Yes, I know, you hate it when I talk about Malays, Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia. That is very racial. We should be talking as Malaysians and not talk about the various races. The problem is, when Malaysians go to the polls in the coming election, they will not be voting as Malaysians. They will be voting as Malays, Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia. So, do we still want to remain in denial?
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
The ‘problem’ I face every morning is to figure out what I should write about for the day. I mull over a few possible topics but the choice of issues would have to be one that triggers the most outrage. I think I have said this before: my ‘job’ is to throw the cats amongst the pigeons and watch the feathers fly.
Call me a devil’s advocate if you wish, or an agent provocateur, shit stirrer, or whatever. I suppose any one of those ‘labels’ would describe me quite accurately. Basically, I want to make you think, reflect, react, scream, pull your hair out, or whatever it is you wish to do in response to what I say.
One topic that met with hostility when I first wrote about it was my piece on the 3Rs. And the 3Rs I meant here were Race, Religion and Royalty. Of course, since I am a member of the Selangor Royal Family, and not ashamed of it, many viewed my articles on the royalty as a monarchy-apologist or pro-royalist piece in defence of the monarchy.
So what if I defend the institution of the monarchy? What is wrong with that? Is it wrong only because I am from the royal family? If my parents or grandparents had been farmers or fishermen would it, therefore, have been okay for me to speak in defence of the monarchy? Is it not okay only because I am from the royal family and therefore it is wrong for me to speak up for the monarchy?
I am also Malay and Muslim and I speak about both the Malays and Islam as well, although I am certainly most critical about the attitude of the Malays and the conduct of the Muslims. In fact, I was detained for the so-called ‘crime’ of insulting Islam and not because I defended Islam. Hence, while some may perceive me as an Islam-apologist, others regard me as the opposite to that, an enemy of Islam.
Anyway, right is always right and wrong can never but be wrong. I just say things the way I perceive them, right or wrong. And the fact that I use the word ‘perceive’ means that that would be how I see things, not necessarily how you too perceive them. Perception, after all, is subjective -- subject to ethnicity, religious beliefs, cultural background, education, upbringing, and most important of all, the era and region you happen to exist in. Values vary across time and place.
In short, the perception of right and wrong changes depending on whom you are, where you are, and at what point of time you happen to be alive.
Nevertheless, after having said all that, perception can also be how you would like things to be. In other words, you can make yourself believe the unbelievable if that makes you feel comfortable with that belief. This is the comfort zone we lock ourselves into. It is more comfortable to believe what we like to believe rather than face reality. This can also be called denial syndrome.
I am not an alcoholic. I am a social drinker. I am not a nicotine addict. I smoke just as a matter of habit and can stop any time I wish to. Those are some examples of those who suffer from denial syndrome. Others would be: I am not a racist. I am colour blind. I don’t hate the Malays. I just hate those Malays who abuse their power. I don’t discriminate. I just fight for the rights of my own race. I am not a republican. I just hate members of the royal family who misbehave. I am not anti-Islam. I just hate holier than thou religionists who force their values on others.
Can you see how it works? Denial syndrome at its best!
Okay, enough digressing. Let’s get back to the subject of the 3Rs: Race, Religion and Royalty. Now, please note, what I am saying here is not a new subject. It is something I have already spoken about, more than once. Only that now we are beginning to see what I said would happen begin to happen.
There are Malays and there are Malays. There is not just one type of Malay. And different Malays think different, naturally, just like how the Chinese and Indians do as well.
There are Malays who would not bat an eyelid if there is pork on the table and there are Malays who will foam at the mouth for what they regard as ‘insensitive to the feelings of the Muslims’. There are Malays who would not eat pork or drink liquor but have no problem with taking bribes. There are Malays who refuse to work for the government because they regard the salary they would receive as haram money. Then there are Malays who feel a government job is their birthright.
Yes, there are Malays and there are Malays, there is not just one type of Malay.
Whatever it may be, there are some things that -- never mind what type of the Malays they may be -- the Malays are quite united on. And these would be the 3Rs: Race, Religion and Royalty. Hence, if you were to attack any one of these 3Rs, the Malays would get upset.
Sure, you can tell me to go to hell. You can tell me that the Malays always ‘kecik hati’ and you don’t care a damn whether they kecik hati or besar hati. That’s fine with me. After all, it is a free country and you are entitled to your opinions. But we have a bigger fish to fry. And that bigger fish is to convince the Malay voters that their future and survival does not rest just in the hands of Umno and that if Pakatan Rakyat were to take over then the Malays would be at risk.
That is the bigger fish we need to fry.
Umno knows this. Umno knows the phobia of the Malays. And Umno has very cleverly played on this phobia. In case you have not noticed, of late, issues involving race, religion and royalty have been played up to the hilt. And Umno is winning the battle for the hearts and minds of the Malays.
Let’s be clear about one thing. Pakatan Rakyat cannot form the federal government just on Chinese and Indian votes even if 80% of the Chinese and 50% of the Indians vote for the opposition. No doubt the East Malaysian votes is necessary. But equally important would be the Malay votes. And unless at least 55% of the Malays vote opposition, then Pakatan Rakyat will always remain the opposition.
The ball is at your feet. At the end of the day, this is about winning the hearts and minds of the Malay voters. And Umno appears to be winning this battle. If Umno can keep the Malay votes for the opposition down at 50% or less, then Barisan Nasional is going to stay in power. And from where I sit this appears to be what is going to happen.
So what are you going to do now? If you want to whack me like you did the previous times when I raised this issue then go ahead. I can always tell you ‘I told you so’ come dinnertime of Polling Day.
Let me put it another way. Why should the Malays give Pakatan Rakyat the government? Give me one good reason. For transparency, good governance, freedom of speech, uncensored media, independent judiciary, right to assembly, and whatnot? What do these ‘western’ values mean to the Malays in the villages and land settlements? They mean nothing. What is of importance to the Malays in the villages and land settlements are the 3Rs. And this is what we must convince the Malays: that all this will not be jeopardised if they vote Pakatan Rakyat.
As I said, Umno knows what is close to the heart of the Malays. And Umno is skilfully playing on what is close to the heart of the Malays. Does this make the Malays silly, stupid, backward, outdated, simple-minded, country bumpkins, immature, uneducated, and more? Maybe it does. Or maybe the Malays see themselves just like how the Chinese see themselves: pragmatic and realistic.
Yes, I know, you hate it when I talk about Malays, Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia. That is very racial. We should be talking as Malaysians and not talk about the various races. The problem is, when Malaysians go to the polls in the coming election, they will not be voting as Malaysians. They will be voting as Malays, Chinese, Indians and natives of East Malaysia. So, do we still want to remain in denial?
ADDENDUM
Nik Aziz chides Umno for playing up two words - BUMIPUTERA AND ALLAH http://www.malaysia-today.net/archives/18718-nik-aziz-chides-umno-for-playing-up-two-words-bumiputera-and-allah
Umno’s sound and fury a sign of desperation http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/45820-umnos-sound-and-fury-a-sign-of-desperation
PAS must purge Hasan Ali quickly http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/guest-columnists/46123-pas-must-purge-hasan-ali-quickly
UMNO's Tangled Web of Deceit (2) http://www.malaysia-today.net/archives/archives-2012/48419-umnos-tangled-web-of-deceit-2
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