Statement issued yesterday by Rev. Dr. Thomas Philips, President, Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hindusim, Sikhism & Taoism.
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In the light of the latest, in an increasing line of provocative racist remarks, this time by a principal of a school in the state of Johor, MCCBCHST calls upon the authorities to take prompt, and appropriate action to demonstrate that such dastardly acts and words perpetrated by government servants regardless of their rank is not and will not be tolerated in Malaysia.
The Johor school incident occurring as it did in the runup to the coming National Day celebrations casts a sombre shadow over the nation’s commitment to a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society where all citizens can be guaranteed a shared destiny in Malaysia as Malaysians based on peace and justice.
The time has passed whereby mere platitudes and words from the national leadership and enforcement authorities in themselves will be enough. The nation needs just and fair actions rather than just words.
MCCBCHST calls for its component religious communities and all other Malaysians regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation to join together to pray that the sitting government will take responsibility to take appropriate action to stop blatant racist acts and utterances.
At the same time, let all peace-loving, fair-minded Malaysians join together to raise an unignorable chorus of disapproval against racism in all its forms.
sampalee
August 22, 2010
The ugly dragon must come first,before the dragon slayer have his hours of glory.All have aproper role to play as one lead to the the relevance of that which follow.Umno must first be there if man like like RPK and YOU sir,Haris can initiate your walk.The nasty HM is part of the script.By now we get a better understanding od Inshaallah.
Bobby
August 22, 2010
I grew up in Kamunting, near Kampung Pinang.
On the left of my house was a Malay family. On my right, a Punjabi family. In front, an Indian family.
We celebrated every single festival TOGETHER, Chinese New Year, Raya, Deepavali, Vasakhi etc.
The Malay family had no qualms about eating the food cooked in my house as we had already segregated the non-pork food for them, as well as the beef dishes away from the Indian.
I don’t know if anyone feels like I do, but I’m disgusted with the racism displayed by supposed “leaders” in this country.
Only thing I’m sure of is that the thousands of Malay/Chinese/Indian etc friends I have do NOT have any issues with other races and so do their families.
And ALL of us will vote OUT those who are trying to play the race card!
anna brella
August 22, 2010
Unfortunately, the poison of racism in the young minds of Malaysia used to first start from home.
Children saw/learned from young that people they came into contact with were normally addressed by their parents as that Chinaman or Chinawoman or Malayman or Malaywoman or Indian man or Indian woman etc. rather than these people being addressed on some non-racial basis, such as by their names of Mr/Encik or Mrs/Cik so and so.
But well integrated schools with a good mix of non-racist teachers and a good rational educational system focussed on the arts and science streams were able to successfully counteract such racist poisoning done at home (mostly unconsciously) and so acted as an effective national antidote to teach and inculcate into the majority of young, impressionable minds a good sense of the the values of understanding, of religious tolerance, of goodwill and a sense of what it was to be a “Malaysian” by the time these young minds grew up and matured into adults.
That changed drastically after 1969 through the UMNO-led government’s deliberate tampering through its social engineering project to change the democratic direction of Malaysia.
So the excellent Malaysian educational system and schools that existed then were particularly targeted by the UMNO-led government for its hatchet of radical change. Schools became clearly segregated and organised on a more elitist and racial basis with more and more, particularly Malay children, being offered scholarships and sent off to attend such racially segregated BOARDING schools, where they mixed with only other Malay children.
From that period onwards the previously well integrated schools and educational system began to break down and was no longer able to act as the potent antidote against the poison of racism inculcated both unconsciously and deliberately into young Malaysian minds.
As bad education is where the root cause is, it is also where the best solution is to be found to cure the real problem now of the ugly, institutionalised racism that is so evident in every sphere of Malaysian life, whether one likes to admit to it or talk about it in the open.
So if you change the educational system back to a well integrated and rational one and open up the powerhouse of stored human knowledge through the Net then you will begin to attack the roots of the racism and other bigotry that was sown deliberately, through the UMNO-led BN government’s clear ignorance, all those years ago and might well stand a good chance of reversing the damage done over one generation.
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
wandererAUS
August 22, 2010
What solution is there, when these deranged racists
were continuously, served with racial shits!!
These fanatics of no conscience will most certainly lead Malaysia to an obvious death…UMNO first and last weapon to stay in power is playing the racial card, creating the ketuanan melayu mentality. This false projection of superiority, have created endless controversies that will eventually, lead to the demise of this once, a wonderful nation!
Orang Lama
August 22, 2010
All of us came from East Africa. Our ancestors left the continent to spread all over the world. Some settled in the Middle-east and became the Arabic races, some went west and became the European races, some went east and became the Asiatic races and those who remained in the continent became the African races.
Of the Asiatic races, some chose to come to this land millions of years ago, some thousands of years ago, some hundreds of years ago and some decades ago. We did not have a say to the timing of our forefathers’ migration.But today we find ourselves living together in this land and we make a big issue of the date of our forefathers’ migration to this peninsular. Like some should have more rights because their forefathers came here earlier….kalau macam itu Orang Asli lah yang patut have more rights than others.
Now that we find ourselves in the same boat, why argue who got on the boat first? Why rock the boat, sink it and not reach the destination? Why can’t we row the boat together and enjoy the journey together?
Simplistic, eh?? The truth is always simple.
3rdClass_Malaysian
August 22, 2010
Till late 70s and mid 80s Malay’s were enjoying the festivals of other races. But they began to self-impose religious restriction upon themselves and began to isolate from other races. Mahatir sowed the seed of hatred and religious extremism by using the government machineries. Today it is a cancer.
Mahatir suffer from narcissistic personality disorder and he managed to infect UMNO with this disease.
vasantha
August 22, 2010
Dear Haris,
The solution to this issue would be for all Malysians to see their fellow Malaysians as God’s creations too. They must see any unkindness to another person as incurring the wrath of the Almighty.Most scientists too are of the belief that nothing exists by itself. Everything has a creator. We must start seeing ourselves as God’s creations. We may not be able to love everyone but we can surely treat everyone with respect. The people whose words matter seem to be silent or saying strange things. Call a spade a spade.
I am deeply disappointed with our politicians. We do not have to form a task force for every uncomfortable issue that arises. We must be united in our efforts to not let racism rear its ugly head.
How nice if Bung Mokhtar would take some time off from his honeymoon to comment on this issue. This is a chance to redeem himself. Where is our champion of the Indians, Mr.Murugiah. There is no sarcasm meant here. Our children are the future of the country. Seeds of discord must not be planted in them.There must be no attempt to trivialize this matter. This is a dream like what Martin Luther King had for his country. We too could realize it one day.
anna brella
August 23, 2010
As you are an adult and alive now, you are the future of Malaysia along with your children so it is you who must now speak up and act and take the risks to change the present for a better future for yourselves and for your children too.
And as John Lennon said, about how one could have peace tomorrow if one really wanted it more than anything else like that television set perhaps, I guess Malaysians too can have their non-racist and non-bigoted peace and harmony tomorrow if enough of them wanted it more than anything else and considered it to be more important than things like their rice bowls, Astro tuners and television sets, cars, houses, titles, status, religious insurance policies, etc. and hence took the necessary smart actions, without violence, to get taht peace and harmony they really want.
Freedom and civil liberties are obviously good for all but they have always been hard won prizes and being where you are now, from all those years of reckless neglect and bad governance which you have allowed and condoned, it will now take very, very hard work and lots of sacrifice on your part to get freedom and civil liberties and justice in Malaysia from your still-not-listening-to-you paternalistic, nanny government, in a peaceful manner, for yourselves and for your children to enjoy.
That may be harsh, but in my view, it is nevertheless justifiable fair comment based on what I see as the simple truth.
“Imagine Power To The People” John Lennon.
k1
August 23, 2010
OTK, dont talk rubbish on ummnno warns mca must not have same point of view on issue that Pakatan Rakyat has. Leave mca and join PR now if you love this country.
telur dua
August 23, 2010
Mr Kerismuddin will do something soon. He will have a joint press conference with those racists and become their apologist.
After the PC he will invite them to dinner.
shakuntala
August 24, 2010
There’s always been peace in this country. Non-malay malaysians have respected their malay brothers and sisters and have got along just fine.
The leaders are the perpetrators of the hate that is being spilled at present. And like Hitler they are making use of our youth.
And like Hitler they will not succeed. We’ve lived in this country for long enough to know that we are surrounded by friends amongst our neighbours.
Let’s run the race together, it is Ramadan.
We need to smile at each other and eat together as we’ve done all these years.
I can’t help having a funny face
For after all, it’s God who made me part of One Human Race.