With the approach of the UMNO General Assemblies 2014 from Nov. 25 to 29, there is a build-up of the rhetoric and hysteria that “Malays and Islam are under threat”.
National laureate A. Samad Said made a most pertinent point when he pointed out that despite claims of a growing threat against the Malay community, the country’s leadership has remained in the hands of Malays and is still led by a party which claims to represent the Malay community.
I agree with Pak Samad that it is most peculiar that allegations of Malays under threat are constantly being played up, which is why he advised the Malay community not to be too obsessed about claims that Malays are under threat.
Pak Samad had asked the most relevant question:
“How are Malays under threat? How can religion (Islam) and Malays be threatened when those in power have been Malay for over five decades?
“What have they (Malay leaders) been doing for five decades (if Malays can be under threat)?”
What Pak Samad prescribed is most apt, and I don’t think it could be gainsaid by anyone, that if the country’s more than five-decade-old UMNO Malay leadership cannot put the Malay community at ease, then it should surrender power to let other Malays rule.
Why should the country’s race relations be held to ransom every time UMNO hold its annual General Assemblies for UMNO leaders to hype the imaginary spectre of Malays and Islam under siege, when what could be under threat is only the continued political rule and survival of UMNO leaders – like the disgraceful paper by the former Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice chancellor, Ibrahim Abu Shah warning that “If Umno loses, Malays may never rule again” with the threat that the future of Malays would be “dark and unfortunate” or the insidious and pernicious racialism of the Minister for Communications and Multimedia, Ahmad Shabery Cheek, irresponsibly alleging that Malays were not welcomed in Pakatan Rakyat-run Penang.
All the six Prime Ministers from the nation’s independence in 1957 were Malays – Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, Tun Mahathir, Tun Abdullah and currently Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Have they all, or some or one of them, betrayed the Malays as Prime Minister to cause the Malays and Islam to be still under siege 57 years after Merdeka?
Of the six Prime Ministers, Tun Mahathir had been Prime Minister for the longest period – 22 years 3 months, compared to Tunku’s 13 years; Razak’s 5 yrs 4 months; Hussein’s 5 years 6 months ; Abdullah’s 5 years 5 months ; and Najib’s more than 5 years 7 months.
Will Mahathir bear the biggest responsibility for Malays and Islam to be under siege in 2014 because of his longest premiership in the past 57 years?
Will UMNO delegates and the country be provided with a checklist as to how each of the six Malay Prime Ministers in the past 57 years had failed to uplift the Malays and Islam as to cause them to be under threat at present?
If Malays and Islam are under threat, it is not just the concern of Malays and Muslims, but the concern of all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity and faith, because we are all one people who want a successful Malaysia to rise from our diverse races and religions.
Patriotic Malaysians do not want Malays and Islam under threat, just as we do not want non-Malays in Malaysia, whether Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Orang Asli or Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism to be under threat.
If Malays and Islam are under threat, they should be the concern of all non-Malays and non-Muslims, just as any problem of Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, Ibans, Orang Asli or Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Taoism under threat in Malaysia should be the concern of all Malays and Muslims in Malaysia!
I would in fact call for three-day extension of Parliament for a full debate on “Are Malays and Islam under threat?” for we must build a Malaysia where the Malays and Islam are not under threat – just as the non-Malays and non-Muslim religions are not under threat.
Otherwise, Malaysia would have failed in our constitutional compact to create a an independent and sovereign democratic State founded upon liberty and justice, where “Islam is the religion of the Federation but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony”, ever seeking to defend and uphold peace and harmony among its people and to perpetuate peace among nations.
#1 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 16 November 2014 - 7:08 pm
Yes, by UMNO and we-know-who who claim to be championing them but in fact destroying them from the inside out…
#2 by bryanbb on Monday, 17 November 2014 - 1:41 am
For those of us with just a basic understanding of Islam, the impression of the noble faith in our nation..especially the negatives,is that,
It seems to have been used a tool / instrument for political manuvering in Malaysia , an excuse to preach intolerance ,a movement to rally and unite a whole ethnic community ,to incite resentment,inflame passions or threaten violence, an excuse not to enforce laws of our constitution.,over the top melodramatization of ” non halal” contamination.
A base of rules set, from whence any form of inter faith mutual respect will not be entertained..
All of the described, did occur over past months ,in the name of the Faith.
God’s commands are perfect, Religion is noble and virtuous , but human mindsets and bias selective interpretation to prove a point ,not to edify another , but to display an “arrogance of spiritual knowledge” , in vanity or pride , of the Almighty’s words , makes the interpretator’s version of Religion ugly and spiteful..rather than noble and virtuous.
In Malaysia lately , it is as if , it is anything but …the version of the true noble ,compassionate religion it is supposed to be..when only negative comments or condemnation of this and that, which keeps surfacing . Are there no positives or goodness at all in these minds to praise in the name of the Faith?
Seems like they (religious zealots) are their own worst enemies, most times the “threat” emanating from their very own inner selves and imagination or interpretation , almost whimsically , their minds conjuring endless perceived foes to their faith ,from the absurd to the outrageous. So if indeed, the Faith or community is under siege, the campaign is by and large orchestrated by the well learned religious ” interpretators of the scriptures” leading the blitz against their own,with some mighty powerful commandeers behind the scenes.
#3 by Noble House on Monday, 17 November 2014 - 2:53 am
Perception is awareness shaped by belief. Unless you understand how reality is manifested, your destiny will be in the hands of the ruling elite who ‘do’ understand it.
The hardest prison to escape is in your mind!
#4 by yhsiew on Monday, 17 November 2014 - 3:49 am
If Malays and Islam are under threat, Umno had better kick out all the non-Malay parties including MCA, Gerakan and MIC in the BN coalition.
#5 by undertaker888 on Monday, 17 November 2014 - 9:16 am
We are all under threat by organization like furkasa and individual like ridsect tee.
#6 by worldpress on Monday, 17 November 2014 - 9:17 am
Wake up lah, Is it Malaysia under threat? bodoh
You have the majority now, if you keep saying others like owing you a permanent debt keep asking for special treatment blocking other to feel fair to contribute, MALAYSIA be doom you all may be doom, WHO GO TO FEEL YOU THE MAJORITY (so called specific) when Malaysia doom lost in ECONOMIC activities year after year and your number keep increasing
BE FAIR!
#7 by Justice Ipsofacto on Monday, 17 November 2014 - 10:16 am
This is one good question to debate in parliament.
“Malays and islam under threat”. This has always been spoken off by umno as a statement of fact.
It’s good to state it as a question, instead, for debate in parliament.
So yeah who? threatens malays and islam and how? and when? and where?
This issue must be resolved otherwise umno will sound like ISIS when it makes claims that islam is under threat all the time.