YES. I couldn’t agree more with Koon Yew Yin (see story reproduced below), a respected Chinese community senior citizen.
In fact, I have also blogged on this earlier: http://victorlim1982.blogspot.com/2012/12/may-13-bogey-umnos-archaic-bid-to.html and http://victorlim1982.blogspot.com/2012/12/umno-must-be-buried-politically-to-save.html
I wish to add two very pertinent points which Mr Koon and I overlooked.
Point No.1: The majority of Malays, I believe some 90% of them, don’t pay taxes to the federal government.
They pay what is known as zakat (tithes), a form of Islamic tax.
This means Malaysia has been developed for the past 55 years with contributions from the non-Malays or non-Muslims and the corporate sector.
Therefore, if the business climate is ruined by the super corrupt, evil and racist Umno-led Barisan Nasional (BN) because it wants to remain in power at all costs, including the propagation of the May 13 violence and bloodshed, who will suffer more? Who is the majority race in Malaysia?
The cousins … the real danger Malaysians’ face
Point No.2: However, should violence really break out after BN-Umno loses the next general election, it will not be the same May 13, 1969.
In 1969, the majority of Malays were really living in abject poverty. They were envious of others who were better off economically.
Today, it is an entirely different scenario. That was the 20th century. We are now in the 21st century.
The Malays today are more informed and are therefore able to make wiser judgments politically.
Unlike 1969, the issues today are not about race. Only BN-Umno, for reasons only known to them, stubbornly refuses to change with the times to remain relevant with the rakyat (people).
Politically Bankrupt
All BN-Umno can focus on is its divide-and-rule archaic political strategy to remain in power at all costs.
BN-Umno uses money and its blind-loyalty supporters to stir emotions and violence at Opposition ceramah (political rallies) or to disrupt peaceful public protests.
BN is just unable to think out of the box and is obviously unable to react rationally after the March 8, 2008 political tsunami shock which saw BN losing its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament and five states.
Blinded by corruption
Over the past four years, as the BN continued to try to impose their brute political might and power on the people with the aim of intimidating the rakyat into submission and subservience, the peoples’ political restlessness grew enormously.
Now, at its own doing, the BN is living in fear of losing its mandate to govern after the 13th General Election. The dissolution of the 222-seat Parliament is automatic on April 28, 2013.
BN has only itself to blame for failing to use the four years to implement reforms that would endear the rakyat and win back their hearts and minds after March 2008.
It refuses to see the rakyat’s demands for justice and clean socio-economic development policies – not continuing with its culture of enriching its families and cronies.
They are the poorest in Malaysia, so the BN-Umno federal government needs to give all the multi-billion ringgit projects to them.
Where has our natural wealth GONE?
It refuses to discard its race and religious political cards for more practical and reforming policies to fast track the progress and prosperity of Malaysians and Malaysia.
Yes! The people are asking: “Where have all the trillions of ringgit in natural resources, including oil and gas, gone?”
Is it also too much to ask the BN government to account for it’s more than RM800 billion federal debt? This, the BN has remained mum.
No wonder, the Opposition is gaining ground
The Opposition PR’s nationwide political rallies are seeing bigger and bigger crowds by the day and the audience comprises all races.
They break into rounds and rounds of thundering applause whenever Parliamentary Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim touches on issues related to the need to do away with non-race based policies in governance to stimulate and fast track Malaysia’s healthy socio-economic growth.
They break into rounds and rounds of applause whenever Anwar explains and proposes people-centric fiscal measures aimed at reducing the financial burden of the people in a fast rising cost of living environment.
Anwar also stresses on the need to provide a higher standard of education for Malaysians, not race, as the impetus for economic and technological excellence. This, he has proposed free education for all, from primary level to tertiary education.
If BN-Umno really resorts to the use of violence when it loses the next general election, it will be the minority Umno Malays fighting with the PKR-PAS Malays backed by the Chinese and Indian communities.
My dear fellow rakyat, it will be very much unlike May 13, 1969.
Friday, 07 December 2012 23:58
Written by Koon Yew Yin
As the countdown to the general election begins in earnest, we are getting more and more calls from desperate and irresponsible politicians drawing attention to the possibility of a repeat of the infamous May 13 violence if the election results should go against the expectations of various political parties and interests.
The fact that these calls are directed towards the Bumiputera component of our population, are expressed in the national language, and are widely carried in the Malay mass media and Internet world makes me suspicious of the intentions of these politicians who claim that they are simply doing Malaysians a favour by warning of the backlash should the election outcome not bring about a continuation of the present power structure.
To my mind, these politicians are not only applying crude pressure on the Malay electorate to vote for them but they are also blatantly revealing their trump card – that violence, chaos and political instability will automatically erupt in the event that the opposition parties win the elections.
This blackmailing of our electorate as well as incitement of disruptive and hooligan elements in our society is totally unacceptable. Various academicians and politicians from the opposition have spoken up against such fear mongering in the recent past. However, not enough has been done by members of the business community and other professional organizations to speak out against these warnings and threats although they will be the main losers should another May 13 episode take place.
Much more needs to be done by key stakeholders to condemn the individuals and organizations making the threats as the risk of these threats becoming self-fulfilling prophesies increases by the day.
Shahrizat’s not-so-veiled threat
The latest invocation of May 13 took place at the Umno general assembly held recently. In that meeting, the Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil warned that the May 13 tragedy might be repeated should Umno became weak and not be able to overcome its challenges. That this warning was not made obliquely but was served up as part of her opening speech text testifies to the way in which this kind of desperado thinking has become the mainstream in certain political circles.
What is more worrying is that both Najib Razak and Muhyiddin Yassin as Umno president and deputy president, and more importantly as the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, failed to repudiate or rebuke Sharizat for fear mongering. Instead the Deputy Prime Minister attempted to defend the speech by explaining that chaos will be inevitable under Pakatan Rakyat rule.
Other Umno leaders, notably its vice-president Hishamuddin Hussein have even gone so far as to dismiss the attention brought by Shahrizat’s May 13 statement as a case of “spinning” and to put the blame on a pro-opposition media and other opposition elements.
“Shahrizat has already told me that this will be another matter that will be used for spinning by certain quarters, just because it coincides with the general assembly”, the country’s minister in charge of internal security is reported to have said in his dismissal of public concern when questioned about it.
Even if it is a case of over-reaction by the media and a fearful public, it is hoped that Shahrizat and her colleagues will not play with fire or pander to the psyche of insecurity found in Umno party members by constantly harping on the possible recurrence of 13 May and even worst, by condoning or justifying violent and catastrophic racial riots as they appear to be doing in the run-up to the elections.
Aftershocks of electoral violence
Should there be bloodshed and violence arising from the next elections, it will not be non-Malays primarily who will lose out or be hurt by the collapse of the share market and the larger economy as we see a rush to exit the country by local and foreign businesses and investors. It will be all Malaysians especially those who are now enjoying the good life.
Malays must bear in mind that while in 1969 they may have had less to lose, today the situation is completely different. There is Malay control of a major part of the commanding heights of our economy such as the banks, manufacturing, hi-tech industry, etc. and the largest listed companies. These gains which have given birth to the creation of a sizeable Malay middle and upper class will be put at great risk should there be another May 13. They may even disappear as the economic aftershocks and loss of economic confidence spiral out of control.
Another May 13 is unthinkable and unforgivable except to those who are so blinded by ambition and their lust for power that they need to keep reminding themselves and their supporters of that horrific possibility. However, should it happen, unlike in the first May 13 incident, it will be clear as to who are the instigators.
Conclusion:
I trust this article will encourage more stakeholders – bankers, business leaders, academicians and leaders of all political parties – to speak out and condemn those who are using the threat of another May 13 if there is a change of government. The Malays must remember that even if Pakatan Rakyat wins control of the government, there will be more Malay Members of Parliament than from any other races.
The Malays will be the biggest losers if there is another May 13 riot. – cpi
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.