Breaking Views
The Malaysian Insider
January 16, 2011
Since Election 2008, the racial and religious mercury has appeared to rise in Malaysia.
Little incidents of friction have sprouted here and there, testing inter-community ties and blotting the Malayan, and later, the Malaysian dream of Tunku Abdul Rahman and the Merdeka generation.
Fact is, there is an insidious pattern all over Malaysia, especially in states held by Pakatan Rakyat (PR), where little slights have exploded into full-blown crises that appear to require the deft touch of senior politicians to maintain calm and cool-headed thinking.
Name the issue, from Lim Guan Eng’s name in a prayer, relocation of temples, destruction of suraus and, the latest, where a surau allegedly had its speakers turned down after a complaint from an MCA man.
Many of these things were brought up, broadcasted, twisted and turned to major issues when the solutions could have been found within the communities themselves.
What is certain is that most are linked to either Umno or their allies, who manufacture racial or religious slights and then go on about how Malays/Muslims’ interests cannot be protected by PR.
In doing so, these protagonists have no care about worsening racial relations in the country. That most communities have lived through thick and thin but now face tests to their community spirit to resolve issues rather than make it a cause.
The ends justify the means. They just want to regain control of the states which fell to PR. That appears to be the aim from Day One. Create an incident. Then appear to be the salvation. That only one party can be the balm and boon for the country.
It is up to Malaysians to decide if these despicable and desperate tactics are acceptable. If these are not acceptable, then the message must be sent at the ballot box.
This country needs to move forward and not be afflicted by such issues that are blown out of proportions. Or by people or groups who have vested interests to keep Malaysia in a perpetual state of crisis.
#1 by k1980 on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 3:44 pm
//its speakers turned down after a complaint from an MCA man.//
If it were to be a DAP man, Ops Lallang II would be in full swing by now and the 13GE postponed to the year 3011.
#2 by tak tahan on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 3:50 pm
It is up to Malaysians to decide if these despicable and desperate tactics are acceptable. If these are not acceptable, then the message must be sent at the ballot box.
Ya..Uncle Kit,i’ve gathered few youngsters to ride on your rocket.What i learned from this blog is useful to open up their eyes and think for themselves.Hopefully they get all their friends to join the ride also.Enough sitting spaces right?
#3 by DAP man on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 4:05 pm
Insidious??????
It is blatant, without any show of guilt or fear or respect.
Its outright uncivilized behaviour by man from the caves but protected and encouraged by the government.
Insidious??????????????????????????????/
#4 by HJ Angus on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 5:24 pm
Such a government has lost the moral authority to rule and voters must exercise their rights to choose better leaders.
#5 by Loh on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 6:02 pm
///What is certain is that most are linked to either Umno or their allies, who manufacture racial or religious slights and then go on about how Malays/Muslims’ interests cannot be protected by PR.///
Some 55% of the population that control 99% of the political power for the past decades has been realized through on block votes based on race and religion. Now that corruption has become an important issue because it had made this a low-income country, and only a few representatives of the endangered race cornered a vast percentage of the wealth ‘transferred from national coffers’, UMNO realizes that the risk of losing political power is real, despites bags of postal votes. All the so-called conflicts are created by politicians aiming at scare mongering. The so-called 30 % equity share to be shared by Malays are held by a tiny fraction of the real Malay population. A Malay will soon have monopoly in running ports in Malaysia. How does it help the ordinary Malays who work in the informal sector? But the excuse that the 30% target had not been reached so other unfair NEP programmes cannot end. That sends trained persons on emigration. The human resource level of the country lags others. No amount of money under Najib’s NEM would change the indigenous (not bumiputras only) human resource situation.
#6 by sotong on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 6:11 pm
This is the direct consequence of decades of bad leadership……militant racial and religious extremists will not response to reason.
It will get worse and there is no quick fix.
#7 by Loh on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 7:32 pm
///The Election Commission (EC) is studying the possibility of implementing a proxy voting system that would empower individuals to cast ballots on behalf of .///–Malaysia Insider
It would appear that postal votes are not enough to win. UMNO would be proxy for all the scholarship students overseas.
#8 by drngsc on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 9:19 pm
Yes, certainly, there is less racial harmony and tolerance after March 2008. Everything seems to ” hurt our feelings “. Some people’s feelings are so fragile. Things do not look good for this multi-racial country.
We need a change, a change of government.
#9 by tak tahan on Sunday, 16 January 2011 - 11:56 pm
We need to garner more younger generation to vote for change.Briefly elaborate to them like why we need to change from present race base institution,pdrm,judiciary and worst racist and rotten goverment.Like why no justice to teoh,who are those crooks to protect the culprit.Why non malay are given equal participation in higher learning and who are those racist implementer.What are the consequences that will follow in the near future if we don’t do make the change by our powerful vote.Some are just lazy to read or think for themselves.But when i explained,they will say ya ho,ya ho,started to worry and will follow me to register.Believe me,they have no clue at all what is happening around them.Try this on some younger people and you will understand.
#10 by tak tahan on Monday, 17 January 2011 - 12:06 am
Make this younger group feel the consequences by simple explanation.Tell them we can’t do anything if this present corrupted and racist umnoputras are still holding the power.By giving few cases and explain to them and make them think the need to change is simply boot out this BN.Otherwise talk and and complain till we drop dead still will not do any good.
#11 by tak tahan on Monday, 17 January 2011 - 12:24 am
Don’t just tell the bloggers here we need change as i believe we already know.Try to educate those unfortunate young ones who can’t be bother because of limited knowledge and have no proper guidance from educated family-no offence-they are the ones who will live on to the next generation.I just hate to think the pathetic situation lying next for us if we choose to stay put in bolehland without any part o us by lending our hand to get more support from younger group-above age 21.We got to make a start and i’m doing it now when the chances arises.Serious,dagen,serious.
#12 by Godfather on Monday, 17 January 2011 - 11:01 am
The richest Malay happened to have originated from Yemen’s Al-Bukharey clan. Is UMNO embarrassed ? You bet they are, so now they are manufacturing all sorts of news that the richest Malay actually originated from Uzbekistan. They even managed to persuade this richest Malay to drop his family name. So now the mainstream papers will mention this richest Malay without his Al-Bukharey surname.
Aside from this richest Malay who also happened to have around RM 25 billion in debt from his group companies, who else is there that 53 years of plundering has produced ? The real rich Malays have gone private, and have transferred their wealth around the world – Diam diam Daim, amongst others.
#13 by Godfather on Monday, 17 January 2011 - 11:09 am
Guan Eng is right. With the announcement of RM 67 billion of ETPs, and with the usual rate of leakages, we are looking at a new group of Malays enriching themselves to the tune of 30+ billion. That’s nine zeros after any number you care to put against the leakages.
For UMNO, it is business as usual. Look at the MRT – inside sources now say that the project will cost RM 45 billion, but the papers have been told to tone down this amount so as not to create unease. Who controls the project ? Gamuda and MMC. Who controls these companies ? One has royalty as a substantial shareholder, the other is controlled by the world’s richest Malay.
Now the stage is set for “lobbying”, an euphemism created during the Mamakthir era to dish out the goodies. MCA lobbies, Gerakan lobbies, MIC lobbies, and all will get some crumbs. The serious profits will stay at the Gamuda/MMC level.
God save this country if the rakyat fails to save this country.
#14 by Taikohtai on Monday, 17 January 2011 - 11:52 am
BN is again resorting to ‘killing the chicken to scare the monkey’. By invoking May 13, sacking Hata, transferring Normala’s hubby, etc are just part of their dirty politics to stay in the game. The rakyat has been acting like monkeys for the past 50 years, especially those who live in the rural regions. The law of the jungle is still supreme in Malaysia.
#15 by tak tahan on Monday, 17 January 2011 - 11:57 am
Ya godfather,you are right.Thanks for the feeds you’re providing.I will take these as bullets to convince more youngster.In a short while i’ll be taking one chap for registering as voter.Soon his friends and colleaques’ll be riding rocket to join us.