Pakatan Rakyat does not believe in BN’s racial politics emphasising an old agenda of “a Malay leader taking care of a Malay, a Chinese leader taking care of a Chinese and an Indian leader taking care of an Indian.”"Time has arrived for everyone to take care of everyone, regardless of race, religion and colour,” – YB Lim Guan Eng as reported in Malaysiakini.
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On 14th May, 2007, I wrote this in my post ‘Bangsa Malaysia : Cyber Dream?’
Until ‘sons and daughters of Malaysia’ can truly mean each is a brother and sister one to the other who look out for each other at all times and not only when it is ‘safe’, those who continue to dominate us by the ‘divide and rule’, ‘Malays must have political power cos the Chinese hold the economy’ and ‘don’t you dare question our rights’ rethoric will continue to rule the day.
Until you are unable to sleep because there are brothers and sisters languishing as ISA detainees, poor and the impoverished, religiously persecuted, know then that your own desire for Bangsa Malaysia is only skin deep.
Until you are prepared to purge the racist and the apathy in you, Bangsa Malaysia will always remain a dream for you.
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For a long time, I have agonised over writing this piece to challenge my fellow Malaysians. Finally I said to myself – “what the heck? If I don’t do it now, I may not live long enough to see if they really care about the future of this beloved land”.
What better time to challenge my fellow citizens if not the approaching 50th year of nationhood. So here goes.
For too long, we have allowed to our own detriment a “cartel” of self-serving politicians and their coterie of entrepreneur buddies to set the agenda for this nation. They have moulded our thinking and controlled our thoughts, behaviour, responses and actions using the time-tested symbols of manipulation – race and religion!
We readily succumb to their clarion call to defend the race and religion and have fallen victims to our own comfort zone of categorising and stereotyping our fellow Malaysians along these lines. We, without a thought, consciously and sublimely succumb to grand generalisations and condemn our fellow beings based on these categories.
“All Malays are stupid, lazy and dependent on government handouts!”
“All Chinese are greedy, uncouth and are prone to using any means to accumulate wealth!”
“All Indians are dirty, untrustworthy and are prone to alcoholism and criminal activities!”
Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your worldview very little is heard by way of generalisations on Kadazans, Ibans, Dayaks, Melanaus and other minority Malaysians because we ,especially in Peninsular Malaysia, have rarely taken the trouble to know about, let alone understand our East Malaysian brethren.
God forbid, if and when we do so, I am sure some equally ridiculous generalisations will spew forth from our warped minds! And we will spew it with relative impunity with nary a thought!
Just for a moment reflect on these generalisations…..better still say it out aloud!
Can you honestly with a clear conscience say that you have no family member, relation, friend or associate of your so called “racial-religious tribe” that is not stupid, lazy, greedy, uncouth, dirty or untrustworthy? If you can I would really like to meet you and your pure tribe! You really must be specially selected by the Creator.
Have you not ever come across Malays that are intelligent and industrious and self-reliant; Chinese that are generous, civilised and not wealthy; or Indians that are clean, trustworthy and “teetotallers”?
What about the Malay cardiac surgeon who did a triple by-pass on your father and saved his life? What about the Chinese hawker who donated his day’s entire earnings for the tsunami disaster victims? What about the Indian who donated his kidney to save your cousin?
Have you not ever come across, heard of, or befriended a fellow citizen of the “other” tribe who was kind, considerate, generous, moderate, rational and objective etc.
Surely you have but you would in all probability have rationalised it as he or she is “different” because….. You would have subconsciously enumerated a host of reasons not to “upset” your comfortable worldview.
So why do you do it? Because it is so easy when you stereotype and rationalise your way through life using tribal categories. You don’t have to think and waste your precious brain cells. It makes you feel secure. It gives you a warm feeling of oneness, ownership and identity with the ilk of your tribe.
You reinforce your ignorance with equally ignoramus tribe members and everything is honky-dory! The bonding feels good! You feel great wallowing in your misplaced tribal pride.
And of course the cartel has ensured that you continue to muddle along this way because they will always benefit from this tribal mindset. Ah! But have you for a moment reflected on what the cartel does to control and reinforce your thoughts and actions.
Consider these “symbols” of thought control and manipulation so creatively used by the cartel:-
“Bangsa Malaysia versus Ketuanan Melayu”
“Perpaduan Negara versus Perpaduan Ummah”
“Malaysian Malaysia versus NEP”
“Secular State versus Islamic State”
“Bahasa Malaysia versus Bahasa Melayu”
“Bumiputra versus Non-Bumiputra”
“Constitutional Liberties versus Social Contract”
Think! How many times have you fallen for these Machiavellian machinations?
Worse still how many times have you used them to achieve your own ends?
Did you really feel good about yourself?
Did not an “inner voice” say something to prick you?
Of course it did, but you rationalised it anyway!
So my fellow citizens the buck stops with you!
You and only you, can do something about breaking the shackles of tribal group think!
And this 50th Merdeka will be truly meaningful if you take the first step to liberate your mind from the insidious control of the cartel and your respective tribes.
I challenge you not to meekly accept your tribe’s group think and let the cartel’s agenda hijack your mind! Pledge that from this day on – to rephrase Martin Luther King – “I will not judge my fellow Malaysians by the colour of their skin or their religious affiliation but by the strength of their character and the courage of their conviction”.
This Merdeka Day commit to beginning the process to really take charge of your thought processes. Once you have sorted out the obvious “inequities” in your mind, move out of your comfort zone and go forth to “liberate” your family, relatives, friends and tribal members.
And Oh Yes! – don’t forget your fellow Malaysians. They are waiting to bond with you and discover the true meaning of nationhood! – Jayanath Appudurai
Chris Wong
April 3, 2012
after 50 years of conditioning, it will take a mighty effort but surely if we put our hearts to it, we can be Bangsa Malaysia again. So lets bury those fellas in BN for a start
Gurmukh Singh
April 3, 2012
CHANGE CHANGE CHANGE
NOW NOW NOW
DO IT DO IT DO IT
WHY WAIT WHY WAIT WHY WAIT
BREAK AWAY FROM THE SHACKLES OF RASCISM, TRIBALISM, REGIONALISM, ETC
IT IS NOW OR NEVER
FELLOW MALAYSIANS
LETS DO IT
rajan
April 3, 2012
Yes Harris !
The malay cardologist who did a triple bypass , i had 3 major blocks of over 90%Yes a malay surgeon did it on me and built a new highway and man it was painless and i was up and about in 2 days after the surgery.Feeling fit as a fiddle .
Now where are all those girlfriends of mine !
Thanks to that malay surgeon.
A word of faith to those who are about to go for a bypass, its nothing man nothing !just like a bad flu , it passes by after a bypass.nothing to fear but fear itself.
Am getting ready for BERSIH3
Cruz Dc
April 3, 2012
Haris – I’ve recently engaged some “chinese educationists”, and I found out some surprising things.Just try approaching them on Dong Zong’s stance vis-a-vis the national long term well-being, and you’ll see what I mean.
Going by the things they say- it appears that they actually have no interests in the nation. That only means that they don’t care for the nation (that’s what I gathered) enough to be “Bangsa Malaysia” …. I’m pretty disappointed, actually.
I thought that these activists would be at the forefront at campaigning for something like this.
It isn’t so surprising to me now, that there are people who believe that there actually is a “Chinese Agenda” among some of the activists who campaign for change.
Somehow, I believe that most of them are actually sincere, but have been swept by the currents of their “tribal” sectarian interests- herd mentality, that is. The other thing is, maybe they are unknowingly championing the vested economic interests of certain quarters (in perpetuating the “ghettos”).
sampalee
April 3, 2012
We are not facing reality.Let leave seperation of race aside and do you notice the seperation among clan within the same race.We have,the hakka,cantonese,hainanese,hokkien.fu chow association and within this there are sub-grouping.We also have the lee,lim,ng,ong,tan association.This is a very chinese CULTure.
Surprising it is the chineses who are most vocal about malaysain malaysia[lagacy of Pap of singapore] These mindset are deep rooted and almost impossible to change
Johnnie Thaksin
April 4, 2012
yea what’s up at this dong zong issue? Don’t understand all the heat surrounding it. Altho I did laugh thinking about wks being punched. I don believe we will b bangs a Malaysia anytime soon as our culture is revolved around Malay,Chinese,Indian issues still. Take a look at the states, even today there r still very race based altho they will nvr admit it. Best is that we continue respecting each other. Ask the Chinese brother why he is so uptigh about the dong dong issue….. my take is he’s worried bout his children’s education. Hey family first right? I’m sure if we can understand what’s important to this chinaman then we won’t think its such a Chinam an issue after all. Remember when rpk blasted the Chinese about the white angpow issue? Its cost he also stereotypes the Chinese as greedy buggers… who will take the money no matter what… isn’t he also guilty of the same conviction? And still ppl think he’s such a open guy. Try whacking a member of royalty n he will jump back at u with a million of sarcastic replies. Hey family first right? This is a good write-up but I wish there were less of these cos its articles like this that keeps us from truly being a bangsa Malaysia. My 2 cents.
mythbuster
April 4, 2012
I don’t remember coming across those stereotype Malays, Chinese and Indians during my school days. I did not come across the “tribal” mentality during the early part of my working life.
The so-called stereotyping and the ugly rearing of the tribal mentality started emerging only after May 13. With the promotion of the NEP vigourously bythe divide and rule government machinery, tribalism raised its apartheid head.
When the objectives of the NEP were highjacked by the government and implemented by the Little Napoleons throughout the country, the various tribes who were left out realized they were not citizens but came under the 2nd and 3rd class category of citizens.
The advent of tribal mentality and suspicion of the others were created and instilled by the government and the ruling class to perpetuate their stay in power.
Malaysians with the tribal mentality instilled in them through the education system where one race was given undue advantage and where the others were discriminated against on racial and religious lines further alienated Malaysians along tribal lines. The various discrepancies in the implementation of the NEP in education was the main cause of these stereotyping and labeling of the various races in Malaysia.
It is imperative that this stereotyping must be eliminated. Easily said than done! Still, it is possible. First the education system must be overhauled and revamped. Every Malaysian child must be given the opportunity to study, develop, mature and become a true Malaysian citizen without any caveats attached. If every child is made to believe that he belongs to the nation where he was born and raised without any discrimination, stereotyping, tribal mentality and slanted view of the others’ appearance and ability would die a natural death.
Can we expect such a future with our present UMNO/BN government? Can we envisage such a bright future where the present education policy is at best muddled, shortsighted, and only geared to maintain the hagemony of one ethnic tribe?
The only way forward is to ditch the present corrupted, apartheid government and bring about the necessary changes in every sphere of life via a transparent, accountable and people friendly government. Can we expect Pakatan Rakyat to rise up to the occasion. Only time will tell.
HY
April 4, 2012
johnnie very well said. perhaps everyone including the bangsa malaysia should go beyond the space between their ears, and look at the world not with ideal as monopolized by them alone. for instance what cruz expect to hear from chinese educationist that struggle for chinese school? so what agenda is he talking about? we should from time to time talking about the right value and I agree with that, but try not to make it sound superior to the extent that patronizing (stereotype) others. as for petra, he also want to see a more balance of power among those that include his ‘family’, but we cant say like that to him, we must commend that his heart is with the rakyat, otherwise he will start his rm20 fee and register email rhetoric again for the sake of no true flee speech
Another Anak Bangsa Malaysia
April 4, 2012
Hi Art Harun,
It has been about five years since you posted “Bangsa Malaysia : Cyber Dream?” and Jayanath Appudurai’s article, judging by the references to the 50th Merdeka in Appudurai’s article.
I would like you to know that for, at least one person, me, those five years have not been in vain. I can only speak for myself but I am reasonably certain there are many Malaysians who have also found resonance with your writings.
In my case, your words have given me some courage to talk to other Malaysians where I am, about what we can achieve as a nation unfettered by the bigotry and mistakes of the past. There is still much to do and I am only a single weak ineffectual man but you have shown me the possibilities.
Allow me to commend you on the dedication, commitment and leadership you have demonstrated over the years to your fellow Malaysians.
I thank you for your patience with Malaysians like me who have only recently encountered your writings.
More power to you, Art Harun
Daphne
April 4, 2012
Well said! I once asked this question, can any politician confirm if there is any prison in Malaysia that has prisoners of a single race or religion? Who has gone and come back from either heaven or hell to confirm which race / persons of a certain religion is there. Harris, there is only one way to achieve :
“Bangsa Malaysia instead of Ketuanan Melayu”
“Perpaduan Negara instead of Perpaduan Ummah”
“Malaysian Malaysia instead of NEP”
“Secular State instead of Islamic State”
“Bahasa Malaysia instead of Bahasa Melayu”
“Bumiputra instead of Non-Bumiputra”
“Constitutional Liberties instead of Social Contract”
For a start, we have to remove all those politicians who subscribe to race and religion divide. Official forms should do away with having to fill in race. After all we are MALAYSIANS!
shakuntala
April 5, 2012
The leaders and their imbecile cronies, the likes of fat slobs ie Humpty Dumpty Ibrahim Ali and other mealy-mouthed UMNO/BN provocateurs who are fanning the flames of dividing us, with the use of two very sensitive ideas, race and religion.
Give us credit Mr. Appudurai, with all the racial and religious irritations that these good for nothing agents are trying so hard to destroy us with, we are not actually getting trapped and hating each other. as they watch and want us to..We are trying……as much as them to overcome and succeed as one People.
You know ,that one very effective movement which has Malaysians bonding with admirable sync is, the movement called SABM more popularly known as Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia,another well known name is definitely Suaram…. these groups are helping so much and with such skill and consistent coaxing, to bind us together. They are near enough succeeding. In terms of numbers, though not huge yet, the Spirit of Bangsa Malaysia is taking root nicely.
If time is of the essence, it is being well spent.
It’s a learning process as in everything,…we stall sometimes, we get disillusioned because of hate propaganda, but we do pick up the threads and move onwards together…..Think of Bersih 3.0.already taking shape and watch it unfold. At such times there is no telling how quickly we Malaysians, can readily shed our piecemeal tribal thinking , hold hands, laugh ,shout together even and become more than enough …Bangsa Malaysia.
Don’t you think so too?
.
Johnnie Thaksin
April 5, 2012
Hy yea humans are selfish but that’s just human nature. I think petras articles r good read most of the time but if he can start something like a 20dollar fee just shows his maturity. I like his sense of humor tho. That’s what most of these political blogs are missing…. humor. Check out donplaypuks blog…. hell funny
Malaysianatheart
April 5, 2012
God! So much hope in these comments …. sorry to disappoint you lot but we are a million miles from a non-race centric society and politics. Its the way the world is; more so OUR world than many others. When push comes to shove, race and religion will tip the balance. Even if we install PR in Putrajaya, the workings of government will be race based for a long time to come. The principal reason in our case will be the insecurity of the Malays, nurtured for half a century by UMNO of course. The nons are also to blame. They have their own prejudices and idiosyncrasies ingrained over generations. Its “in the blood” – coursing through our veins, and that is not easy to get rid of. Researchers of sociology suggest that the one sure way of defusing prejudice is through education. The problem is that the level of education that is required to eradicate prejudice is inaccessible to most, for one reason or another.
So, bottom line Haris and gang – get used to it – the race/religion thing won’t change in our lifetime.
Oh, and bro, a slightly belated Many Happy Returns of the Day!
Johan
April 5, 2012
Aiyoh, why waited so long to write this? What is there to agonize about?
I grew up in M’sia, but was out of M’sia for the last twenty over years due to work, coming back only once a twice every year. Recently I was in KL… and I kept seeing products with the following label: “Keluaran Bumiputra”. I have nothing against Bumiputra, but I could not help wondering: was this a common practice before I left, or a new trend? Has M’sia been stagnant all these whiles, or worse still, regress?
Almost could not believe my eyes… while other nations progress, such label is still used in Malaysia.
malaysian-dreamer
April 6, 2012
the system that we have inherited from our colonial master have seen very little change despite more than 50 years Malaya gained its independent and 49 years Malaysia have been established. the system of racial separation, segregation, differentiation and division, an old vestige of colonial relic, have been renewed, reinvented and reconstructed by the state as well as by our own society itself to the extent that it become embedded in our mind and system of thought until we can’t think any other way except the colonial way in organizing our society.
hence, until now almost half a century after Malaysia have been established we are still dreaming about bangsa malaysia. a mere dream which unfortunately disappear as soon as we wake up to the reality of malaysia.
nevertheless I do believe that bangsa malaysia is a possible project but a project that need a magninamous sacrifices from each of malaysian communities. these communities need to sacrifice some of the privileges they have enjoyed in order to build a new bangsa malaysia. without these sacrifices the current state of racialisation, racism and ethno-centrism within malaysian society will continue until the last day of earth.
the article 153 of federal constitution need to be abolished if we are really serious about building bangsa malaysia. no bangsa malaysia is possible without the principle of equality. no bangsa malaysia will become reality as long as certain race is being privileged over the other.
article 11 should be amended and make it clear that freedom of religion is a right for every malaysian citizen and there should be a clear separation between the state and religion. religion should be strictly private matter. no state institution have any right to enforce any religious doctrine or religious based moral principle and no tax payers money should be allocated to any religious communities.
so does ethno-linguistic-religious based school system of pre-school (tadika/taski/taska), SJKC, SJKT, chinese independent schools, sekolah agama, MRSM, bumiputera only sekolah berasrama penuh which in reality strenghtened tribal consciousness from an early age rather than bangsa malaysia consciousness. similar to article 153 and 11, these type of schools need to be changed.
school system should be streamlined into one type only with one medium of instruction i.e. through our national language. proficiency in english language must be strenghtened and each community should be given a right to learn their own mother tongue as a language subject. mother tongue language and ethnic identity are protected with malaysian identity based on our national language as an overarching common identity of all malaysian.
for me these are the three building blocks of bangsa malaysia that need to be implemented if we are really serious about creating bangsa malaysia. equality, secular state and a uniform school system. without these three building blocks the bangsa malaysia project would be very difficult if not impossible to achieve.
but the question remain – will each of diverse malaysian ethno-religious-linguistic communities willing to sacrifice the old vestige of colonial relic and embrace these three building blocks of bangsa malaysia? Or will each malaysian community let the current system of racial separation, segregation, differentiation, inequality and division, a legacy of colonial system continue and hence making the dream of bangsa malaysia rather impossible to achieve?
i am ever willing to sacrifice but i doubt others are as willing as me. may be bangsa malaysia dream is a mere pipe dream for a sentimental malaysian nationalist like me.
MalaysianRealist
April 6, 2012
malaysian dreamer, you are a dreamer indeed! why? simply because majority of malaysian are still governed by their primordial interest. their group interest override national interest. no ethnic groups, religious groups and linguistic groups in malaysia are willing to compromise. all want to have their cake and eat it too and eat it all.
article 153 – majority of bumiputeras (malays, orang asli and sabahan/sarawakian indigenous ppl) i bet my last dollar will not want 153 to be abolished. article 153 is the source of their privileges to uplift themselves economically, educationally and a tools for their social mobility. since many of them are still relatively poor compared to others, do u think they are willing to sacrifice 153?
article 11 – over their dead body, the muslims will allow this country to be totally secular as you have suggested. your suggestion will means the dismantling of all religious institutions such as jawi, jais, jakim and all islamic institutions in 13 states and 3 federal territories. seriously…do you think the muslims will allow their islamic institutions to be dismantled?
as for one stream school system with national language as medium of instruction – hahaha. not in a million years the dong zong and the tamil education foundation will ever willing to let go what they perceived as their birthrights! the dong zong chinese and the tamil educationist will definitely agreed 120% for the abolishment of article 153 and the amendment of article 11 for a definitive secular state of malaysia but they will never traded their schools with 153 and 11. no dong zong chinese or tamil educationist will ever relinquish their schools which they considered as sacred as religion. i still haven’t talk about the anglo-british wannabe english speaking urban middle class malaysian who if possible want every social institutions to use english language.
so…there goes your three building blocks! poof! a mere dream! a pipe dream indeed!
sampalee
April 12, 2012
Everyone dream,but only God can fullfull them.The majority deep down believe their EGO is more real than GOD and those who claim to believe in GOD do not understand the kihab.Not understanding what God tried to communicate with us is as good as infidels.NO difference.Do not Dream and wake up to the Truth of GOD.
akubangsamalaysia
April 16, 2012
it seems that no groups are willing to sacrifice any of their interests. it is quite sad that we have come to this stage in our nation where each ethnic/religious/linguistic group are not willing to budge a single inch from their present position. it seems that we are stuck in a perpetual and permanent impasse. whether pakatan or barisan is in power, as long as no sacrifice are willing to be made and as long as group/communal interest override national interest we will never be bangsa Malaysia. we will be in a state of permanent tension with ethnicity/religion/language/communal interest will be forever presence and ever ready to be exploited by the elite and extremist of every groups. may the future generation of malaysians are more courageous to make sacrifices in making bangsa malaysia a reality!