The Malay psyche, the anti-Chinese microchip and the DAP

Since a very long time ago, the Malays have always thought of the Chinese as a 'great nuisance' besides being greedy and grasping. Even now, a local novel called Interlok, which is compulsory reading for Form 5 school students in the Malay literature syllabus, continues to reinforce this stigma of the Chinese.

It is no wonder then that the Malay is circumspect towards the Chinese whom they think of as always plotting and planning to make some insidious gain even when the Chinese are innocent of such designs.

The Malay in Malaysia is not only cautious of the Chinese, he feels that he can never fully trust them. Why is that? Is there some truth behind their suspicion?

Possibly. The Chinese must admit they have bad trait just like anyone else. But the feeling of distrust is not a natural phenomenon. While suspicious of each other, it is not true that Malays and Chinese cannot mix, unlike oil and water.

A large part of the current Malay psyche is moulded by its community leaders, in particular the Umno elite. Sad to say, this is not mere finger-pointing but supported by the fact that the prejudice has actually worsened with the years, especially since the advent of the Biro Tata Negara or BTN.

BTN or the National Civics Bureau was established in 1974 as an agency in the Prime Minister's Department. Attendees of its courses - Malay graduates and young professionals - will willingly tell of incidents where the lecturers openly called the Chinese "Jews of Asia".

Just last year, its deputy director was caught calling the Chinese "slit eyes" and the Indians "drunkards" at an Umno function. And instead of chiding him and asking to withdraw the comments, the Umno host actually defended him. So much for a unified country.

Indeed, the case is strong that deliberate 'brainwashing' by the politicians have actually moulded the Malay mind negatively towards the other ethnicities and the outside world much more than any other factor has. Where as in the past, what used to influence Malay youth were the books they read, the films they saw and their teachers and their parents' good example.

New social mores

Of late, the Umno elite have switched the thrust of their attack towards religion and the victims have been the Christians, who form 10 percent of the country's 28 million population.

Malay rights groups like Perkasa have tried to link Christianity with the Chinese and although many Chinese are becoming Christians, the bulk of the community are actually the East Malaysian bumiputera. For example, Idris Jala - the minister in the PM's Department - is a Sarawakian Christian.

No matter what, the object of the latest attacks are also aimed at the Chinese-based DAP. In fact, the most recent case involves a unsubstantiated report issued by the Umno-owned Utusan newspaper accusing DAP of conspiring with Christians to bring about a Christian state ruled by a Christian prime minister.

Knowing that the Malay would abhor such a thought and bristle at the idea of anyone trying to supplant Islam as the official religion, Umno and Perkasa ramped up the rhetoric. But strangely, the response they received was totally different from what they expected.

The Malays - usually hot-headed when it comes to their religion and political dominance - watched closely and followed the events with much concern, but in the end, relegated the accusations to the rubbish heap. The general conclusion was that it was just another Umno attack on DAP and Pakatan Rakyat.

Instead, it was the usually docile Christian community that raised a ruckus. Even so, neither Muslims nor Christians tried to take matters into their own hands or to riot or protest. Only small scattered Umno-led groups and of course, Perkasa, which tried to raise tensions with a call to the Muslims to start a holy war or jihad against the Christians.

The new social mores reflected by this Christian-state row is telling, and something indeed for Prime Minister Najib Razak to seriously note, or ignore at his own political peril.

Anti-Chinese microchip

To PAS MP for Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad it is clear "someone evil" has inserted a "microchip" into the Malay mind that programs it to think of the Chinese as a 'threat'.

Not only that, the Malays have been continuously warned not to remove this "microchip", or face the consequences of an instant horrific death.

"It is this 'microchip' which is embedded deep in the Malay psyche that causes the Malays to always be wary of the Chinese," Dzulkefly told Malaysia Chronicle.

"It is actually a political chip. In PAS, our struggle is based on Islam and Islam bans racism and accepts all religions. This is why our members can stay cool even under the all that pressure thrown at us by Umno."

Other Malay leaders also slammed the anti-DAP campaign spread amongst the Malays through the Christian-state row. Many believe Umno was afraid the Malays would join the increasingly successful DAP.

To the opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat, such tactics are dishonourable and the Malays will soon realize that this was another Umno ploy, just like the Christian-state row.

Creating suspicion within Pakatan

Leaders in the Pakatan also believe it was another ploy to further split the coalition and create suspicion between the three members - DAP, PAS and PKR.

"DAP leaders have championed the cause of the Malays. Didn't Lim Guan Eng go to prison for championing the cause of a Malay girl who was raped by a Malay chief minister?" PAS MP for Kuala Krai Hatta Ramli told Malaysia Chronicle.

But that hasn't stopped Umno from trying to create further doubt within the Pakatan - through a membership recruitment rumor.

It was accused of trying to scare the Malay-predominant PAS and the multi-racial PKR into becoming suspicious that DAP would snare their Malay members in its quest to broaden its electoral reach.

"There was a rumor that I would join DAP which I denied. When I denied, they said it was proof Malays won't join DAP because DAP is anti-Malay. It became ridiculous," PKR Rembau division chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin toldMalaysia Chronicle.

"The fact is I am a PKR man and am committed to the party. But that doesn't mean DAP is a party Malays should not join or shun. If DAP is no good or bad for Malays, where are we coalition members with them. Malays must think and not be fooled by stupid and irresponsible tactics. PKR, PAS and DAP already have a common policy framework to defend the federal consitution and Islam, why should they squabble over these points now. It is the basic."

- Malaysia Chronicle