The past week had been a sober reminder that we are living in dangerous times, with the senseless bombings and killings in Manchester, Jakarta and Egypt, causing the death of over 50 innocent lives and the injury of scores of others as a result of bigotry, intolerance and extremism.
In Malaysia, there has recently been an intensification of the politics of lies, hate and fear coupled with irresponsible politics of race and religion which must be condemned by all right-thinking Malaysians who want the country to be an oasis of peace, tolerance, harmony and goodwill in the midst of diverse races, religions and cultures.
Malaysia can and must be a showcase to the world that diverse races, religions and cultures can live in peace, tolerance, harmony and understanding and not in bigotry, intolerance or strife.
The recent spate of unhealthy, disruptive and dangerous politics of lies, hate and religion, coupled with the irresponsible politics of race and religion, include the following incidents:
• The emergence of a culture of violence, as witnessed by two “slap” incidents, one in the presence of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak where film director David Teoh was slapped during a Transformation Nasional 50 (TN50) dialogue session at the Prime Minister’s presence; and the second incident, where Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng’s information officer, Major Zaidi Ahmad, who was slapped at a demonstration outside a Penang mosque when Zaidi asked the leader of the demonstration to explain his accusation against the Penang government.
• The deaths threats on the Internet against Selangor DAP state committee member, Edry Faizal Eddy Yusof, as part of the scurrilous hate-and-damn DAP campaign falsely accusing DAP as anti-Malay and anti-Islam;
• The “Lim Kit Siang is racist” writing contest organized by UMNO Information Chief, Datuk Annuar Musa.
• A University Utara Malaysia (UUM) lecturer who lodged a police report falsely accusing the Selangor State Assembly Speaker Hannah Yeoh that her book “Becoming Hannah – a Personal Journey” published in 2014 was an attempt to proselytise Muslims when it was a story of Hannah’s personal journey on how she got into politics as a good Christian.
• The memorandum by the UUM lecturer to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to deregister the DAP, falsely alleging that the DAP opposed Islam’s position as the official religion of the country as well as the position of the Malays and the Orang Asli in Sabah and Sarawak. Clearly this lecturer is not aware of the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework of which the DAP was a signatory, and it would be interesting to know of the hundred other academicians who allegedly endorsed this memorandum seeking the deregistration of the DAP by the ROS.
The country is celebrating Malaysia’s 60th National Day anniversary this year, and the most meaningful way to mark such celebrations is to launch a national movement to save the country from the politics of lies, hate and fear to ensure that what happened in Manchester, Jakarta and Egypt in the past week do not happen in Malaysia
Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, region or even politics, must unite to re-set nation-building directions and policies for Malaysians to compete with the rest of the world and not to fight among ourselves to be more divided and lose out in the international race of nations for development and progress.
(Speech at the kopitiam dialogue during Jelajah Desa Dusun Tua, Selangor on Sunday, 28th May 2017 at 4.30 pm)
#1 by Bigjoe on Monday, 29 May 2017 - 8:44 pm
This cause has one of its member the person who is responsible for creating the problem in the first place – Dr. Mahathir. There are those who insist only he can make it right as those who he leads will not accept others to lead the change.
Regardless whether you think Mahathir should lead the change or not, the question is then what is the difference between Najib and Mahathir since Mahathir is the one who created the prodigal political inheritor.
Firstly, Mahathir did steal but Najib stole more blatantly, ridiculously. The amount difference normalised in GDP terms may not be that big a difference although absolute amount would bigger with Najib. Also, much of Mahathir’s money is wealth in equity that grew. In terms of criminality, Mahathir theft is circumstantially evidenced but Najib’s criminality is beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Second, money lost by Najib and Mahathir – Mahathir certaintly lost many billions more especially with Bank Negara forex lost, Proton and things like Perwaja too. Najib has not lost much that much in terms of corporate exercise Felda being the biggest, those related to 1MDB, but Mahathir had more corporate adventures over longer period of time. Najib actually could still lose more with ECRL, HSR, MRT, Defense spending.
Mahathir was authoritation, broke institutions, changed laws, cheat in election etc – everything Najib is accused off but fact is its no justification for going even further perhaps the fact that Mahathir did so much wrong with institutions, systems, laws etc, is more reason why Najib has less moral equivalency.
That that really is the crux of the difference between Mahathir and Najib. Just because Mahathir did wrongs does not give ANY EXCUSE for Najib to do the same even if less much less more or equal to Mahathir. That is what Progress really means, you are suppose to do better than your forebears, not make the same mistake equal , more or even just a little less, standards have to rise and better.
Whether or not Mahathir should lead the opposition is another matter but fact is no reason why attack against the opposition because of working Mahathir is worth anything..