1 little, 2 little, 3 little Indians

Okay, so we have one Indian journalist working for an Indian/Chinese news portal that is financed by Indian/Chinese opposition activists quoting an Indian opposition leader from a Chinese political party complaining about an Indian Cabinet member from the government who is alleged to be remaining silent regarding the death of an Indian under police remand. And now we have the Chinese up in arms about one very charming Malaysian Chinese actress who, today, was awarded a Tan Sri title.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

I refer to the article that was published in Malaysiakini titled ‘Kula flays Waytha for silence on custodial death' on May 27, 2013, written for him by the PKR herald Terence Netto.

The article is entirely baseless. Its basic premise is false. Its arguments are at best nothing more than self-serving political opportunism.

It is written by Terence Netto who claims a career of 40 years in journalism. It is shameful what that 40 years has come to be.

The comments section of the article and the Red Bean Facebook circuits will just amplify these lies and perform the greatest disservice to our country, spreading untruths in volumes.

Kula for his part, supposedly a senior legislator, exposes his shallowness and his political opportunism in the untruths in his utterances. It all ill-portends a Goebbellian new world for Malaysia.

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The above is a response by one of the Hindraf chaps in response to the tons of criticism being thrown around regarding the death of an Indian under police remand and the alleged deafening silence on the part of an Indian Cabinet member. I am, of course, keenly following what is being argued in the media plus online.

So here we have one Indian journalist working for an Indian/Chinese news portal that is financed by Indian/Chinese opposition activists quoting an Indian opposition leader from a Chinese political party complaining about an Indian Cabinet member from the government who is alleged to be remaining silent regarding the death of an Indian under police remand.

Hmm…1 little, 2 little, 3 little Indians…..okay, let’s move on to the next issue.

One of my many bones of contention with the opposition supporters is regarding the constant reference to the corrupt Malay government, corrupt Malay politicians, corrupt Malay police, corrupt Malay Election Commission, corrupt Malay Anti-Corruption Commission, corrupt Malay Monarchy, corrupt Malay businessmen, etc.

That is just one of my many bones of contention -- the mention of ‘corrupt’ and ‘Malay’ in the same sentence as if one equates to the other. I was always of the opinion that corruption is colour-blind. In fact, some of the most corrupt nations are ‘white skin’ countries. Some of the most violent and evil governments over the last 2,000 years are in fact not Malay governments at all. They come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

There are and were many corrupt governments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, etc. But we never refer to them as corrupt Catholic countries or corrupt Protestant countries or corrupt Black countries or corrupt White countries or corrupt Chinese countries of corrupt Indian countries or whatever.

Do you know that all countries are corrupt? Do you know that all governments are evil? It is just the degree from country to country. Some are more corrupt and evil than others. And it also depends on what type of corruption and evil we are talking about. There are many types of corruption and evil. Not all corruption involves ‘under-the-table’ money. And not all evil involves killing. But it is still corruption and evil nevertheless.

My second bone of contention is regarding the constant comparison of the bad Malay government of Malaysia to the good Chinese government of Singapore. Again, what has race got to do with it?

Then we read comments about how Malaysia would be a Shangri-La and would become heaven on earth if Malaysia copies Singapore and becomes just like Singapore. Then we are constantly reminded about how great Penang is because we have a Chinese government in Penang, just like they do in Singapore.

Do you really want Malaysia to copy Singapore? Do you really want Malaysia to do what Singapore is doing? Do you really want Malaysia to become just like Singapore? Be careful with what you wish for. For starters, Malaysia would need to licence online news portals and websites, just like Singapore. And you will not be allowed free speech and the freedom to organise street demonstrations, just like Singapore.

Anyway, you say that Penang is a great place because it now has a Chinese government, just like Singapore. But did not Penang always have a Chinese government since the creation of Malaya in August 1957? Penang was always run by a Chinese government; never by a Malay government. And it has had three Chinese governments back-to-back.

Let me guess. You are now going to argue that the first two Chinese governments do not count because they were not opposition Chinese governments. That may be true for 12 years from 1957 to 1969. Thereafter the opposition Gerakan took over Penang. Then Gerakan joined the federal coalition and for almost 40 years the Penang Chinese kept this opposition-party-turned-ruling-party in power because the Chinese were happy with them.

In fact, the Chinese in Penang even kicked out the opposition giants like Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh because they were so happy with the opposition-party-turned-ruling-party Penang state government when at that time the Malays gave the Malay areas to the opposition and half the Malays voted opposition.

So it boggles the mind when I read all this talk about the good Chinese governments of Penang and Singapore. I just cannot reconcile this statement with the action the Chinese took over 51 years or so. What you are saying does not match what you did over 51 years.

Okay, so we have one Indian journalist working for an Indian/Chinese news portal that is financed by Indian/Chinese opposition activists quoting an Indian opposition leader from a Chinese political party complaining about an Indian Cabinet member from the government who is alleged to be remaining silent regarding the death of an Indian under police remand. And now we have the Chinese up in arms about one very charming Malaysian Chinese actress who, today, was awarded a Tan Sri title.

But many people of all races were awarded Tan Sri titles today. Many of them are Chinese as well. So why pick on just this one lovely Chinese girl? What about the many other Chinese who were also awarded Tan Sri titles today?

In fact, over the last many years, many Chinese tycoons, billionaires, millionaires and businessmen have been awarded Tan Sri titles. I have thus far not heard a single word or read a single comment regarding these many other Chinese who were not just given Tan Sri titles but some of them Tun titles as well.

Ah, hold on, is it because many of these Chinese tycoons, billionaires, millionaires and businessmen donate large sums of money to the opposition? Yes, I personally know some of these Chinese tycoons, billionaires, millionaires and businessmen. They are actually friends of mine. And I know for a fact that they donate money to both sides of the political divide. They give money to Barisan Nasional and they also give money to Pakatan Rakyat.

Is this why you do not whack them -- because while they give money to Barisan Nasional they also give money to Pakatan Rakyat? And since Michelle Yeoh does not give any money to Pakatan Rakyat -- although she also does not give any money to Barisan Nasional -- you whack her.

At the end of the day, everything boils down to just one issue -- race. And you dare say that Pakatan Rakyat is not about race? Yeah, right, Barisan Nasional is about race. Pakatan Rakyat is not about race.

In that case why are you all whacking Paul Low, the Chinese Senator-Minister? Why are you whacking P. Waythamoorthy, the Indian Senator-Minister? Why are you silent about the third man, the Malay Senator-Minister who is NOT Chinese or Indian?

No, this is not about race at all. It is about democracy and freedom of speech. Yeah, right.