Authored & submitted by Jayanath Appudurai
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!
Selamat Merdeka!
24 July 2007
The People's Parliament 
Facial
July 26, 2007
A good and real article.
The old man and sleeping PM should hold up their hearts to read it.
Bcos you and your fellow corrupted buddies are going to destroy our contaiminated land.
Paul Warren
July 26, 2007
Jayanath,
As Barbara Streisand put it in the movie, Nuts, “So when you say all these nice things, do you think you have said anything profound”?
Well, if you had, or indeed if any such nice things are said, do you think it will get the kind of headlines that Nazri would get when he goes on his litany of a single word diatribe? Do you think the warnings and threats issued to contain a small minority would be tomorrow’s headline or a good deed that a majority of us probably do in a day would get that headline. so what do you think shapes our mind and our thinking and actions more?
Yes, many say that we can ignore these guys, paint our own world and try to live in it. But really can you? The objections of those of us in cyberspace only becomes an issue when it threatens the powers that be directly and becomes a little too inconvenient.
Those of us lucky enough to have been able to cross the racial and religious devide know that our relationships with our fellow countrymen of differing colour and/or creed is founded on respect. Not tolerance. Its an attitudinal thing and there is this huge difference between respect and tolerance. With respect you can join in with your friends to celebrate the diversity. Yet, it would seem that what is encouraged is tolerance with no word on respect.
The kind of stuff you are promoting and so is Haris, has to go one scale up and given the same publicity and profile that the racist politicians thrive on. They have to know that they do not have the last word on any subject. Sadly today, they continue to have as far as the population is concerned as the media rather betray good sense then to betray these politicians.
Farida
July 26, 2007
Thank you, Jayanath, for saying what is worth saying, now.
We are so immersed in short-term memory that we need continual reminders like yours.
When I think of the terrible things being done to this country by many YBs, I wonder what there is to ‘hormat’ about them. These are mere labels / titles they have garnered but never lived up to! Respect cannot be demanded. It can only be earned.
I’d like to focus not on the YBs but on
(1) ‘Why Be’:
Why be afraid? Be fearless.
Why be discouraging? Be edifying.
Why be negative? Be positive.
Why be ordinary? Be extraordinary.
Why be mediocre? Be excellent.
2. ‘Why’ :
Why dwell in darkness? Light a candle.
Why pass a stranger? Take his hand.
Why raise a wall? Build a bridge.
Why live in falsehood? Embrace the truth.
Why stay in the past? Run to your future.
What is in the empty space between one and the other is just one thing : our will.
We either ‘will’ or ‘will not’. The choice we make determines our lives and determines our future and shapes the course this country can take.
david dass
July 26, 2007
Jayanth,
Well said. I really think that it is a race between the good things that are happening in this country and the bad things. The good things would include the education of our young and the freeing of their minds. A good thing is the continuing integration of our society at schols,universities, in neighbourhoods and the workplace. As you so rightly say when we have friends of different races it is very hard to maintain a stereotype and even harder to generalise negatively.The doctor who looked after my Father and my Mother on their deathbeds was Anwar Masduki and all of us have the utmost respect for him. Many of the doctors who have looked after various members of my family have been Chinese and Malays.And many of my friends have similar experiences.So no reservations about attitudes,character,intelligence or knowledge.The question must be asked – who looks after the long term interests of the nation and its people ? Businessmen are only concerned about their short term interests. Can we trust our politicians to look after our interests ? I have many friends amongst our politicians. They are decent guys. Unfortunately we are locked in circular paradigms of race and religion when we deal with each other at the level of politics.UMNO must battle PAS for the religious heartland and so must be more Islamic than PAS.And UMNO must play the race card because that is the stuff that heroes are made off. It is easy politics to conjure up people of another race and religion as enemies seeking to destroy your people – never mind the truth of the assertion.The NEP is defended without question. Never mind that we are 50 years from indepependance. Never mind that the call is for a review of the effectiveness and fairness of the current approaches being taken. Why must the government look after the well to do ? Why cannot the government concern itself with the welfare of the poor – of all races. Why is the Government not willing to look into the question of distribution of wealth intra communities ? Why punish people who are hard working and enterprising whatever their race ? They are assets of the nation.And what is this paranoia about religion ? Why is there this unwillingness or inability to accept that all religions are there for the good of man and that it is in the interests of the Government and all the people of Malaysia that its people are God fearing and practice the precepts of their respetive faiths. And why is it so difficult for us to accept that in a country of diverse peoples and religions there will be points of conflict and tension and mechanisms should be establsihed through parliament and the judiciary to settle such issues in a peaceful way. We cannot allow the war drums to be beaten each time a Lina Joy appears. And why imprison a person because of conversion. We must allow freedom of conscience. The reality is that most of us will stay in the religion we were born into.The grass roots must speak up for common sense and civilised society.The grass roots must speak up for the preservation of our mulitracial and multiracial society. The grass roots must embrace all as Malaysians irregardless of race and religion and be committed to the devlopement of all Malaysians irregardless of race or religion.What you so eloquently say Jayanath must be echoed by the man in the street througout this nation. The People of malaysia must not allow themsleves to be mainipulated by self seeking individuals whether they be politicains or busiessmen.
SAJ
July 27, 2007
Thank You David for so eloquently framing and articulating the real issues.
I agree the “grass roots ” must speak up but who should provide the leadership. Surely not our elected representatives who have failed as leaders to rise above race and religion!
The process of change must begin with the ‘educated middle class’ consciously adopting a non-racial, non-religious and non-partisan approach to issues that plague this nation.
Is the Malaysian middle class ready and able to move out of its comfort zone?
yong chee seng
July 27, 2007
Written as a true and patriotic Malaysian! Your insights and analyses touch on the very basics of problems our country faces today and some of the redeeming features of life which still promise hopes of a better Malaysia for all if minds are not polluted by those with selfish agendas
Thank you for your sharing!
PI Ramasamy
July 30, 2007
About a week ago, after my subuh prayers, as usual I went to the local 7-11 outlet with another friend to pick up the day’s free newspaper, ie The Sun. While exchanging comments with regard to the proceedings of the Altantuya murder case (I wouldn’t dare mention here what we discussed, lest it’ll be dubbed as “subjudice” or I may even be charged under the ISA, OSA and all the rest), a Chinese lady, who was also a customer, joined in the discussion. The gist of the discussion? She doesn’t have any faith at all with the “leadership” a long, long time ago. Why? She said, they are all corrupted, corrupted to the hilt!! She wanted to swear to God but refrain from doing so because she was sipping beer. Then the discussion went on to the PAS government in Kelantan. What she said, as a Chinese and a non-Muslim, really gave me a shock. Given a chance, she would prefer to live under a PAS-ruled government. I asked her, “Aren’t you afraid of living under Islamic rule? We’ve heard a lot of people saying that the PAS people would turn Taliban and force you to become Muslim, once they are in power.” Her reply, “I have a lot of friends in Kelantan. One of them, also a Chinese, is running a massage business, a real massage, in Kota Baru. The guy is doing very well. No hanky panky from the authorities. No one is harassing him to become a Muslim. Neither was he harassed for “money” as is often the case in the other states.” She added, the MB, Nik Aziz leads a very exemplary life and refuses to stay in the official residence of the MB, because he feels it is a waste of public fund. Of course, it also goes against the Islamic teachings. My, my, isn’t that an eye opener!!!
No, my friend, this is the eye-opener.
In 1995, I was asked to handle an appeal in the Court of Appeal. The appellant, my prospective client, was a PAS member from Kelantan and, so I was given to understand, a person of some standing in the party. When it came to the matter of fees, he candidly told me that at that time he was strapped for cash, but he had been promised timber concessions in the state of Kelantan, provided the party retained the state after the forthcoming general elections. He then pulled out a letter from the state authorities addessed to him and which in effect stated that timber concessions had been conditionally approved to him. He then told me that he would be working feverishly to make sure that PAS retained the state and that he would then be in a position to meet his legal fees.
You may also want to remind you friend that in 1993 Pas Kelantan passed the death penalty for apostasy. Perhaps she does not know of anyone in that unfortunate situation and so that piece of legislation is inconsequential to her.
Gopal Raj Kumar
September 24, 2009
Your conduct as a legal practitioner (if thats what you are) in this post is embarassing and unethical. Apart from relying on hearsay and gossip to subsstantiate your colourable claims, you make references sufficient for anyone to identify the person, purported to be your client as you refer to in this posting.
As legal practitioners you have a paramount obligation to protect the integrity of your office and the identity and integrity of your client. Clearly that is not a tool of your trade or part of your personal makeup. You do not subscribe to these legal and professional obligations nor doess it sit comfortably with your personal character.
It is the conduct of people like you that embarasses the community you come from and the profession you belong to. The latter has by its own material in the public domain constantly embarassed itself and is corrupt to the core.
Maybe you ought to firstly take a check of yourself before you attempt to villify others.
Gopal Raj Kumar
Gopal Raj Kumar
September 24, 2009
There is no such thing as Bangsa Malaysia. Revisionism and a poor pathetic attempt at that too is dangerous. You are either Malays (the race or culture) or Malaysians (nationality) of other racial backgrounds.
Ketuanan Melayu is the only answer to the Euro centric idea of constitutional government which your ancestors agreed to and you now wish to destroy through creation of this new race Bangsa Malaysia.
You do it in order to further advance your agenda of creating a new Singapore type republic where the majority and the recognised original inhabitants of this country, the Malays in all their forms will be relegated to second class benign and passive participants like they are in Singapore.
Singapore was one mistake no Malay will either forgive or forget. They will neither lie down and accept your new unsustainable ideology nor will they support it nor allow you to forge alliances with those who seek to undermine their right to be lords in their own land.
If you are ‘anak bangsa Malaysia why do you not communicate in Bahasa, wear the Malaysian national tunic or behave in the way the Malay’s of Malaysia do?.
The Malays are after all in a majority. The Malays had a constitution of their own prior to European settlement and accepted your ancestors and gave them freer rights to settlement and citizenship than Singapore did with its imposition of Mandarin, selection of Chinese first policies and exclusion of Malays from direct participation in anything where they could express their aspirations outside of the government’ aspirations for them.
Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia (till lately) Viet Nam, Laos or Cambodia where public displays of anything remotely foreign in culture like Chinese characters on businesses premises, (or Indian for that matter and ) and vernacular schools or even a more basic right such as a Chinese or Indian name is prohibited. You even have to adopt local names by law in these places. Is that what you desire or are pushing the Malays to impose on you?
Go on push the envelope as far as you can stretch it with your ignornace and provocation. You are paving the way for Ketuanan Melayu. A Maly based constitution. There will be one and it will come with support from non Malays as well. There is a silent majority who will remain silent no longer in the face of your relentless contempt for them.
Clearly you and your mates are disatisfied with the poorly scripted Westminster version as Malays are for its lack of clarity and foresight.
Gopal Raj Kumar
PS.
when you use these cliched embarassing terms like Anak Bangsa Malaysia,let the world know not all Indians or Chinese necessary support your madness. There are those who know better and have a better understanding of the law and history than you and your mates.
GRK
online backup free
January 24, 2013
Why users still make use of to read news papers when in this
technological globe everything is existing on web?