Archive for category nation building
To Modernize, Can Malaysia Move Beyond Race?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building, NEM on Saturday, 11 September 2010
Time
Sunday, Sep. 05, 2010
By Michael Schuman / Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia is that rare country with an unequivocal national narrative. It goes something like this: Malaysia’s 28 million people, comprising mainly Malays, Chinese and Indians, make up a moderate and modern emerging democracy. Unlike members of other multiethnic countries, they respect one another’s beliefs and values and share a commitment to achieving prosperity. The official religion is Islam, but other faiths are freely allowed and celebrated. This is one harmonious place.
Much of that narrative is true — but not all of it. Malaysia’s economic miracle has stalled, and while the nation is, indeed, somewhat pluralistic, it is no melting pot. Indeed, it is a society where people define themselves first and foremost by race.
The country’s political leadership has in some respects reinforced those ethnic identities. For the past 40 years, policymakers have doled out special privileges — in education and business — to one community: the majority Malays. The program is one of modern history’s greatest experiments in social engineering and possibly the world’s most extensive attempt at affirmative action. But the policies have also bred resentment among minorities, distorted the economy and undermined the concept of a single Malaysian identity.
Now a movement is gaining strength to finally change the system — and it’s coming from the very top. Prime Minister Najib Razak, 57, has surprised the country by advocating a fundamental reform of the pro-Malay program first introduced, ironically, by his father, who was Malaysia’s Prime Minister in the 1970s. Though the specifics of the new policies remain hazy, Najib’s intent is not. “I want Malaysia to be globally competitive,” he told TIME in an exclusive interview. “For that, we need to get every single Malaysian to be together.”
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Patrick Teoh: A still-unfulfilled Merdeka wish
Posted by Kit in nation building on Wednesday, 8 September 2010
By Ding Jo-Ann | The Nut Graph
WHEN Malaysians hear the name Patrick Teoh, it’s a voice, and not a face, that springs to mind. Teoh had no inkling when he landed his first radio job at Redifussion 45 years ago that he would go on to become one of Malaysia’s most recognisable voices.
“People do say sometimes, ‘Patrick, your voice is still the same as I remember. I used to tune in to you and you kept me company when I was staying up late mugging for exams’,” Teoh tells The Nut Graph. “Those times are nice, being part of someone’s life when they were growing up, it’s the best part of the job.”
Other than his many years in radio broadcasting in Redifussion and Radio 4, Teoh worked as a part-time newscaster for TV3 when it first started broadcasting the news. Teoh also appeared alongside Chow Yuen-Fatt and Jodie Foster in Anna and the King in 1999, acting as a judge. He is now a full-time actor and a member of the Instant Café Theatre Company.
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Is there any Minister concerned enough about the escalating rhetoric of race and religion to propose in Cabinet tomorrow a “Say No to Racism” nation-wide campaign
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building on Tuesday, 7 September 2010
The common response to my suggestion yesterday that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should propose to the Cabinet meeting tomorrow a nation-wide “Say No to Racism” campaign headed by him to give flesh to his 1Malaysia slogan and policy as well as his “Zero tolerance for Racism” declaration is one of skepticism and cynicism that Najib would do any such thing.
I admit that recent developments do not indicate that Najib is capable of rising to the occasion to prove that he is Prime Minister for all Malaysians and the future of Malaysia instead of being a prisoner of Umno politics and the past.
These developments include:
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His “Zero Tolerance to Racism” declaration lack credibility and legitimacy as it was preceded by his two-week silence on the racism and seditious outbursts of the two school principals in Johore and Kedah and followed by another two weeks of further inaction against the two errant school principals. Read the rest of this entry »
Zero tolerance for racism or zero action?
Posted by Kit in nation building on Monday, 6 September 2010
By Thomas Lee
It is nearly a month since the controversial racist remarks allegedly made by Johor school principal Siti Inshah Mansor on 12 August 2010 was highlighted in the media, but no action has so far been taken on the case.
On the contrary, the case involving 27-year-old rapper Wee Meng Chee, popularly known as Namewee, who last week uploaded a video titled “Nah” on the YouTube criticizing Siti Inshah’s alleged racist remarks uttered against students, was investigated straight away by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which questioned him for more than seven hours.
It was reported that the police also went to Meng Chee’s house in Muar 15 minutes before midnight on the eve of the 53rd Merdeka celebration, leading him to post this message on his Facebook: “3 POLICE CARS FINALLY CAME TO MY MUAR HOME TO ARREST ME***** this happened 15 minutes before our 53rd National Day Celebration. YES, I’m still here but for how long more, I don’t know … my beloved MALAYSIA, where is our justice system?! (THIS IS NOT A JOKE)”.
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What social contract?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Constitution, nation building on Monday, 6 September 2010
by Clive Kessler
Malaysian Insider
September 06, 2010
“Najib warns against questioning ‘social contract’,” it is reported.
This claim is plain and simple “historical revisionism”.
To what “social contract” precisely is the PM referring?
In the 1980s a new political idea was created: that of “Ketuanan Melayu”, of Malay ascendancy, supremacy, domination.
Thereafter, especially from 2008 it has been ever more powerfully promoted, generally in association with the suggestion that a “social contract” had been entered into and constitutionally enshrined in the mid-1950s.
How was this manoeuvre executed? With what purpose and consequences? Read the rest of this entry »
Call for return of civility, reason and rationality in public discourse and an end to any form of racial or religious slurs in public domain particularly on the social media and Internet
Posted by Kit in IT, nation building on Sunday, 5 September 2010
The rise and frequency of instances of racial and religious slurs in the public domain particularly on the social media and the Internet must be a matter of grave concern to all Malaysians.
All right-thinking Malaysians regardless of political affiliation should join hands to call and work for a return of civility, reason and rationality in public discourse and an end to any form of racial or religious slurs particularly on the social media and Internet.
The quality of Malaysian public discourse must not be degraded and sullied by lies and falsehoods, racial bigotry and religious intolerance which can only undermine and subvert the very fabric of Malaysian society.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has called for speedier action by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) against those who post racial or religious slurs and misuse the social networking websites.
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Why double standards against Namewee, questioned for over 10 hours, for his anti-racist outburst as compared to treatment for the two errant school principals?
Posted by Kit in nation building on Saturday, 4 September 2010
Four questions need to be asked in the Nameweek’s “Nah” videoclip controversy.
Firstly, is the three-minute video “Nah” uploaded on YouTube by rapper Wee Meng Chee better known as Namewee seditious? I would say no.
Secondly, is the video racist? I would also say no, unless an anti-racist response has also become “racist” in the way that former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad wants Malaysians to believe that meritocracy has become a form of racism.
Thirdly, is the video crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene? Yes. I have said twice publicly that I do not approve of the crude, vulgar, abusive and even obscene style used by Namewee but that is different from saying that it is seditious or racist and deserves the harshest criminal action to be taken against Meng Chee.
This is also why I cannot agree with the public stand of the MCA President Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek who declared on National Day eve that MCA fully supports any action taken by the government against Meng Chee. Does this include action under the Sedition Act or other capital offences?
How can the MCA leadership with four Ministers in Cabinet take such an irresponsible position, giving a blank cheque to racists and extremists to set the agenda as to the punishment that should be meted out to Meng Chee? Isn’t this a gross abdication of responsibility in government?
The fourth question is whether Meng Chee is the victim of double standards by the authorities? Read the rest of this entry »
Teo says surau row nadir in her life
Posted by Kit in DAP, Islam, nation building on Saturday, 4 September 2010
By Debra Chong
September 04, 2010
The Malaysian Insider
PETALING JAYA, Sept 4 — Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching has revealed that she broke down over her surau visit controversy because she thought she had done something to make the Malays hate DAP and caused terrible hardship to the surau committee members.
The young first-term MP told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that the row had been the lowest point in her life.
But yesterday, she looked the epitome of confidence in her bold red dress and big toothy smile as she strode into the DAP national headquarters.
It was in stark contrast to the abject figure she cut a week ago after national Malay daily, Utusan Malaysia , front-paged a picture of her — a non-Muslim — addressing a Muslim group from inside the inner sanctum of a surau, dressed in a kebaya reminiscent of the Singapore Girl uniform and with her head uncovered.
The stunt earned her the Sultan of Selangor’s wrath, the paper reported.
“I cried,” the 29-year-old lawmaker admitted plainly to The Malaysian Insider in an exclusive interview, after reading the report. Read the rest of this entry »
‘Namewee is a uniting factor’
Posted by Kit in nation building on Friday, 3 September 2010
Mariam Mokhtar
Malaysian Mirror
Friday, 03 September 2010
If Namewee (Wee Meng Chee) is prosecuted for his music-video, then two mixed messages are being sent out by the government: The first is that the authorities practise double-standards. The second is that it was only because of Namewee’s ‘intervention’ that the government sat up and took racism seriously.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the rapper was being investigated by the police for sedition. Various ministers and a menteri besar also want Namewee punished for his controversial video.
In the first place, Namewee made this clip because of the government’s slow response to tackle effectively the latest racist incident. It appears that we are now united, against racism.
Far from being seditious or racist, Namewee has done the job of the government in exposing all that is ‘ugly’ about us. Read the rest of this entry »
Rising racism, 53 years on
Posted by Kit in nation building on Friday, 3 September 2010
This year, I became a senior citizen. I can now withdraw my EPF savings and I qualify for some discounts for travel and surprisingly even for some buffet meals at some eateries.
But as I ponder upon ‘retirement’, it is sad to see the Malaysia that I know and live in, grows increasingly uncertain, diffident and bogged down in self-made crises, one after another.
Our previously phenomenal economic growth has now trickled down in a dizzying spiral of middle-income trap – not helped by the 2008 global financial crisis.
Our foreign direct investments have dwindled as our competitiveness, our productivity, perhaps our systemic corruption and wastage, have now been exposed and called into question.
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Ersatz moderation will not suffice, PM
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building on Thursday, 2 September 2010
By G. Krishnan
Surely any right-minded Malaysian will find it impossible to disagree with the prime minister that we cannot allow racism to destroy us. And surely all of us who cherish the virtues of moderation must find ourselves whole-heartedly agreeing with the prime minister that we cannot allow extreme attitudes on racial and religious issues to compromise national unity.
As such, it is precisely for these reasons, Mr. Prime Minister that moderates such as myself continue to remain perplexed and puzzled about the glaring discrepancy that continues to persist between the messages you espouse and the reality that persists in the manner your government conducts itself.
I must admit, I was struck by your re-affirmation of the principles of the Rukun Negara; something that merely one month ago, I noted in one of my articles should be given far greater prominence in our national culture, especially in place of the religious one-upmanship.
To be precise, I stated that,
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Mahathir is the major obstacle to Najib’s 1Malaysia and National Transformation Agenda
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Mahathir, Najib Razak, nation building, NEM, NEP on Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad blogged on the 53rd National Day eve that “today the races are more divided than ever”.
The implications of Mahathir’s statement merits attention.
Here we have the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister in fact telling the current Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak that despite this year’s Merdeka Month theme: “1Malaysia: Transforming the Nation” and the latter’s 1Malaysia policy and National Transformation Programme for 18 months since assuming the highest office in the land in April last year, national unity and inter-racial relations had never been so bad at present as compared to any time in the 22 years Mahathir had been Prime Minister from 1981 – 2003.
Would Najib agree to this Mahathir assessment as the present Prime Minister was during those 22 years of Mahathir premiership either Pahang Mentri Besar or a Cabinet Minister, starting as Minister for Youth and Sports before being appointed to Education and later Defence portfolios – while in Umno, occupying the posts of Umno Youth Leader (especially during the Operation Lalang years) and Umno National Vice President from 1995-2003?
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Feeble-minded BN
Posted by Kit in nation building on Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Three BN ministers were not speaking from a position of strength when they labeled PKR politician Nurul Izzah Anwar a traitor and a sinner for saying in an Indonesian newspaper, that Malaysia’s new, multimillion ringgit submarine is defective.
She also highlighted the problems plaguing our navy and expressed doubts about the New Economic Policy (NEP).
?Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom said, Those who tarnish their country’s image with the aim of causing turmoil are regarded to have sinned.
The truth hurts, but Jamil is mad to brand people who are critical of the Malaysian government as ‘sinners’.
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The ultimate Malaysian debate: Malaysia or Malaysaja?
Posted by Kit in Constitution, nation building, NEP on Tuesday, 31 August 2010
AUG 31 — Perkasa claims to defend Malay rights in a multi racial Malaysia. And these Malay rights are inalienable, non-negotiable and permanent. Those that disagree with their interpretation of these Malays rights are deemed treacherous and should leave Malaysia.
In the spirit of Ramadhan and Merdeka, I would like to invite Perkasa to a Constructive Engagement for a new beginning for Malaysia with me.
I would like to ask Perkasa, several key questions to better understand, and together seek real solutions for the crisis it claims the Malays are facing.
I believe that Perkasa is the current vocal, and not necessarily the majority voice of the Malays. And by all indication, Perkasa is the alter-ego of Umno.
If Perkasa can be engaged constructively and a resolution found, then we would have answered the acid-test of Malay concerns once and for all?
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Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!
Posted by Kit in nation building on Tuesday, 31 August 2010
By Richard Loh
I intended to use the post title Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka but someone beats me to it.
I was 3 years old when Malaya got its Independence and at that age I cannot recalled what actually happened, only to learn in later years from history books. History are written by men or historians but along the way depending on the whims and fancies of those in power, it can be rewritten.
What I learned in the sixties was that Malayan comprising of all races led by Tunku Abdul Rahman fought for our Freedom from the British rule. Following our Freedom the country had to fight the communist insurgencies and Malayan of all races fought off the communists.
The sixties, the time that I was a teenager, the country was peaceful and harmonious (other than the communist insurgencies, which have no effect on us civilians) with all the races mixing around each other without any inkling what racism is all about while religions were never a conflict.
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I am Chinese but I want to be known as MALAYSIAN!
Posted by Kit in nation building on Monday, 30 August 2010
By Philip Yong
So, the day has arrived. The day we’ve all been patiently waiting for. Yes it is finally here!
This was the day all Malaysians regardless of race stood up together to shout ‘MERDEKA, MERDEKA, MERDEKA!’ from the bottom of their hearts. Even just by imagining the atmosphere at that moment, I can feel the joy. But today, I no longer have that feeling.
Tomorrow (31st August 2010) is our country’s 53rd National Day. Wow, we’ve got our independence for 53 years already, how amazing can that be? But you know what? I don’t feel a thing. I don’t feel proud to be a Malaysian at all. Well, if you’ve been catching up with the tabloids lately, you would know what I mean. 53 years is not very long but still a substantial number. Why are we the citizens of Malaysia not united? Our National Day is tomorrow but there are still people out there fighting and screaming ridiculously accusing others of demeaning their race. Why after 53 years we still can’t be united? Why do we have to fill in forms asking for our race? Why isn’t there an option for ‘Malaysian’ in those forms? Yes I am Chinese but I want to be known as a Malaysian, is that wrong?
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Quo Vadis Malaysia 18 months after Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan?
Posted by Kit in 1Malaysia, Najib Razak, nation building on Monday, 30 August 2010
This year’s Merdeka Month celebrations with the theme “1Malaysia transforms the nation” should give all Malaysians a new sense of pride and worth of being a Malaysian.
Instead, the cacophony of the racist rhetoric had never been more raucous, discordant and divisive in the first year of any previous Prime Minister in the nation’s 53-year history – reducing Najib’s 1Malaysia policy and slogan into tatters.
The 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap launched by the Prime Minister in January this year declared that “the goal of 1Malaysia is to make Malaysia more vibrant, more productive and more competitive – and ultimately a greater nation: a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society.”
This goal of 1Malaysia was rendered hollow and meaningless when the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin declared that he is Malay first and Malaysian second, and no Cabinet Minister dared to contradict him!
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Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka!!!
Posted by Kit in nation building on Monday, 30 August 2010
By Gayatri Unsworth
August 30, 2010
AUG 30 — We celebrate Merdeka tomorrow. And what do we have to show for it? Racist educators, intolerant politicians, bigoted pressure groups, xenophobic newspapers, crimes of vandalism against places of worship and other weird and not-so-wonderful things that can only happen in this nation. What a meaningful way to usher in Malaysia’s 53rd birthday!
If only our Bapa Malaysia, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, were alive to see the state of things today. To witness how the fruits of his labour have been utilised, and to observe how the unified Malaysia he dreamt of, still remain for the most part, a dream. To watch how we’ve spent the better part of the last half-century diligently dismantling piece by piece, the Malaysian unification he strived to hard to establish. To view the rapid extinction of the tolerant, empowered Malaysian, only to be replaced by one so blinded by prejudice that he is incapable of rational discourse towards his fellow countrymen. To hear words such as ‘pendatang’ and ‘penumpang’, to see protestors stamping on cow heads, to taste tear-gas and to smell the acrid odour of corruption, discrimination, oppression, and deception permeating Malaysian air.
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Talk Like A PM, Walk And Act Like Umno
Posted by Kit in Najib Razak, nation building, UMNO on Sunday, 29 August 2010
by Richard Loh
I have no intention to blog these few days because I thought that I can enjoy the Merdeka celebration but it is not to be so.
The past weeks clearly show that the PM is no longer in control of running the country. The PM is wearing too many hats. The PM is wearing too many hats that he turns out to be the most ugly looking person.
One hat he wore represented him as the Prime Minister that can only talk with all kinds of slogan and rhetoric that contain no solid substance as it will be all blown away once he changes his hat.
Trying to balance his act, he will immediately change to his Umno President hat to walk and act like Umno, forgetting what he had said when he was wearing the PM’s hat. Read the rest of this entry »
Fully support Teo’s apology to Selangor Sultan over Surau Al Huda controversy
Posted by Kit in DAP, Islam, nation building on Sunday, 29 August 2010
I fully support DAP MP for Serdang Teo Nie Ching’s apology to the Sultan of Selangor for any unintended offence caused by her visit to the Surau Al Huda in her constituency in the course of her parliamentary duties to help her constituents.
Malaysians are shocked however at the intemperate language being used by some elements to foment disaffection.
I refer to the Malaysian Insider report today that Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali is calling for “strong action” to be taken against Teo, saying that she must be charged for “desecrating” the Surau Al Huda.
Even more shocking, the Perkasa chief “attempted to draw an analogy between Nation of Islam preacher Malcom X, who was gunned down at Manhattan Audubon Ballroom by three Black Muslims in 1965 and Teo’s surau visit which has been highlighted by Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia last Friday”.
Ibrahim was quoted as having sent the following SMS to Malaysian Insider: “In America, Islamic preacher Malcom X, who preached to Christians and entered their churches was shot dead but in Selangor an ‘unclean DAP politician’ was dragged into the surau’s prayer room”.
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