Lim Kit Siang’s blog written by a Malay?


by Azly Rahman
[email protected]
Brave new Malaysian identity emerging?

Dear readers,

On a website I read the following honest opinion, I thought in the spirit of dialogue, dialectic, and dialogic I’d share with you wonderful bloggers:

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Lim Kit Siang’s blog written by a Malay?

There is something that is quite funny about one opposition leader blog which seems to be written by someone else and not the owner of the blog.

That blog is blog.limkitsiang.com and there are many posts by someone who calls himself by the name of Dr. Azly Rahman.

Whether that person do exists or is a pseudonym of Lim Kit Siang, nobody can tell.

The latest posting by Dr. Azly Rahman titled “All Malaysians have special rights” gives the following excerpts:

“Therefore, the rakyat must unite and never raise issues regarding Malay rights and special privileges because it is quid pro quo in gratitude for the giving in of citizenship (beri-paksa kerakyatan) to 2.7 million non-Malays into the Tanah Melayu federation….Thus, it is not appropriate for these other ethnic groups to have citizenship, only (later) to seek equality and privileges,” said Tengku Faris, who read from a 11-page prepared text.

As a Malaysian who believes in a social contract based on the notion that ‘all Malaysians are created equal’, I do not understand the ‘royal statement’. I have a view on this.

The fact remains that the Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is responsible for safeguarding the rights and privileges of the Malay and other indigenous people of Malaysia, referred to as Bumiputra.

I don’t see anything wrong with Tengku Faris’s statement which had made the Pakatan Rakyat leaders sees red.

I think that Dr. Azly Rahman had forgotten about the sacrifices made by our forefathers in order to gain sovereignty for our beloved Tanah Melayu as it was known then.

We have to agree to the social contract.

Dr. Azly, have you ever heard of the social contract, the agreement made by our country’s founding fathers in the Constitution which refers to a quid pro quo trade-off through Articles 14-18 of the Constitution, pertaining to the granting of citizenship to the non-Malay people of Malaysia, and Article 153, which grants the Malays special rights and privileges?

I bet a cold fish like you does not care about your own race who seems lagging behind other races in terms of the economy where the Malays since the establishment of the New Economic Policy had not even achieved the 30% quota of the economic cake which seems to be controlled by the Chinese now.

Maybe you even like to see the Malays becoming slaves to the other races here in Malaysia since you are so adamant about Tengku Faris’s statement.

Source: http://www.isuhot.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=414

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MY COMMENTS:

I respect the view above and declare that I am a real human being and not a pseudonym. The last thing I wish to use in my writings is a pseudonym.

I have seen my articles appearing in numerous political blogs — from those of Opposition, Supposition, TunnelVision, Utter-Confusion, or Brink-of-Destruction parties. I am humbled by these appreciations of what I have been sharing for the last three years through my 200 pieces of writing.

We must allow democracy of ideas to grow and flourish. Let our world become a carnival of ideas and celebration of differences. We may wish to disagree with each other, but the powerful must not agree to jail/imprison the powerless. We must make sure that all instruments of oppression and tools of the totalitarian regime — such as the Internal Security Act http://www.malaysia-today.net/2008/content/view/8410/84/, the University and University Colleges Act including the fascistic pledge of Akujanji, and other acts used to breed the corrupt in power — must be dismantled. This, we leave up to the Ministers in charge. We the rakyat will make the new ministers will do the job of dismantling the oppressive components of these Acts.
http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/2007/05/119-how-low-must-higher-education-go.html

Back to the suggestion that “Azly Rahman is a pseudonym of Lim Kit Siang.”

Simply put, I am always attracted to progressive ideas, whether they come from Lim Kit Siang, Mahathir Mohamad, Samy Velu, Chin Peng, Rashid Maidin, V. David, David Bowie, David Copperfield, the HINDRAF leaders, Hells’ Angels, New York Giants, ABIM leaders, Easy Riders, UMNO, Yoko Ono, Edward deBono, U2’s rocker Bono, Noam Chomsky, Nim Chimpsky, Puff Daddy, Snoop Dogg, P. Ramlee, Ramli Sarip, Temmengung Jugah, JP Morgan, Rolling Stones, Strolling Bones, or even the creators of the hugely successful Canadian series South Park.

The same thing goes with my view on political parties and ideologies. Like many of you, I can choose which one to contribute my ideas, time and energy to and still be apolitical; as long as the party does not serve the interest of the few or of a particular race — as long as the party’s mission is not to imprison the mind of the Malaysians through long-term propaganda and indoctrination strategies that divide and teache them to hate each other just for being born into the wrong ethnic group or religious belief.

I can choose to quietly cast a blank ballot paper on election day, or to campaign loudly, passionately, ferociously for this or that political candidate, including for the old woman from Terengganu who ran around campaigning in GE-12 on her bicycle — an example of such an existentialist and fiercely liberated woman. I have these choices not bound by political ideologies. To me, the idea of “personacracy” is more appealing than modern “democracy”.

To me the idea of “government of the self, by the self, for the self” must be practiced as a form of true government. Only than that one’s participation in public life is meaningful and least damaging to the greater good. [see my essay on this: http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/2008/01/152-limits-of-democracy-and.html]

I do not think this social contract you mention exist, nor the myth of Sang Sapurba and Demang Daun Lebar must be glorified and be repeated nauseatingly. Provide me with alternative views if you must. I will defend your right to dissent. I believe we live in a reality of a Malaysian multicultural world in which equality, equal opportunity, and equitability must be the philosophy of how we govern our economic, political, and social lives; a reality that demands realistic and peaceful solutions based on sound ethical principle derived from the wisdom of the timeless classics, radical political theories, and inspirational scriptures.

I suggest you read the French Enlightenment thinker Jean Jacques Rousseau’s idea of “social contract” to get a historical perspective of the issue you raise in regard to the “royal speech”.

Even if such a contract in Malaysia exist, you and I and the rakyat must together dismantle it and create a better and more inclusive system — not an economic apartheid system, Malaysian-styled. We need to revisit the principle of “jus soli”

Your statement above on Malays lagging behind must be supported well with hard facts and not with emotional outbursts. I suggest to begin, read the findings of the Asian Strategic Leadership Institute’s study conducted and headed by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee, a respectable academic [see summary of ASLI’s corporate equity study report http://www.cpps.org.my/downloads/A_%20Overview.pdf.]. You will benefit from the valuable suggestions that takes into consideration the paradigm of economic research reporting we have been engaging in.

The essential questions are :

1] In what ways are the Malays left/lagging behind?

2] In what ways are the Indians, Chinese, Kadazans, Ibans, and other races left behind?

3] How do we bridge the gap and redistribute our resources to benefit all in their own special way? In fact, in what ways are a class of people (the underclass, the lower class, and the impoverised middle-class of Malaysians) lagging behind as a consequence of policies and political practices that benefit the upper class whose capitalism will never trickle down but trickle up into their heads and out of the country.

Nobody is going to enslave anyone if we destroy race-based politics that is currently the root of distributive injustices. It is all those racist-organizations spreading fear and propaganda of “enslavement” and of ketuanan this or that that is weakening the Malay mind.

My piece below echo my view on race matters. I hope you will learn from it. I welcome your response to the ideas presented.

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A Malay child of Merdeka
Azly Rahman

Sometime ago in a column I wrote the following:

We are in the 21st century. About three years from now, we will arrive at the year 2010. The non-Malays and non-bumiputeras have come a long way into being accepted as full-fledged Malaysians, by virtue of the ethics, rights and responsibilities of citizenship. They ought to be given equal opportunity in the name of social justice, racial tolerance and the alleviation of poverty.

Bright and hard-working Malaysians regardless of racial origin who now call themselves Malaysians must be given all the opportunities that have been given to Malays since 40 years back.

Islam and other religions require this form of social justice to be applied to the lives of human beings. Islam does not discriminate one on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, creed nor national origin. It is race-based politics, borne out of the elusiveness of nationalism, that creates post-industrial tribalistic leaders; leaders that will design post-industrial tribalistic policies. It is the philosophy of greed, facilitated by free enterprise runamuck that will evolvingly force leaders of each race to threaten each other over the control of the economic pie. This is the ideology of independence we have cultivated.

I want to elaborate the point further:

A Malay child of Merdeka

As a child born into a Malay family a few years after the shouts of “Merdeka” filled the nation’s stadium, and as a child privileged to be given the opportunities accorded to a “bumiputera,” I have a statement of hope to convey to our nation.

As an adult growing learning multiple ways of knowing about the world, through people of multiple cultures, I often ask the question of what will happen to the children and grandchildren of Mr Wong Seng Kuang, my Jawi teacher in Johor Bahru, Ah Lan the lady who taught my mother how to sew clothes for a living, Dr. Das of Jalan Ah Fook near Sungei Segget who treated my childhood illness and taught me how to be “patient” about wanting to make changes in the world, Mr PV Kulasingam my fearful-looking headmaster, Miss Chan my favourite Maths teachers who suddenly became angry at me a day after the May 13, 1969 riots, Miss Yap, Mr Ambrose, and Mr. Ng my English teachers who taught me to love the language when I was struggling with other subjects, and countless other “non-Malays non-bumis” I have come to be indebted to – those who have contributed to the “subjectivity” of what I am as a “cultural being living in an ever changing and evolving world of shifting cultural constructs.”

In short, I ask the question – what have this nation done to the children and grandchildren of these people through the policies we create to alienate each other?

Because in my profession as an educator, questions are more important than the answers, I present them as such below:

After this Merdeka, celebrations will we all be called the “new bumiputeras”? Will the false dichotomy of “Malays” versus “non-Malays” and “bumiputeras ” versus “non-bumiputeras” be abolished? Will we come together as “true blue Malaysians” that will progress through the guiding national development philosophy crafted by the principles of scientific socialism, multiculturalism, affirmative action and meritocratic principles in a balance, and the respect, cultivation, and preservation of indigenous cultures that sustain the dignity of each race?

Will more financial aid be given to the deserving students of all races? Will more scholarships be given to “non-Malays” or “non-bumiputeras” so that they too will enjoy the fruits of labour of the parents and grandparents who toiled for this nation? Will more deserving “non-Malays” be given the much needed aid to study abroad and to come home and serve, so that they will take pride in building the nation that has been kind to them? Will this new preferential treatment cure the ill-feeling and silent animosity over the awarding of resources amongst the different races?

Will the children and grandchildren of great Malaysians – Soh Chin Aun, V Arumugam, Santokh Singh, (the grand-daddies of the real Beckhams of the Malaysian cultural iconoclasm) and Andre Goh, M. Jegathesan, be given scholarship they deserve?

Will preferential treatment be given to those born after the Aug 31, 1957 to their children and grandchildren as well?

It will be a shame to the hard work of the “founding fathers” of Merdeka if we do not work towards providing equality, equity, and equal opportunity to the children of all races. It would kill the spirit of Merdeka.

Our Merdeka gone astray?

This Merdeka, we have gone astray. Race-politics has reached its boiling point. It is predictable as a consequence of the outgrowth of politics in a pluralistic nation. Scholars who write about the difference between nationalism and socialism have predicted the bankruptcy of the former, in an age of globalisation and mass consumption – in an age wherein blind nationalism has become a blinder for the politics of plunder.

This Merdeka, let us extend our special rights to all who deserve to live a life of dignity, based on the principles of universal declaration of human rights. In a nation wherein the three major races help build the nation, the nation must now belong to the children of all these races. It is the logic of the brighter side of Social Darwinism – that all must be made fit to survive, not through natural selection but through an inclusive philosophy of developmentalism. It is an antidote to racial discrimination based on a sound philosophy of peaceful evolution.

We cannot continue to alienate each other through arguments on “social contract” that is alien from perhaps what Jean Jacques Rousseau the great wrote about some 300 years ago – a philosophy that inspired the founding of America, a nation of immigrants constantly struggling (albeit imperfectly) to meet the standards requirements of equality, equity, and equal opportunity especially in education.

How do we come together as Malaysians, as neo-bumiputeras free from false political-economic and ideological dichotomies of Malays versus non-Malays, “bumi” versus “non-bumis’ and craft a better way of looking at our political, economic, social, cultural, and psychological, and spiritual destiny – so that we may continue to survive as a specie of Malaysians the next 50 years?

As a privileged Malay and a “bumiputera”, I want to see the false dichotomies destroyed and a new sense of social order emerging, based on a more just form of linguistic play designed as a new Merdeka game plan. Think Malaysian – we do not have anything to lose except our mental chains.

The essential is: what kind of Malaysian citizen of Merdeka do we wish to live as? I leave the skeptic with a quote from a news-story in Malaysiakini, May 11, 2008:

Don: No such thing as ‘social contract’
Rahmah Ghazali | May 11, 08 5:47pm

.”..Royal professor Dr Ungku Abdul Aziz today made a startling claim today that there was no physical social contract between Malaysia’s diverse ethnic communities.

“There is no such thing as social contract,” said Ungku Aziz, a panelist in the 25th Anniversary Look East Policy Forum in Shah Alam today.

Deviating from his original speech during the event, the celebrated academic said that the social contract was
“a fantasy created by politicians of all sorts of colours depending on their interest”.

Ungku Aziz said the social contract should rightly be called an “economic contract” to justify affirmative action in areas of education and health for groups that needed it the most…. ”

ENDS.

With my explanation above — are my ideas a “threat” to the Malays and if they are, how is that so?

Or — is a radical mental revolution for the Malays in response to postmodernity and the logic of late capitalism long overdue?

Who has been enslaving who? Just look at the fate of this oil-rich country called Malaysia http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/petronas-rm570-billion-what-happened-to-this-money/.

  1. #1 by cheng on soo on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 2:22 pm

    What is this?? I dont understand, Dr. Azly surely exist,
    what is wrong if Lim KS, posted articles written by others, infringement of copy riight??
    Why must specify by a Malay??

  2. #2 by badcliq on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 2:23 pm

    well said….!

    That’s all i can say…:)

  3. #3 by mauriyaII on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 2:46 pm

    As usual Dr. Azly Ibrahim is precise, coherent and very liberal in his philosophy of life. He has the true Malaysian spirit and does not preach any form of dogma other than to live as a Malaysian – not as a Malay or a bumiputera or as a racist animal.
    If as the ill-informed guy who suspects Dr. Azly is none other than LKS incognito, just because of his very liberal and specific ideas as to how a true Malaysian society should evolve without the shakels of the apartheid mentality, then it is high time for that dimwit to read widely and understand before spewing more racialistic sentiments.
    Aggressive racial and religious policies will only bring about national disaster of a greater magnitude than a tsunami. Natural tsunamis bring about collosal physical destruction and untold grief to all victims but they can be rehabilated though it may take time.
    Human disasters such as the May 13th riots brought about by myopic and misguided leaders in their quest for self glory and short term political gain, cannot be easily erased from the minds of victims as well as the perpetrators. They can’t be rehabilitated. That’s the reason why even after nearly 40 years the nation is being constantly bombarded by the present racist leaders about what could happen if they are not returned to power at the ballot box.
    And gullible Malays such as the misinformed guy still harps that the Malay has lost out to the other races. The Malays have exceeded the 30% eq

  4. #4 by alancheah on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 2:52 pm

    Too long, the above write-ups. I could not finish
    reading all at this time.

    Wahtever it is, support Pakatan Rakyat even MORE!

    Good Luck to Malaysia.

  5. #5 by drngsc on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 2:53 pm

    I am getting very confused. Who is writing what? All I know is that, after 50years of independence, let us all be Malaysians and make Malaysia, our country. Those who chose to champion race, in whatever guise they come in, has lack of ideas, lack of leadership qualities, is just narrow and bigoted. WE ARE MALAYSIANS, one country, one people.

  6. #6 by ShiokGuy on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 2:56 pm

    Well said Dr Azly!

    Well the person can hide his head under the sand and pretend the world is just what he think he see in the sand. Lets him/her be (I don’t even want to read his blog)

    I do respect and will defend his/her right for his/her freedom of expression. Open discussion and debating is how we can improve our intellectual ability.

    Social Contract in MY HUMBLE OPINION is for my great grand parent to be granted citizenship of the NEW MALAYSIA. We all fight for the independent of Malaysia, not just one community. A person born within Malaysia is automatically a Malaysian or immediately a citizen of Malaysia. He or she does not need to wait for YOU to grant him or her a citizenship. Understand?

    May be the author should read the book about Tun Dr Ismail
    http://shiokguy.blogspot.com/2008/05/tun-dr-ismail-malay-special-right.html

    I have more articles on Tun Dr Ismail, NEP, May 13 experience, Special Rights. Just go to Main Menu and choose Politic

    Shiok Guy

  7. #7 by mauriyaII on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 3:02 pm

    The rest of my comments got lost in cyberspace. To continue, the Malays have exceeded the 30% equity of the economic cake but not all of them have been fortunate. The Umnoputras have taken more than the lion’s share leaving more of less nothing to the normal, hardworking and gullible Malays who had fallen for the BN propaganda.
    It is through hard work that the others like the Chinese have been able to compete even without the special privileges, handouts and perks enjoyed by the Malays. If the Malays feel they have been left behind, don’t blame the others but their own ingrained fuedalistic mentality indoctrinated by the BN over the years to accept their leadership without question.

  8. #8 by sebol on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 3:06 pm

    Saya sudah pening,
    Yang mana satu Lim Kit Siang tulis, yang mana satu Dr Azly tulis?

  9. #9 by bentoh on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 3:29 pm

    All tulis by Dr Azly… :)

    I didn’t read much of his writing… but this entry actually makes my eyes teary… :'(

  10. #10 by seage on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 3:35 pm

    Kawan, semua ditulis oled Dr Azly. Baca baik-baik lah!

    Growing up in an english (Made to be more malay) school during my primary and secondary days (Sekolah Ren/Men Sultan Ismail), I got acquianted with many malay friends. They are very nice people and very genuine. There are no distinction of whether we are chinese or malay, except some occasional taunts of “chi cho chai”(A way to make fun of chinese language) but its all not ill-intentioned. I love the diversity in Malaysia and the difference in our race and culture (especially the food and festives).

    Why are innocent children need to be brought up to hate the other race? Having read Dr Azly’s writing and gauging the personality/mentality behind the author, I would gladly want (No, LONGED!) to have a lasting friendship with someone so genuine and unpolluted.

    Dr Azly, I am looking forward for a reformed Malaysia. Please work hand in hand with all those who will unite for a better Malaysia.

    YB LKS, jiayou!

  11. #11 by pluto9964 on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 3:53 pm

    Congratulations, sdr lks for the balanced discourse. This post with balanced references, some adverse, notwithstanding, goes to show the greater man of lks albeit he has been oftentimes patriarchal, consoling, “white shark” in many of his debates in all arenas.
    i have voiced the pragmatic retention of isa, ua’s for these are twin edged swords which, in the context of today’s “democratic” dialectics, the absence of which would create the chaotic new world.
    today’s singapore retains these “draconian” instruments for good reasons, for we are asians not westerners where explosive opinions and actions are countenanced for human rights — at what costs? hujintau says democracy can wait.The solution is there has to be a compromise between “idealism” and “practicality” through constant gentle concussions, the emulsion of truth.

  12. #12 by AhPek on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 4:05 pm

    Dr.Azly Rahman,
    You are a superb towering Malaysian steeped in great scholarship.From your exposure it is no small wonder that you are such an enlightened human being … a result of being nurtured by your environment and it is always been a pleasure reading any of your topics that you dish out from time to time.I sincerely hope that this guy who seriously thought you are YB Kit’s non de plume read your above articles and be educated by you.It is so obvious that his views are so lop-sided and bigoted that it cannot be in keeping with today’s global world.Shocking but there you are there are plenty of them here in Malaysia cos race-based politics has taken quite a hold in this country.Unless we can quickly dismantle this I don’t see how we can move forward.

  13. #13 by mauriyaII on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 4:50 pm

    In my hurry I had inadvertantly referred to Dr. Azly’s surname as Ibrahim. It is Rahman.I tender my humble apologies to Dr. Azly.

  14. #14 by limkamput on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 5:30 pm

    Dr. Azly Rahman,
    I think most would agree with what you said. However, the powerful, the privileged, and the greedy would never want to understand. Yes, Rousseau said it many centuries ago and the Declaration of Independence of the United States repeated part of it. But didn’t the slavery in the US go on for another two hundred years.

    I have always maintained that from day one since Merdeka, whether or not there was social contract or otherwise, the non-Malays have always wanted to be true Malaysians. We want to be an integral part of Malaysia, to contribute to its progress and to share its burden. For reasons that I am unable to discern, the Malays somewhat wants this country to be culturally malay, linguistically malay, religiously Islam and politically “ketuanan”. How do we reconcile all these?

    Whether we like it or not, we are all living in a very globalised world now. Almost everything is subjected to competition and contest of ideas – cultures, languages, political approaches and even religions included. I have no problems if the non-Malays are naturally attracted to everything that is “Malay” and if by doing so we can attain greatness for ourselves and the country. But if the Malays are themselves globalising and if the non-Malays are resisting to be assimilated, why are we seeing all these dominance and “ketuanan” manoeuvring in the country everyday. I think it is not this “guy” can’t see the follies of dominance, parochialism and bigotry. It is essentially an instrument of manipulation to sustain privileges, power and wealth.

  15. #15 by Bobster on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 5:43 pm

    Dr Azly Rahman,

    Since the first time I read your article in Malaysiakini middle of last year, I know you are a true man of substance. We understand your predicament being victimized by the formal university forcing every academia to sign Akujanji or risk of displinary action. Despise your hardship you managed to walked through the wilderness and found a greener pasture overseas. It is an unfortunate lost to the nation.

    This country needs patriotic citizens like yourself to renew the mindset of the unfortunate younger generation which has been damaged by the corrupted regime. Hope you will return one day when the regime is destroyed.

  16. #16 by nkeng11 on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 6:31 pm

    Some of the tunnel mind type readers thinks that if a migratory bird was borned in North America, it cannot migrate annually to South Africa because they are not BUMIPUTRA of South Amerika.

    Even animals know better!!!. Are these jokers human beings?

  17. #17 by monsterball on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 8:32 pm

    What is this?
    Nothing else to pick on him?
    Who cares….even if Dollah wrote for LKS..with loving kindness.
    LKS have for 50 years established his reputation in politics.
    Good or bad…..LKS…..is LKS.

  18. #18 by monsterball on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 8:47 pm

    In politics…a malay trusts a malay ..more than others.
    It’s some of these weird malays that are real racialists..under UMNO .
    Go to Mahathir’s blog….and see the master of twists and turns…put out all his messages..and look at most of the comments….thanking TDM..to open their minds to more truths!!
    So you see…a malay will trust a malay…….even though…Mahathir is known to be corrupted and a dictator…and a lousy doctor….killed more than curing.
    But UMNO used the art and craft ..so well..to prove other races are not loyal Malaysians…..while they keep on playing race ad religion politics.
    Where were the… BN ….MCA..MIC…Gerakan???
    Those are the real racialists …with no balls!!

  19. #19 by Short-sleeve on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 9:12 pm

    Hey guys,

    Mahathir got his memory back with his Tun Salleh Saga; http://www.chedet.com/2008/06/tun-salleh-saga.html

    I wonder if Mahathir can now remember the Lingam thingy.

  20. #20 by catharsis on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 9:29 pm

    pERGI LAH……..” ISUHOT” STOP ACTING LIKE AN EXPERT ……………BEHAVING AS THOUGH YOU ARE IN THE SAME LEAGUE

  21. #21 by bernadette on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 9:48 pm

    “For reasons that I am unable to discern, the Malays somewhat wants this country to be culturally malay, linguistically malay, religiously Islam and politically “ketuanan”. How do we reconcile all these?” linkamput

    huh?? what’s there to reconcile with?

  22. #22 by bernadette on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 9:51 pm

    will the real lim kit siang stand up?!

  23. #23 by rainbowseahorse on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 9:53 pm

    As long as the ordinary rural children are being educated and brain washed in the old doctrine of Malays being enslaved by none Malays if their special privileges are not protected, and politicians (including veteran politicians like Tun M) playing up the racial issues for political mileage, and playing up religious sentiments for self power/gain, there can never be a Malaysia Malaysian. This is the brutal fact!

  24. #24 by pky103 on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 10:46 pm

    – I dislike seeing any community lagging behind the others in society.

    – But I have an even greater dislike for policies like the NEP which are oblique, corrupting and open to abuse by UMNO-ultras.

    – Hence, it is time to redraw the social contract!

  25. #25 by daryl on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 11:08 pm

    Malay, Chinese, Indian or foreigners who cares about who wrote what article as long as it make sense and further advocate improve Malaysia’s march towards full democracy. This is much better than what the BN is trying to spin and turn which in the end only fat and dirts come out of it most of the time. I wish they can cough up all the tax money they “curi” from Malaysians while doing the spin and turn.. :)

  26. #26 by cemerlang on Friday, 6 June 2008 - 11:42 pm

    It is good that Chinese or Indian politicians are very fluent in Malay. This shows that they have integrated themselves into Malaysia. There are also Malays who speak good Mandarin. These are the people who genuinely know what it means to be a Malaysian. If after 50 years, the Malays are still feeling inferior, then they should ask themselves if their government has been doing enough to take away their inferiority complex ? Or if after 50 years, each time somebody voice out something, he or she is assumed to be the Opposition, then what have all the Barisan Nasional political representatives been doing ? The elected ones whether Barisan Nasional or Opposition should voice out the people’s problems. If not, then why should they be the representative ? If they prefer to keep quiet, then there should not be any representative post for them. Let the people themselves march to the Parliament and voice out their problems.

    The newspaper reported that blogging is now a craze among the politicians. Not just the Opposition, after the change in the elections’ results, even Barisan Nasional is joining the blogosphere.
    Including our former Prime Minister. So whether it is a pseudoname, no name or the real name, the most important thing is the message written and conveyed.

  27. #27 by slashed on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 12:18 am

    We need more people like you.

    The so-called Social Contract is different from what we would normally associate with Social Contract Theories. For one, the notion of the social contract in classical political theory is a hypothetical one. It is, to borrow Kant’s words, an Idea of Reason. It was utilised as a means to show how a State – law and power – can be justified. But the Malaysian Social Contract is different. It purports to be an actual agreement. It seems to be to be either one of two things:

    Firstly, it can be understood as the unwritten agreement between our forefathers – the quid pro quo – the understanding upon which they constituted this state: and hence it is the criterion of validity which underlies our constitution. It transcends even the constitution, the highest law of the land. There might be a parallel with many social contract theories here in that sense of a transcendental ‘law’ but unlike them, this is not found upon Reason nor a Law of Nature/lex naturalis: instead, it is just an understanding.

    Alternatively, it constitutes the unwritten part of our constitution. If this is the case, there is not much problem for the Constitution, like our laws, are not justified in themselves i.e. they are not unquestionable and thus may be changed. One cannot refer to it as inviolable truths which are permanently entrenched in our civil society.

    It is with the former that the problem lies. If perceived in that way, it pre-empts any attempts to reform society. It can be used as a beacon to rally irrational and illogical hate and resistence to change. It becomes dogmatic – much like the idea of Ketuanan Melayu. But as I have said, it is not found upon Reason, nor upon any lex naturalis. It was an understanding – the terms of compromise. But these imply reason behind them. We must ask ‘why did our forefathers agree to such an agreement?’ We cannot just look to the agreement as it is and accept it. Because every condition imposed has a purpose, when that purpose ceases to make sense, that condition must fall away too. The non-bumi generation today is very different from that which existed 50 years ago. We are Malaysians. I have no other identity. There is no longer a need to be anxious about where our loyalties lie. Moreover, we live in a world which preaches equality and liberty. Things have changed!

    As a contract, one may also invoke Paine’s resentment in the Rights of Man of any idea of living people being capable of being bound indefinitely by agreement of people long dead. The hand of the dead should not reach beyond their graves and meddle with the lives of the living! The hereandnow is what matters.

    If there is any social contract to be had, Rawls might provide a better solution to our problems. Of course there is a presupposition of liberal ideals which may contradict much of our own especially if we are a de facto Islamic country (though I don’t think many of us here won’t entertain such a thought much less accept that!) but it does provide a viable and pragmatic approach to reconciliate our diversity.

    Now, I must warn that these are from what I understand from my own reading (or lack thereof if you like LOL). If I have made an error, I apologize in advance.

  28. #28 by limkamput on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 1:05 am

    bernadette Says:huh?? what’s there to reconcile with?

    read in context lah, reconcile with the aspirations of non malays. simple stuff lah i wrote, but you must read first lah.

  29. #29 by jackie on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 5:09 am

    # sebol Says:
    Yesterday at 15: 06.52

    Saya sudah pening,
    Yang mana satu Lim Kit Siang tulis, yang mana satu Dr Azly tulis?
    ……………………………………………………………………………
    saya pun setuju,
    macammana saya nak bagi comment kpd Dr Azly?

  30. #30 by lakilompat on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 6:16 am

    Black cat or White cat, cat that catch mice is good cat.

    Why are we bothering so much?

    Are u implying PKR will soon govern the country and that it is merely a test what is people reaction if PKR is run by Malay.

  31. #31 by flyer168 on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 8:40 am

    Dear YB LKS,

    “Lim Kit Siang’s blog written by a Malay?”

    His Blog is really pathetic & sad indeed…..

    Shall we ask him if it was indeed the Chinese, Indians, true moderate educated Malays, etc that eroded the status of this nation to this level ???

    The true traitors are the UMNOputras who got all the mega contracts, etc then did their “Ali-Baba” deals with their sidekick unscrupulous partners such that the so called 51% Bumi equity soon eroded (yes, by them!) to what they now claim to be 18%.

    Did they share any of the loot with anyone of us the “Downtrodden” rayaat ? No.

    Don’t these traitors realise that they have now brought themselves to the level of a “Begger”…waiting for they next round of “Pocket money” from their “sidekicks” ?

    A real insult to the True moderate educated Malays who have survived toiling & suffering alongside the Chinese, Indians, etc & WE ALL MADE IT !!!

    Only then can you deserve to be respected like a “TUAN” like all the “SELF MADE PEOPLE”.

    They all EARNED it the HARD way – YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD, BE COMPETITIVE, PROVE YOURSELF, PROVE YOUR WORTH & BE COUNTED!

    50 years down the line, this is the 21st century, so please wake up my friend !

  32. #32 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 10:12 am

    Ungku Aziz is right that social contract is “a fantasy created by politicians of all sorts of colours depending on their interest”.

    Ask yourself what is a social contract and what it embodies.

    A social contract is exchange between two or more broad groups. The moral basis for requiring adherence to such a contract rests on the fact that if you, as recipient group, receive something of value from the other group, then you must give something of value in exchange to the other giver group – and that it is moral and right that this bargain will be binding upon the relations of both groups and enforced on their successors in title for generations.

    The key elements – the nature of the first exchange, who amongst the recipient or giver groups make the trade off on behalf of their groups, the morality of enforcing such a
    bargain, if it were really and solemnly undertaken by the original groups on their future generations, heedless of generational changes varying the original contract etc – one just has to think about all these, and it will be obvious to anyone who thinks a bit harder that there is really no such thing as a binding social contract of the nature supposedly made by our forefathers and now binding upon us, to be treated as if it were a legal contract justifiable, whether from legal or moral standpoint, in its enforcement.

    The alleged “social contract” is not only “a fantasy created by politicians of all sorts of colours depending on their interest” as opined by Ungku Aziz, the sad part is that it is a complete rationalization of what inherently is a myth to justify the hegemony and oppression of one group by the other.

    I take it that the above assertion is self evident and need no further explanation supported by examples. History is already replete with such instances of how the notion of “social contract” is used to morally justify the promotion of interest of one group over the other.

    Another reality is that people as an individual have goodness and fairness in them, and like Dr Azly Rahman can think and act rationally – but if you bring 10 million Dr Azly Rahman or Dr Unku Aziz togther in a group will they collectively speak along same lines? I dont think so. They will think of their interest as a group in tribal and primordial fashion and will all assert that there is a social contract if their group benefit from the permanence of that social contract.

  33. #33 by A true Malaysian on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 10:45 am

    Just imagine if there is no Chinese or Indian in Malaysia, ie only Malay exist, will Malaysia be what iit is today or better?

    But, really, this scenario will not exist even if Chinese and Indian not there, pribumi of Sabah and Sarawak still there. So, when these people talk about granting citizenship to non-Malay, it makes no sense, it’s bullshit.

    Another thing, Rakyat disposable income already shrinking and yet these people keep harping on their rights and privileges. Wait till economy become zero and still harping the same issues, ok?

    Malaysia still got hope? I wonder. Non-Malays cannot keep on waiting for the Malays to progress to be ‘on-par’, as we have our own stomach to fill.

  34. #34 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 10:50 am

    The fact of the matter is ultras have been droned by Dr. M-created UMNO into believing in rumours, wild speculation and generally poor logic. The pick and choose what they want to believe for convenience and maximum self-interest rather than the truth, logical and just. The ends first, reason, justification, truth just have to fit in to that.

    Its a disease that we can’t seem to shake and in the end our nation will be measured by how we shake it off…

  35. #35 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 11:18 am

    ///ultras have been droned by Dr. M-created UMNO into believing in rumours, wild speculation and generally poor logic///. NEP justified by Social Contract – also by Dr M. Subsidies to support ill-fated Proton also attributable to Dr M. So were the Mega Projects Bailouts, Piratisation in name of Privatisation, Speculation to corner Tin Market & the British Pound getting ourselves whacked also under his watch. Religious extremism – 20 years of aggressive islamisation policies leading to declaration of Islamic State contrary to widely accepted secular Constitution also attributable to Dr M’s administration not to mention sacking of judges, Judiciary Crisis in 1988, recent fixing of judicial appointments shown by Lingam Clip Inquiry, use of draconian ISA under Operation Lallang, amendment to article 121(1)A, clipping of Royalty powers by constitutional amendments. Open split from previous premiers (Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Husein Oon) and those below him (Musa Hitam, Tunku Li & Anwar) and present premier (AB) anointed by him – also Dr M.

    Wah, what a litany of ‘achievements” when reviewing his legacy where all roads lead ultimately to this Emperor of ‘Rome’. No one changes the course of nation to wrong direction as he had done.

  36. #36 by AhPek on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 3:22 pm

    What about the time the mamak got our present mamak Finance Minister involved in forex exchange trading resulting in losses amounting to billions and George Soros coming out making billions?
    And what about his intention of building a bridge from Peninsular to Sumatra across the Straits of Malacca and also building a road connecting all the hill resorts of Peninsular (Genting to Fraser Hill to Camerons to Maxwell)? This idea was jettisoned only because of the Financial Crisis of 1997!! In fact I would say the Financial Crisis is in fact a Financial Bonansa for Malaysia!
    What about the huge military spending like purchasing Polish tanks (over 1 billion USD),French submarines (3 to 4 billion USD) and Sukhoi jets (1 billion USD)? The Russian military budget in 1990 is 2 billion and admittedly this is also a period she is experiencing a financial crisis.But even so Russia is a world military power and Malaysia is just a minnow in the world scene.Why such a heavy military purchase under the mamak’s amounting to a figure bigger than Russia’s military budget?Who wants to attack Malaysia, Singapore?
    What about KLIA? How many of us know that the site of the new air port sits on a land that was once peat soil?The depth of the peat soil is anything from 50 m onwards and the area of the airport is 100 squre kilometre. Imagine the amount of peat soil to be removed and the same amount of good soil to be carted back to fill up the big hole.This simple act of doing this must have cost billions!! This expenditure could have been avoided by choosing a site without peat soil or muddy soil but no the mamak has better reasons for siting it at Sepang peat soil area.Wikipedia qouted the cost of the airport is 3.5 billion USD based on 2.53 ringgit per usd.Wonder if it includes peat soil removal followed by good soil replacement?If included I would not be surprised it is the main cost
    of building KLIA!
    There are many admirers of the mamak some even saying he is our greatest Prime Minister.Please let us know what he did that is so great about him?Convince us that he did not incur untold damages to Malaysia.

  37. #37 by dawsheng on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 3:31 pm

    “It is with the former that the problem lies. If perceived in that way, it pre-empts any attempts to reform society. It can be used as a beacon to rally irrational and illogical hate and resistence to change. It becomes dogmatic – much like the idea of Ketuanan Melayu.” – slashed

    In tracing the consequences of the social contract Rousseau asserted, “the great body of the people in whom sovereign authority resides can neither delegate nor resign it. The essence of that authority is the general will; and will cannot be represented. It must either be the same or another; there is no alternative. The deputies of the people cannot be its representatives; they are merely its attorneys. The laws which community does not ratify in person, are no laws, are nullities.”

    Ketuanan Melayu is a twisted ideology similar to the Nazi.

  38. #38 by dawsheng on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 4:09 pm

    “a tacit consent indeed obliges a man to obey the laws of any government; as long as he has any possessions, or enjoyment of any part of the dominions of the government; but nothing can make a man a member of commonwealth, but his actually entering into it by positive engagement and express promise and compact” Locke

    Who is really the one perpetuating the social contract of our founding forefathers?

  39. #39 by slashed on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 6:49 pm

    Dawsheng –

    Much appreciate your comments and add ons.

    Indeed Rousseau did say that. It would be a whole different debate if our Social Contract was actually a theoretical problem of political philosophy. But since our social contract was not found upon any of the traditional foundations of social contract theories, nor looks like any of them – by purporting to be a real agreement and moreover asserting the terms of the agreement as inviolable truths – resting on thin air, our so-called social contract is not amenable to theoretical analysis in the same way as we do with political philosohpy since it is not a philosophy to begin with but an actual political contract. We can ask two questions instead: 1. Should a contract be capable of binding us forever without being susceptible to change (I would say no); 2. Are the terms of the contract still reasonable? (Again no)

    The dogmatic treatment of the so-called social contract is really like the ‘twisted ideology’ of Ketuanan Melayu in that sense: both rest on thin air – they never attempt to look beyond their own assertions to find the validity or reasonableness of these assertions.

  40. #40 by slashed on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 6:58 pm

    It is problematic isn’t it? But even if it were a form of political philosophy, I’d agree with your quotes: we are the source of validity and should therefore move to make the change. Unfortunately for you and I, the ultras are probably as bloodthirsty as the Nazis were and looking for a reason to fight.

    Again, thanks for your comments dawsheng! If I misunderstood you in any way forgive me. It was rather early (ok, it was 11am) when I read it.

  41. #41 by AhPek on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 7:10 pm

    ‘Another reality is that people as individual have goodness and fairness in them, like Dr. Azly Rahman can think or Dr. Unku Aziz together in a group will they collectively speak along the same lines? I don’t think so.They will think of their interest as a group in a tribal and primordial fashion and will all assert that there is a social contract if their group benefit from the permanence of that social contract.’. Jeffrey.

    Interesting this theory of yours, Jeffrey. I am not so sure I can buy this totally, remember you have given the proviso that this group (10 million or be that any number one wishes to state) consists solely of Dr.Azly Rahman species or Unku Aziz species and not any type like the type we have here.If it is any other type like this present type, I will definitely go along with you.But if you have a group of Azly Rahman type of species I will be more encouraged to think that this group will transcentd over the selfish thought of just tribal interest to choose fair play. I only have to look to New Zealand for my conviction.Population of Maoris is at most 10% with the rest coming mostly from the pakehas(the white men) and yet look at her today. The Maoris are given huge stretches of New Zealand waters as well as the air space (information given by you some time back, remember).Why? Because the the Kiwis at large are a nation of enlightened people that has placed fair play highly in their conduct of national affairs.

  42. #42 by AhPek on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 7:27 pm

    correction;’But if you have a group of Azly Rahman type………….encouraged to think that this group will transcend ……………………………………………………’.

  43. #43 by catharsis on Saturday, 7 June 2008 - 9:45 pm

    Dr. Azly Rahman you are such a cultured intelectual and would definitely earn my respect and admiration.

    IF “ISUHOT” ASPIRES TO TO BE IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS YOU – HE HAS TO DISCARD HIS DOGMAS FIRST

  44. #44 by peacec on Sunday, 8 June 2008 - 1:04 am

    Ahh.. whoever wrote the isuhot article is either plain ignorant or jusst living in his/her own world.

    While his/her hypothesis, might be remotely possible. With the right amount of investigation and effort, one can surely find out the truth about it together with some critical thinking involved as well be able to jump to the right deductions and conclusions.

    I guess some people still drown in their own biases, but thats fair for them, its their own choice. Hopefully they will understand what is the real truth one day when it hits them hard in its own way.

    Anyway thanks YB LKS for sharing this so that the rest of us are aware that the existence of such ppl that still exist. Not that they are very important but as a reminder and awareness for the rest of us.

  45. #45 by nazryan on Sunday, 8 June 2008 - 3:02 pm

    On the ketuanan melayu thing….

    If we refer to all references, literatures and books by historian, local or foreign, it does exist from Kesultanan Melayu Melaka up to Malayan Union. Well of one the reason why J.W. Birch was killed was because of this. That is now part of our beautiful history.

    Off course, there are many positives trait in Ketuanan Melayu ideology (if there are only Malays in the country – and that’s also is when everyone is equal) but somehow the negatives sides always prevail. Having read this, Malay ruler and the rich practice slavery (if one can’t pay their debts), takes the most beautiful girl in the village for wife/ mistress (even for a day) and other negative trait. The land is theirs while the people lease and permitted to work on them. During that era, the rich and powerful malays are “tuan’ to other ‘malays”. These were even used as stories in movies in some of the old P. Ramlee era.

    Islam forbid all these. Thus what is the Ketuanan Melayu that UMNO is preaching and glorified about? Or even the social contract? Well I am glad that we’ve (the PR) move on and look forward. Let UMNO glorified those memories and leave them behind. There is exciting and wonderful future to look upon (Although with the price increase, it became rather a bleak one). For sure, if I live during those yesteryears, I will be a ‘hamba’ to another Malay.

  46. #46 by taiking on Monday, 9 June 2008 - 9:42 am

    Dr Azly is a modern day man. He is confident and obviously very learned and expressive. He is objective. And he is not laboured by any feeling of inferiority.

    UMNO should be proud of him. I am. And all of us (malays too) ought to emulate him.

    In fact, after decades of NEP and proactive policies of the government, we should see more of Dr Azly amongst the malays.

    In which case ‘ketuanan’ would become a dead social issue; along with the fear of turning into a slave in one’s own country.

    But UMNO has failed. BN has failed. When objectively assessible results of one’s policy are not available one would naturally seek justification from sentiments to continue the policy.

    It is very easy to do so. Just whip them up – the sentiments. Whip and see the reactions. Logic and reasons are not always needed or necessary.

    Reality may be evaded momentarily but it cannot be avoided forever. In reality the common malays in this country have gone on reverse gear in the hands of UMNO for decades.

    We should all move on as one. The direction must be forward for everyone.

    I would leave UMNO and BN behind.

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