HEY YOU 'belacan,’ ‘cina kui’ and ‘keling': A dark harvest from BN & the NEP

“Sir, you can forget about getting Malay people to work during the fasting month (the holy month of Ramadan). Even if you pay them three times more than what they usually get, they will not work for you because they are very lazy people,” said a taxi driver to me recently on a trip back from school in Cheras.

This surprised me as it was an unexpected outburst from the taxi driver and really a form of racial abuse which was being unnecessarily revealed to me.

'Belacan,’ ‘cina kui,’ and ‘keling

Muslims all over the world celebrate Ramadan with the intention to practice their faith while going about their usual daily activities despite having to fast. It’s a real test of their faith whereby Muslims are taught values that are lofty and noble.

But while my journey back to Bangsar was a long trip, the taxi driver went on to hurl abuse after abuse over the “failings” of a particular race prompting me to tempt with the idea of getting off and paying him the fare and hailing another taxi.

But since there are hardly any vacant taxis on the Connaught to Federal Highway stretch, there was no choice for me but to endure his ranting and raving as he went on to say why the government should be blamed for spoiling and pampering this particular race until they seemingly can’t pull their weight.

When racial abuse of this kind takes place, it always upsets and troubles me. Why on earth should we use terms like ‘belacan,’ ‘cina kui,’ and ‘keling,’ to describe in a bad and evil way with a sweeping generalization how the different main races in this country are like?

When teaching, though usually most of my students are Chinese, there is always an emphasis by me in ensuring that students of all races are accorded fair and equal treatment. There is a lot of effort by me to ensure that there are no racial discords or discrimination and any form of bullying among my students.

Perhaps my attempt to instill camaraderie among my students and to foster goodwill among the different races by highlighting our commonalities is a far better approach than to resort to racial slur and abuse like that subscribed to by the taxi driver.

Silly fear of the unknown

Racism is an evil malaise and a tacky, thorny subject but a topic which Malaysians must face up to owing to the worrying trends in racial polarization in the country today.

The root of racial discrimination and discord is ignorance or fear of the other or fear of the unknown. This is why it is important to shed our inhibitions and engage each other to avoid misunderstandings and enmity among the races.

In Malaysia, unfortunately, people of all races practice racism. The only surefire way to eradicate and eliminate racism is to put into place the practice of fair play or meritocracy.

The BN government over the last fifty-five years has failed dismally to ensure equality among the races by engaging in partisan politics leading to racial disharmony which has by now reached alarming levels.

Undoing the damage of the past, by the implementation of the hastily and ill-conceived New Economic Policy, where much thought and consideration or feedback from all parties were not heeded, might be now a difficult hurdle to surmount.

Blame falls on the BN

The drawing up and implementation of the NEP put a lop-sided structure towards policy planning in ensuring that all races benefitted from the economic growth of the past and has now caused the root of dissension, disharmony and discord among the races.

The blame game, if any, should fall squarely on the BN government for failing to adhere and practice the basic tenets and obligations of democracy in ensuring that all races were given equal treatment in every aspect and sphere of life.

By the BN government engaging in partisan politics, their well meaning ploy of wanting to assist the ‘bumiputra’ community has backfired very badly.

What has evolved after the implementation of the NEP is really the emergence of the minority ‘bumiputra’ elite while the major portion of ‘bumiputras’ till today have cultivated a “crutch mentality” and are heavily dependent on the BN government for aid.

Offering to redress this problem might be the starting point for the government of the day.

The way forward

There is a dire need for Malaysia to put into place effective policies to ensure that the problem of racism does not reach crisis levels as evidenced by the race riots of May 13, 1969 which was a blemish and black mark on the history of this young nation.

The government needs to identify flashpoints and instead of muzzling and silencing the grouses and complains of people from different races, should be bold and brave and honest enough to bring the issues out into the open, for people to voice their concerns through the platforms of intelligent and meaningful debates and discussions.

This should be the way forward for Malaysians. By doing so, by such open and transparent discussions and debates being held, hopefully the middle ground can be reached and a consensus to the satisfaction of all be achieved.

By stifling and silencing dissent and opposition to government policies, as undertaken by the last three BN governments administered by Mahathir, Badawi and Najib, the rot in race relations has set in and caused the isolation of the various races rather than to engage and interact with one another.

By openly discussing a new social contract to keep up with the changes of the times, and of this generation, Malaysia will be able to move forward without any fear or shame or condemnation of whatsoever nature.

Need to establish common ground

It is high time and imperative for every Malaysian to look into the issue of race relations.

The only way for racial harmony to move up to a higher and healthier level is for Malaysians to do the hard work of soul searching before voicing their needs and wants and feelings and allowing for a common ground to be reached.

Once a common ground is reached there will then be able to be accomplished bonding and goodwill among the races which in turn will serve to push the nation naturally forward to embrace and welcome fully the ideas and ideals of a globalized world.

This is when the world will pay fitting tribute to Malaysians and the nation as a whole for setting aside petty differences to be able to live in peace and harmony with one another, for not only Malaysians, but the whole wide world to cherish and savor.

Malaysia Chronicle