‘Sorry’ not in Najib’s dictionary

It appears that the government and the prime minister has never heard of the word 'sorry'.

COMMENT

“Sorry” – this is one word the country’s leadership is not willing to say when the situation calls for it. Four months ago when a Sikh male participant of the National Service (NS) camp complained that his hair had been cut while he was asleep at the camp, the news received no sympathy from the government of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.

Knowing well that the incident trampled upon the religious sensitivities of the Sikhs, Najib decided “silence was golden”.

Making it worse was Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor who decided to take the liberty of defending the NS instead. She said that parents were more confident of the NS and that the programme had endured many trials during its implementation.

More recently, on May 2, Najib and wife attended a gathering to celebrate Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year (which fell on April 13). In his message, Najib subtly but certainly cautioned the minority communities including the Sikhs that good will only come their way if they do not abandon the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.

“This (being a partner) is the best way for the Sikh community to work with the government towards realising the 1Malaysia vision. I believe Malaysia will become more successful and prosperous (by doing this),” were the words of Najib when opening the 1Malaysia Vaisakhi celebration at Dataran Merdeka.

In the presence of 20,000 guests including foreign tourists, Najib gave his word that the welfare of the minority groups will not be sidelined while the government gets busy creating a society that is progressive and competitive.

And then came Najib’s words of caution – “all ethnic groups regardless of their numbers need to cooperate and become a part of the government to ensure their interests continue to be protected”.

Does it mean should the minority communities lose faith in the BN government, that would automatically lead to the demise of their well-being where the BN is concerned?

Is that how BN under Najib displays respect to the minority groups, threatening to withdraw all interest in their welfare should they refrain from throwing their whole hearted support to BN in the coming general election?

Why was there no respect for NS trainee Besant Singh by way of saying sorry? Likewise, the “sorry” was no where in sight when former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad warned the non-Malays to remember that Malaysia belongs to the Malays, simply because this country was once called Tanah Melayu.

Desperation hounding Najib

Najib’s report card as far as the minority communities are concerned leaves much to be desired. It cannot be disputed that the BN government has failed the minority groups time and again.

The recent Labour Day rally arrest of 20 protesters including Sungai Siput MP Jeyakumar Devaraj and social activist S Arutchelvan is one such example. The arrest was justified as an “illegal” assembly.

Some 400 people comprising estate workers, residents from displaced housing settlements and civil societies made up the rally. Their intention – calling for a minimum wage and objecting to the continuing price hikes.

The arrest of the protesters ran contrary to Najib’s claim that the well-being of the minorities will be looked after.

As Jeyakumar put it, why did the police bar the peaceful march by the protesters? Was the arrest necessary?

“We don’t need to have police permit since the government recognises Labour Day as a public holiday. The police don’t understand their role in a democracy,” Jeyakumar had said.

When Najib asked the ethnic groups to cooperate with the government, he clearly was sending the message that any move otherwise by these groups would put them in the bad books of BN.

Forcing the minority communities to unflinchingly support the BN government when the latter clearly has failed to safeguard their interests reveals the desperation hounding Najib in ensuring victory belongs to BN come the 13th general election.

In the case of the Sikh community, would Najib have allotted the three lots of land for their place of worship had the Sikhs taken him on in the Besant Singh case and demanded an apology?

Just what exactly does Najib expect from the minority groups? Would it please him if the minority communities danced to his tunes at the expense of their dignity?

How does it affect Najib when a minority group faces the prospect of becoming homeless after their plea for low-cost houses from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (City Hall) falls on deaf ears? This is the on-going predicament of 41 families of the Bukit Jalil estate whose 26-acre land is now being eyed by City Hall.

Little respect for the minority groups

The squabble between the residents and City Hall has dragged on for years. The residents, once estate workers, demanded that four acres of the 26-acres be used to build low-cost houses but this was dismissed by Federal Territories and Urban Well-Being Minister Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin.

Instead, on Feb 23 this year, Raja Nong Chik offered RM23,000 each to those who had worked over 15 years on the estate and RM11,000 each for the rest. Dissatisfied, the residents lodged police reports against City Hall, Raja Nong Chik and City Hall Mayor Ahmad Fuad Ismail repectively but no action came about.

The former estate is now the property of Bukit Jalil Development, which is planning to evict the former estate workers using the Emergency Ordinance.

When families who are on the verge of losing the land they have occupied for three generations lose faith in Najib’s government, who is to blame?
For the families of the Bukit Jalil estate, they were given a week’s ultimatum by Raja Nong Chik to consider the offer, failing which they would be evicted, either way.

When the residents wanted to negotiate compensation, the least helpful Raja Nong Chik turned sarcastic and told the families concerned they should be thankful that the BN government had forked out a lot of money creating the Little India in Brickfields.

Can Raja Nong Chik clarify how is Little India related to the residents’ plea for low-cost houses? Also, did the BN do the Indians any favour by giving Brickfields a facelift?

Clearly, Raja Nong Chik does not subscribe to boss Najib’s 1Malaysia nation and has little respect for the minority groups.

Also, City Hall’s promise to the families that contractors would pay the residents’ wages and make Employees Provident Fund contributions for working on the rubber plantation was never kept.

For Raja Nong Chik, the latest offer was the best the government could do for the Bukit Jalil estate residents.

City Hall’s hanky-panky

Such high-handed behaviour by a government servant like Raja Nong Chik. Will Najib apologise to the families involved?

The residents were just as perplexed to know that City Hall was negotiating on behalf of a private entity, that is, Bukit Jalil Development.

Just as sceptical over the entire drama was independent observer Shin Choong Man who had questioned the government’s true intention of wanting to build a cemetery on the land acquired by City Hall.

“Are you trying to say that a private developer wants to build a cemetery on this valuable piece of real estate?” Shin had asked.

Since Najib has said cooperation from the minority groups is important in protecting their interests, can his government do the same – cooperate with minority residents who are being bullied into giving up their age-old land?

Is Najib’s idea of a progressive and competitive society one that has no empathy for the less privileged? Will Najib do what is necessary and make sure no one loses a roof over their heads just because the government has a hidden agenda to fulfil?