all his predecessors did. My own instinct tells he this thing will quickly muddle along like most of his ‘big concepts’ in the same pile as Mahathir’s Bangsa Malaysia and Badawi’s Islam Hadhari, moved along by state funding and die-hards. Much quicker than others in fact.
The fact of the matter is at this time and age, you can’t put a big concept out there without being CONSISTENT. During Dr. M time, without cell phones and internet and global medias, you can pull of lies and it can still work. Even then Dr. M was CONSISTENT. Check carefully and you realise when he never promised delivering Bangsa Malaysia but just put it out there as an ideal. He was consistent in favouring ketuanan Melayu but by working with non-Malays. That is a trick long expired.
Najib fail intellectually because he can’t see these dynamics. You can’t put these stuff out there and be inconsistent. Listen to his explanation on his many public statements and he quickly backs away when the heat get hot. He was never committed to any of it. He don’t get it he can’t do that anymore.
That is more worrying, Najib don’t see the challenge before him. He think he can still work within the system and don’t have to chose sides i.e., between the ultras who have had a field day for decades in his party and more liberal and secular route which this nations was intended to be originally. Most non-bumis in this country feel that the country is at that crossroad but he don’t.
Take the example of the revelation of ‘tentera wataniah’. On one hand he is publicly spouting mutual respect and his right hand man is planning to steal the public power to vote. He does not get it such inconsistencies can buy him time but in the end, it will divide this country in the long run.
The man just simple is not up to it. He does not have the character or the intellectual power for the challenge of the time. Full stop.
#38 by taiking on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 8:53 am
Hey najib. Wot’s soaking man?
You may not realise it but 1malaysia already exist. It is not new or special although it is very new and very special to umno and you.
You see outside umno, to all non-umnoputras we are 1malaysia. The trouble lies with umno and the 10-ft high walls and their (and your) mahathir’s mentality. You people believe that the sky and all the people under it whether inside or outside the 10-ft wall are the same i.e. exactly like what you peole see inside umno.
You people are plainly wrong. Come out of the wall-up umno and take a look outside – not just mere walk rounds. Remember, badawi too did surprise visits to some gobermen departments during his early days as pm. Big deal. Its obvious that having walk rounds and surprise visits serve no purpose except possibly as political gimmick. And pls dont use our money to pay some englishman to cybertrop here.
I say 1malaysia means all of us, chinese, archnese, sumantran, javanese, thai, indian, pakistani, arab, iban, kadazan etc etc etc are all the same. And “same” means no nep, no special rights or privilege, no quota, no umnoputras-only this or that, etc etc etc.
And one more thing. Muhideen should not be in your cabinet. By his admission to the press, he used corruption to buy chinese votes during the recent by-election. KPI for him is marked in red ink with the alphabet “F” for fail. And one final thing. Dont forget to clear your name regarding the rumoured relationship you have with the dead mongolian woman and her unborn child. It will be good for you both nationally and internationally.
#39 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 11:18 am
/// Jeffrey Says:
Yesterday at 19: 56.49
Najib must have misheard his advisers.
Malaysians should break away from being in an ethnic “prism” – not “prison”. ///
Most of the MSM reported it as “ethnic prism” and not “ethnic prison”.
But the sentence structure seems to suggest that it should be ethnic prison – break away and being IN.
You cannot live IN a prism. You can only look at the world THROUGH a prism. And breaking away suggest being imprisoned.
How not to go through life in Malaysia without the racial-tinted glasses? When every official form requires you to state your race. Where Ketuanan Melayu reign supreme. Where NEP is the very raison d’tre of UMNO. Where Utusan Melayu and the DPM can sprout racist and seditious nonsense and nothing happens to them.
#40 by boh-liao on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 11:52 am
NR, just like AAB and MMK, must start off with a nice-sounding, syiok-diri slogan or lullaby to put the rakyat into a stupor condition. So 1Malaysia was coined during masterbed-tion. Got orgasmic sensation!
“Bangkitlah Melayu” should be changed to “Majulah Malaysia”!
#41 by oyster cove on Friday, 17 April 2009 - 10:13 pm
The world economy will become worst in year 2011.
Be prepared for yourself….save more money
http://oystercove.wordpress.com/2009/04/11/heavy-rainy-days-in-2011/
#42 by kerishamuddinitis on Saturday, 18 April 2009 - 3:02 am
1987.
1KERIS
1MAN
1SENTIMENT – ‘…bath this keris in Chinese blood…’
1MALAYSIA?