The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday made the sterling call in the United Nations, saying it was time for moderates to reclaim the agenda for peace and pragmatism.
In his maiden speech at the UN, the prime minister said there was a need to marginalise the extremists, and the “global movement of the moderates” of all faiths was needed to work together to make this a success.
Najib said these extremists had held the world hostage with their bigotry and bias, adding that “we must choose moderation over extremism.”
“We must, and I repeat, we must urgently reclaim the centre and the moral high ground that has been usurped from us.
“We must choose negotiations over confrontation. We must choose to work together and not against each other. And we must give this effort utmost priority, for time is not on our side.”
Malaysians fully endorse the Prime Minister’s call in the United Nations that moderates must win over extremists, except that Najib would have set a new record for Malaysian Prime Ministers addressing the United Nations in the past 53 years – evoking the least credibility and greatest cynicism among the Malaysian public although Malaysians fully agree with the sentiments expressed.
This is because Malaysians are seeing an almost daily breakdown of authority, credibility and legitimacy of Najib as Prime Minister, coming not from the national Opposition, the Pakatan Rakyat or the civil society, but from within his own camp in Umno and the government bureaucracy with its contingent of Big and Little Napoleons.
On the day that Najib took to the world stage to decry the deplorable phenomenon where the mainstream “inadvertently allowed the ugly voices of the periphery to drown out the many voices of reason and common sense”, another instance of such extremism upping the ante in the escalation of the rhetoric of racial bigotry and religious in Malaysia which has become a common feature under Najib’s premiership in the past 18 months was being enacted.
At a Puteri Umno closed-door session in Kuala Lumpur, the National Civics Bureau (BTN) Deputy Director Hamim Husin breathed fire and brimstone to fan the rhetoric of race and religion, not only proclaimed that the rights of the Malays was to rule the country, but cast racial epithets at the Chinese and Indian communities in the country.
In contemptuously referring to the Indian community as “si botol” and the Chinese community as “si mata sepet”, the BTN deputy director has not only compounded and exceeded the offence caused by the two school principals which had produced national outrage that the government had failed to take any disciplinary action for 46 days, Hamin has confirmed that such anti-1Malaysia thinking pervades and permeates large strata of the Big and Little Napoleons in the civil service and why no action had been taken against the two principals so far.
The Cabinet is meeting tomorrow. It must act or be exposed for its irrelevance or impotence.
I call on the Cabinet tomorrow to dissolve BTN – which clearly is no more Biro Tatanegara but Biro Tentang Negara – and institute action against BTN deputy director Hamin Husin to prove that Najib’s call for the triumph of moderation over extremism is not only meant for international consumption in UN but also at home.
Borrowing Najib’s analogy in UN yesterday, the real issue in Malaysia is not between Malays and non-Malays or Muslims and non-Muslims but between the moderates and extremists of all races and religions in the tasks of creating an united, vibrant, competitive and prosperous Malaysian nation.
Would the Cabinet dare to rise up to the challenge tomorrow and answer this national call?
#1 by undertaker888 on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 4:04 pm
si parasite humping husin couldn’t find the decency to involve in proper debate anymore. you know when their grey matter do not work anymore, the best they can do are reciting racist remarks.
//Najib said these extremists had held the world hostage with their bigotry and bias, adding that “we must choose moderation over extremism.”“We must, and I repeat, we must urgently reclaim the centre and the moral high ground that has been usurped from us.////
#2 by Godfather on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 4:14 pm
Hamin Husin is an UMNO hero, so what are you guys talking about ? He will be promoted and given a datukship.
#3 by cintanegara on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 4:44 pm
Dissolve BTN?
Probably DAP can ask PAS to take the lead. After that get their key leaders to declare that they are ‘Malaysian’ first and ‘Race’ second? We have not heard from PAS leader made such declaration so far.
#4 by Loh on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 4:57 pm
///At a Puteri Umno closed-door session in Kuala Lumpur, the National Civics Bureau (BTN) Deputy Director Hamim Husin breathed fire and brimstone to fan the rhetoric of race and religion, not only proclaimed that the rights of the Malays was to rule the country, but cast racial epithets at the Chinese and Indian communities in the country.///– Kit
The BTN deputy director obviously collects his pay as civil servant. Why did he attend a political party meeting, during office hour? Tax payers money should not be spent on people working for the benefit or downfall of a political party.
The person who spewed racist remarks aimed to outdo the two other racists, for rewards. Had Muhyiddn not announced that he had no power to act, others would be more careful talking about inter-communal relationship. Sensing that the two now infamous racist principals would be rewarded rather than face disciplinary actions, rat race has just began. That was why Hishamuddin showed his keris at the UMNO youth meeting to outdo Khairy, the son-in-law who claimed earlier that Malays were marginalized in Penang.
#5 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 5:15 pm
Ha, ha, ha.
BTN should be made a full Ministry BTN.
Minister for BTN should be Ibrahim Perkasa.
Deputy Minister should be Hamim Husin, upgraded from BTN Dy DG. Wow! Wow! Wow!
2 tokkok UMNO/Perkasa.
#6 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 5:43 pm
///In contemptuously referring to the Indian community as “si botol” and the Chinese community as “si mata sepet”, the BTN deputy director has not only compounded and exceeded the offence caused by the two school principals which had produced national outrage that the government///- YB Kit.
The words “compounded and exceeded” used by Kit are apt and befitting.
The reason: whatever racist remarks made by the two principals of the schools in Kulai and Bukit Selambau, they being civil servants, must have acquired this kind of mindset from the indoctrinating courses conducted by BTN. In other words they are the “students” whilst BTN is the teacher. Even if the students have committed an offence of being racists, the offence of the tutor and teacher is greater because the latter disseminate such ideology! It also means that if the principals’ racist remarks have become the fit and proper subject of enquiry and investigation by the Public Service Department, more so will be the case of the BTN Deputy Director’s racial epithets of “si botol” and “si mata sepet” in reference to the Indian and Chinese respectively. If one thinks that the “student” (as the principals are in relation to BTN) should be punished for their offence, how could their tutor/teacher who is the first cause of creating their racial mindset be spared???
What the BTN Deputy Director said struck at the very heart of “1 Malaysia” espoused by the PM, and the timing of it, exactly when the PM was addressing the UN General Assembly on the need to put an end to extremism, makes a mockery and effrontery of the PM’s message. What more, the BTN is directly under the PM’s department. How could an officer of a department directly under the PM be allowed to sabotage its own boss’s central political platform of 1 Malaysia and yet allowed to go without accounting?
Special officer to PM, Nasir Safar was asked to go for making racist remarks of Chinese and Indian Malaysians being mere “pendatangs” (immigrants) and that Chinese women came to Malaysia to indulge in the “flesh trade” – so whats so “special” about the Deputy Director that he should be exonerated, where the PM’s special officer was not? Unlike the 2 errant princiapls both are not civbil servants subject to the General Orders!
I agree that the BTN courses should be abolished. If even it’s senior Deputy Director could banter in such racial epithets, would be expect less of the course directors and tutors down the line and the effect on other civil servants and principals??
It is not just Kit and PAS’s vice president Salahuddin Ayub complaining about Hamim Husin’s remarks and BTN – they share a consensus with BN’s component parties’ officials such as MIC vice-president Datuk Dr S Subramaniam (TheMalaysianInsider’s report of September 27, 2010) and MCA publicity bureau chief Central Committee member, Loh Seng Kok, (Malaysiakini’s report Sep 28).
Hanim said to Puteri UMNO that it was the “rights of Malays is to rule the country” which of course strikes again at the very concept of power sharing amoungst component parties within the Barisan Nasional. No wonder MIC & MCA also expressed their outrage. How could action not be taken on BTN & its deputy director in these circumstances?
#7 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 6:12 pm
Ask the Cabinet? They will say BTN is under the PM and he will decide. Ask Najib, a variety of things can happen, i.e., he is looking into it, Hamin Husin meant something else, he can even just stay silent about it, OR even Hamin Husin just got caught up in the moment..
#8 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 6:19 pm
Ha, ha, ha ….. very funny
Next time CSL n KTK will write “si mata sepet” 4 Bangsa in official forms
N SV will write “si botol” 4 Bangsa in official forms
All thanks 2 their racist bed partner UmnoB
Very creative BTN @ insulting/degrading Chinese n Indians
Like other racists proclaiming Chinese n Indians as descendants of U know what lah
N NR n Moo keep singing we r not a racist party, not a racist gomen
#9 by Peter on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 6:25 pm
This utterly disgraceful racialistic idiot HH from BTN is one of those who causes so much racialistic and religious between all races in the country thru all the 52+ years of UMNO rule. BTN will never never ever BE dissolved as long we have dickheads like this running around all important government agencies.
#10 by boh-liao on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 - 6:28 pm
NR n Moo will say U LKS tak tahu proper gomen rules n regulations
We no got power 2 punish senior civil servants lah, only Chief Secretary got power lah
Like dis LKS pun no know, some more want 2 take over Putrajaya 2 govern M’sia
Go study more law n gomen rules n regulations lah
#11 by Cinapek on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 12:16 am
Najib said:
““We must, and I repeat, we must urgently reclaim the centre and the moral high ground that has been usurped from us.”
Great, Mr PM. Can you:
1) Can you and your Govt at the very least speak up about the two racist and extremist principals even though it is obvious your Govt has no intention of touching them?
2) You praise President Obama and New York Mayor Bloomberg for supporting the construction of the Islamic Cordoba Centre to be built right next to Ground Zero, a painful reminder to the families of the thousands who were killed by Islamic extremists. While we do not expect you to praise the construction of the Mazu temple in KK near to a mosque, can we at least expect you to verbally speak up and support its construction in line with your strident message to build interfaith harmony?
3) I do not recall you condemning the cow head incident. In fact your cousin held a press conference with the culprits sitting beside him and he was trying hard to justify their actions. Can you speak up and put them in their places?
4) Nasir Safar worked for you for several decades. Surely you must know his racist tendencies during all those decades. Why did you kept him in your employ until his racist rants in public went over board. Surely his racist rantings was not an overnight affliction.
5) BTN is in your dept. There is overwhelming evidence of their racist indoctrinations if you care to look. And at the very least, now that it is public knowledge can we see you taking some action to discipline Hamim Husin to show that you at least practise a little of what you preach.
Shall we go on?
#12 by boh-liao on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 12:43 am
Cabinet today shld wish Belated 60th HAPPY BIRTHDAY to YM Raja Petra Kamarudin n let him n wife come home!
#13 by vsp on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 1:08 am
Don’t fool ourself that if the Malays are united, there will be utopia. Politics in Malaysia from the days of the Malacca Sultanate up to the present age is not about the ordinary Malay people. It’s about the elites. The ordinary Malays are just cannon fodder regarded merely as material to be expended in wars between the elitist themselves.
UMNO is a party still teetered to a feudalistic and tribalistic mentality. UMNO’s struggle in the beginning was mostly inspired by teachers but when Mahathir became the leader, UMNO was transformed into a party for businessmen and cronies. Matters came to a head when the original UMNO was disbanded. The present UMNO is a bastardised party comprising of selfish rent-seekers and rabble-rousers. The founders of the original UMNO, Tunku Abdul Rahman and another former PM Tun Hussein Onn was prevented from joining the new UMNO. It is no secret that within UMNO Baru there are serious divisions and factionalism. It is the only party in this country where territorial rivalries between different factions has resulted in murders and practice in witchcrafts. Think of Mona Affendi and Sports Minister cases and you will find that the party is all about the struggle for power and riches between the elites.
The NEP that was supposed to benefit the poor of all races was hijacked and diverted by UMNO Baru to create a club of UMNOputra billionaires with the help of non-Malay supercronies. If the NEP have been implemented properly, the country would have peace and prosperity for all races, but unfortunately the elites are getting richer and despotic while the ordinary Malays are struggling and becoming more insecure.
Now coming back to my earlier assertion that the elitist Malays have never known to have unity among themselves. Prior to the advent of the colonists, the Malay elites had been waging wars and killing themselves and the poor and ordinary Malays served as cannon fodders. There was no peace in the land and there was a time when a neighbouring state like Thailand were controlling a third of the Malay Peninsular. Even during the Sultanate days wars was the preoccupation of the Malay elites that they had to turn to the Chinese emperor to protect them. And when the British came the Malay elites were willing to surrender their powers to the British for their own protection. Let’s be frank about it: if not for the British, there would never be a Malaysia. What would happen is that the Malay elites will just control two-thirds of the Malay peninsular but never united. But now with independence from the British Malaysia is now more than 160% of its original territories. So colonialism is a blessing actually.
Now the Malay and their dependent non-Malay elites are making a lot of noises that the immigrant races such as the Chinese and Indians are depriving them of the unity that they never have. The fact of the matter is that the immigrant races are being scapegoated for all the problems of the country. Okay expel all the Chinese and Indians back to China and India so that an utopia of peace and prosperity will ascend on this land. Fat hopes: Malays will fight against Malays and finally the Indonesians will colonised the country. So for the ordinary Malays, don’t ever trust the elites. They have never had a place for the ordinary people.
Whether you are an ordinary Malay, Chinese, Indian or others, we are not at war. It is the elites from the ruling parties and their super non-Malay super-cronies that are fanning the flames of distrust for their own selfish interests.
#14 by yhsiew on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 2:14 am
Cabinet today should ask Najib to choose
BTN or 1Malaysia.
#15 by sk88 on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 8:05 am
I think it is a sort of hidden agenda that require some civil servants to utter something disgusting againsts Indians and Chinese from time to time to keep racism alive in Malaysia. So much for 1Malaysia.
#16 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 8:54 am
We Malaysians are in mighty big trouble – the harmony aspect I mean, thanks to politicians and communal politics!
40 years ago, quite possibly if a person from another racial group were to call the Chinese “si mata sepet” or an Indian “si botol” or for that matter a Malay as si parasite, no one would have got angry and there wouldn’t be this public hue and cry to lynch that guy! That we do so now is a measuring cast of how far we have regressed (the opposite progressed) in race relations and harmony department.
Then, as opposed to now, what’s the big deal of an epithet – in the case of “si mata sepet” based on racial stereotyping of a Chinese being slit eye without eyelids (when many Chinese are not) and cultural stereotyping that Indians take to the bottle when certainly many don’t? Its just a convenient label to add colour to what one says and often even if intended derogatory is not actuated with malice : its more like to poke fun at someone of another racial and cultural group at his expense and in context is harmless and often even humorous! Now if a Chinese were to address MCA members to call anyone there “si mata sepet” or an MIC official were to call anyone in an MIC forum “si botol”, would anyone be angered??? Amongst close personal friends what’s the problem I call a Chinese and Indian friend there “si mata sepet” and “si botol”? They’d probably reciprocate by even more derogatory insults and all will laugh it off! That we can’t laugh it off is a measure again of the divide and subsisting suspicion if not ill will!
So the problem is not with the epithet, whether racial or cultural based. As always it’s not up to the people who throw these terms at others to decide what is derogatory. The people who are the target get to decide whether it’s acceptable, and that depends on the context in and circumstances by which it is uttered. There is to be sure racism not only here but everywhere and the use of racial epithet is common. Where there is goodwill and at least acceptable level of harmony, at most what is required of the party that has offended others by using racial epithets, whether deliberate or inadvertent, is to just apologise, and that’s the end of the matter.
But no here we bray for his blood, he should be sacked, charged for sedition etc
We disproportionately hound these individuals and make them bear the cross of paying the price and beariung the punishment of the very racial system and policies – that make them what they are and what they say- that we have grievances against!
Our vocabulary is short on forgiveness (which can easily be given by a simple apology) and long in vengeance and redress for grievances that are essentially caused by bad racial policies rather than bad racial epithets by people influenced by these policies!
#17 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 8:56 am
At the heart of all these reactions (or shall I say over-reaction) of the aggrieved is not just a sense of separateness of one racial/cultural group for the other group but a sense of grievance by one against the other. I don’t have to elaborate on the nature of grievance (what one has against the other is not the same vice versa but it is grievance nonetheless).
It is all due to divisive political policies and Bumi-Non Bumi dichotomy exacerbated by racial rhetoric by our politicians throughout 40 years of racial politics with No. 1 Racist cheering all the way as cheer leader! In this kind of racial cauldron stirred up by communal politicking, Najib’s coming out with an inclusive ‘1 Malaysia’ – no matter how good the intention to address the problem – is no panacea.
It exacerbates and bring the cauldron to a boil when Non malays seize it to say that’s the way everything else and every policy has to be benchmarked against and everyone who says things inconsistent to it must be punished – not so much they have got that great an anger against the 2 errant principals or BTN deputy director Hanim for their misstatements but they want to fight the selective treatment, symptomatic of the institutionalised and divisive official racial policies of this country, in part perpetuated by BTN’s doctrines.
Correspondingly those Malays inculcated by NEP’s values of entitlement or BTN’s ideology and defending them will naturally fight against all these and hound NameWee.
Tit for Tat, it creates a spiral of one group against the other each waiting for the other to say something out of line to unleash their collective grievances! The inherent schism of conflict within the groups gets sharpened and sharpened, wider and wider….
We are here therefore where we are. We therefore now live in a colourless and humourless society, can’t have fun at the expense of the other, it’ll always be taken the wrong way and blown out of proportion and we have to be very careful of what we say lest we provoke a public outcry and provide fodder for every political opportunist in town to attack to rally support from his specific groups or constituency under the masquerade of defending their dignity interest and honour. This is all wrong and ultimately foolish for rightly the dignity interest and honour of all Malaysians whatever race or creed against the rest of the world but we’re not, the better engagement appears to be tearing each others throats! We now lie in the very bed that we have made all these years.
#18 by Jeffrey on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 - 9:05 am
Sorry for typo omission rectified by capitals:
“….This is all wrong and ultimately foolish for rightly the dignity interest and honour of all Malaysians whatever race or creed against the rest of the world SHOULD BE WHAT WE ALL FIGHT FOR but we’re not, the better engagement appears to be FIGHTING FOR EACH GROUP’S RIGHTS DIGNITY AGAINST THE OTHER GROUP, tearing each others throats!”