Non-Malays shd be thankful yet the Chinese don't want their kids to go near Malay children - Dr M

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is like a one-trick pony. He has only one specialty - scare-mongering. And he is now doing that to the hilt so as to keep the Malays wary of the other races especially the Chinese.

At an interview with an online TV, Mahathir was reported as saying only in Malaysia are the minority races allowed to retain their 'identities'.

“Non-Malays are still privileged. Only in this country do people who still identify themselves in their country of origin... and are allowed to have their language, their culture, their school system,” said Mahathir.

Now, these comments are not anything new. In fact, the issue is Mahathir's favorite hobby horse, so to speak, and every now and then he can be counted on to flog it to the maximum.

"You are, Dr M!"

What is a bit more unusual this time is how he suddenly swung full circle to lay the blame for the rising racial polarization in the country on the Chinese educationists.

“At the moment, people are still talking about themselves, their rights and their privileges, and not just about Bumiputeras. We find people are still segregated; we try to do something (about it), but there are objections,” said Mahathir.

“Chinese educationalists have objected for their children to go near Malay children; this is the effect of opposition. If that is not racist, what is?”

Many Malaysians would answer his question with a "You are, Dr M!"

Perhaps Mahathir has forgotten there are countries in the world besides Indonesia, where the Chinese and other minorities are compelled to take on Indonesian names. But that does not mean Indonesian Chinese are not allowed to follow their own customs, traditions and heritage.

Same goes in melting-pot Singapore. For example, Indian professionals make up a large proportion of the island's multiracial citizens and they keep their Indian names, customs, religion and heritage.

Ethnicity by definition

It is only in BN-controlled Malaysia that leaders from the dominant party Umno keep harping on the special privileges and special status of the dominant racial group - the Malays.

That Mahathir begrudges the non-Malays their heritage shows his rejection of diversity and his insincerity about multiracialism and national unity.

As various pundits have said through the decades, all Malaysians including the Malays and excepting the Orang Asli or Original People are "pendatangs" or immigrants.

Some would even point out that being Malay is an 'artificially-created' ethnicity, as far as Malaysia goes. Odd it may seem, but in Malaysia, whether you are Malay depends not on your genetic composition but on meeting a definition stated in the Federal Constitution. For example, Mahathir is of partial Indian descent but considered a Malay because he meets the criteria detailed in the Constitution.

Obviously, it is not advantageous to Dr M to remember this. Many of the older senior civil servants who used to work with him in the days before he became PM still joke about how he bought his dad a ONE-WAY ticket back to India once he started to rise in the government echelons.

Playing psy-war with the Malays, brainwashing them into fearing the Chinese

Why then is Mahathir suddenly rehashing all this racial poison. Just days ago, he declared that 13th general election would be all about race, and then followed up by declaring the Chinese voters the kingmakers of GE-13.

His comments spurred DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang to tick him off for irresponsibility and mischief. Indeed, few seasoned observers have any doubt that Mahathir is playing 'psy-war' with the Malays. He may be outraging the Chinese but make no mistake - his target is the Malays. He wants to 'pyscho' them.

Mahathir is telling the Malays that the Chinese are an ungrateful lot and if the Malays don't stick together and vote for Umno, then the Chinese - being kingmakers - will hand over the federal government to the Pakatan Rakyat led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Once that happens, the Malays would lose everything. They would be 'slaves' in their own country. Malaysia would be ruled by the minority, i.e. the Chinese, while the majority, i.e. the Malays, would have to play second-fiddle in their own country - losing all their special privileges and special rights.

Mask for massive corruption

But what 'privileges' is Mahathir talking about?

Anwar has often pointed that the New Economic Policy - the instrument that Mahathir and Umno claim keeps the Malays protected with special rights - has done nothing for the ordinary Malay folk.

It has only enriched the ruling elite in Umno as Anwar and his Pakatan are fond of pointing out.

And frankly, they appear to be right. More than 90% of the poorest people in the country are Malays despite Umno leading the country since 1957 and the NEP being in effect since 1971.

This only only shows how corrupt Umno and its top leaders such as Mahathir are. Without massive leakage and pilferage, such an inefficient situation could not develop.

Indeed there is empirical proof. The renowned Global Financial Integrity report showed that in the past decade beginning 2000, more than ONE TRILLION RINGGIT in illicit funds have left Malaysian shores.

Mahathir and Najib have only snubbed the GFI when it asked if they wanted help in tracking down the source of the outflows.

No wonder then that at 86, Mahathir still has to bring out his 'racial drums' to beat in order to maintain the political status quo that would allow him to preserve his huge family wealth and power.

Malaysia Chronicle