I am surprised that in the past 24 hours, the other Ministers have not rallied behind the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz who had courageously declared that he is Malaysian first and Malay second.
Who is the second UMNO/Barisan Nasional Minister who dare to publicly declare that he/she is Malaysian first and race second in keeping with Najib’s 1Malaysia policy?
It has taken Nazri more than six months to respond to my challenge in Parliament in March this year to all Cabinet Ministers to declare that they are Malaysian first and race second.
Surely, Malaysians do not have to wait for another six months before another Minister plucks up sufficient courage to follow Nazri to declare that he/she is Malaysian first and race second.
I have given notice to ask the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak a specific question on the commitment and loyalty of Ministers and top civil servants to his 1Malaysia concept when Parliament reconvenes for the 2011 Budget meeting beginning on Oct. 11.
My question to Najib in the first week of the Parliamentary meeting next month read:
To ask the Prime Minister why the majority of Cabinet Ministers and top civil servants still do not accept the 1Malaysia concept of being Malaysian first and race second after 18 months, how he proposes to unite the entire administration under this concept.
It is precisely because Najib’s 1Malaysia concept has not found overwhelming support from his own Cabinet and government that there is so much back-stabbing, back-sliding, obstruction and even sabotage to the 1Malaysia policy from within the government.
A good illustration is the unequivocal statement by Najib just before National Day of zero tolerance for racism, but the Prime Minister’s writ does not seem to run in the Education Ministry which is under the charge of the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, infamous for his “I am Malay first, Malaysian second” declaration.
As a result, more than three weeks have passed but no action has yet been taken to discipline and punish the two school principals, one from Johore and the other Kedah, who had made racist slurs against the students in their schools last month.
What is even more shocking, the school principal in Kedah has returned to his posting although the parents and the Malaysian public have been given to understand that he would be transferred away – as if nothing serious had happened, making a total mockery of Najib’s “zero tolerance for racism” declaration.
All eyes will be on the Cabinet meeting tomorrow – not only on whether the Cabinet would take a stand to ensure that the two school principals who had made racial slurs against their students in school should be severely punished as an example to all education officers, but whether the Cabinet would at long last give full endorsement to Najib’s 1Malaysia policy with every Cabinet Minister declaring support for the 1Malaysia policy to create a Malaysian nation where every Malaysian regards himself or herself as Malaysian first and race second.
#1 by frankyapp on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 12:42 pm
Frankly why’s it so hard for Umno/Bn politicians to say he’s/she’s a Malaysian and end it. Why must malaysian wanted to mention/emphasize race and religion ? Are these really important to help building Malaysia into a progressive nation ? Everybody knows Malaysia and the whole world knows we are Malaysian. Didn’t this’s enough to make us proud as Malaysian? In view of this,I think there’s no need at all to add to our origin in our official duty or in our daily activities Just Malaysian is the best solution to national unity. Race and religion are personal matters,hence should be treated like wise and respected by all Malaysians. I don’t see any fuss about all these,right guys ?
#2 by k1980 on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 1:02 pm
Don’t focus on only ministers. All Malaysians young and old must declare themselves to be Malaysian first. All those who refuse or hesitate must have their citizenship revoked. They can then migrate to places of their choice such as Kerala or Somalia
#3 by Prasad on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 2:06 pm
For those of you who have watched Braveheart
remember this quote by robert’s father
“You will embrace this rebellion. Support it from our lands in the north. I will gain English favor by condemning it and ordering opposed from our lands in the south.”
Don’t be fooled by this sandiwara. Have you forgotten what has Nazri said in the past.
Is it so easy for Malaysians to forget.
#4 by Godfather on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 2:50 pm
On the assumption that the head of UMNO Youth should have been given a cabinet position, I’m quite sure KJ would have also come out to declare he is Malaysian first and Malay second.
The disgraceful part is that none of the MCA, Gerakan or MIC ministers have the guts to say it out loud, even though privately they agree that we are all Malaysians first. I wonder if they are worried about upsetting the hardliners in UMNO, so much so that they feel it is better to keep their heads in the sand.
#5 by DAP man on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 3:10 pm
How can?
If an UMNO minister says he is Malaysian first then he will be equal to a pendatang.
These are the superior Malays with shallow brains.
They are the bigots who have a problem. That answers Nazri’s question.
#6 by cintanegara on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 3:17 pm
Likewise, we have not heard from PAS or other DAP leaders declaring that he/she is Malaysian first and race second. It seems that LKS is fighting alone in the battle. Rhetorical Declaration is such a waste of time. We just want a true loyal patriotic citizen, who really loves his /her country.
The tiny country also made a similar declaration. In reality there are continuing policies which seem to disadvantage and even discriminate against 14% of the country population. In the armed forces for instance, there are sectors where they are not allowed to enter or the exclusion from `sensitive’ units in the Armed Forces
#7 by Taxidriver on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 3:40 pm
k1980 #2
You like that I so scared scared leh. If sent to Somalia I got no taxi to drive. There must ”eatgrass” like cows. Safer I declare now: I, taxidriver, am a Malaysian First and my bangsa of origin belakang. This Declaration I make witnessed by k1980.
k1980, I hope you don’t be like CSL and later say ” I never heard or witnessed such declaration ” You like that do I ”eatgrass” lah.
#8 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 3:50 pm
What is really shameful is that when Nazri said what he did, MCA, MIC, Gerakan did not come out and says something, like BN is great etc.. I mean seriously, can’t smell a really good opportunity when they see it? Pathetic if you ask me.
#9 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 4:07 pm
“D school principal in Kedah has returned 2 his posting although d parents n d Malaysian public hv been given 2 understand dat he would be transferred away”
B patient lah, MOE is arranging 4 d Kedah racist principal 2 b transferred to Johor n d Johor racist principal 2 b transferred to Kedah
Ambil sikit more time, exchange schools lah, still they r transferred, puashati tak?
#10 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 4:20 pm
“Sai lo kor wan lai sah’ – Little children playing in the sand. That is basically what is going on. Najib & Co is pretending to be governing. Its just play-play only.
#11 by BoycottLocalPapers on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 6:00 pm
With all due respect to Uncle Kit, I think DAP should stop this “Malaysian first or Malay first” rhetoric before it would cause embarassment to DAP and Pakatan Rakyat.
Asking UMNO to place race below nationality is like asking PAS to place nationality above religion.
We all know that to PAS members, being a Muslim is more important than being a Malaysian. For example, the poor state of Kelantan is giving monthly aid to Palestinian students who are Muslims instead of fellow poor Malaysian students of other religions
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/MB-Kelantan-gives-monthly-aid-for-Palestinian-education/
What if MCA or UMNO leaders challenge PAS leaders with this question:
MALAYSIAN FIRST OR MUSLIM FIRST?
Will PAS leaders be able to publicly declare that they are Malaysian first and religion second?
So, I think DAP got to stop with this rhetoric. Let Datuk Nazri be the only one from UMNO to declare that he’s Malaysian first and Malay second as I believe he is the only reasonable man left in UMNO and Barisan Nasional. I would like to believe in Najib’s sincerity about building 1Malaysia, but he is carrying too much dirty baggages with him.
#12 by Loh on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 7:40 pm
The answer given by MM Lee on that particular question of why Malays were not placed in the ‘sensitive’ positions. Lee said that those position might put Malays in difficulties having to fight and kill Malays if Singapore was at war with Malaysia. That was a decision to exclude Malalys out of compassion. Mamakthir has not been able to list an instance, where Chinese were excluded in any of Malaysian services out of compassion, which might be tenable.
#13 by Taxidriver on Tuesday, 21 September 2010 - 9:37 pm
Opposition leaders and Malaysians at large are waiting to see how sincere Najib is about his 1Malaysia Policy. I don’t think they ( opposition leaders ) have any problem following DS Nazri footstep to to do same, but Najib’s ministers and BN MPs must take the lead as 1Malaysia is government Policy and Najib is their boss.
But who really can fault the Cabinet Ministers and BN MPs when, after more than a year, Najib himself is still mulling over making a declaration to that effect. Being ”yes man” as they are, they are adopting a tunggu dan lihat attitude. they are waiting to see which direction the boss will move before saying, ”Buto, saya pun sama”
Having said all, one cannot expect all opposition leaders to make a stand when Najib’s sincerity on the doctorine is suspect as up to this date only DS Nazri has shown himself as one who can think independently.