Stop flaming fires of racial tension

Racial issues continue to be used and abused by politicians, giving rise to the fear that anarcy might someday raise its ugly head in Malaysia.

COMMENT

The greatest harm to a nation is done by the politicians and Malaysia is no exception. For a long time now our politicians here have been busy pitting the Malays against the non-Malays, using race and religion as their ammunition.

So much so that the Malays vs non-Malays ‘war’ was every inch the work of unscrupulous politicians who however waste no time in running for cover when their antics take a turn for the worse.

It is difficult to fathom why the country’s unity is being torn apart, that too using the country’s most prized asset, its people of different faiths and beliefs.

Time and again it happens, when these politicians, be they ministers or even the prime minister or his deputy issue ultimatum to the non-Malays to exercise caution when it comes to dealing with the Malays.

When Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin during the fasting month attacked the non-Malays for tarnishing Islam, it was a sign that the racial harmony Malaysians once enjoyed is dying a painful death.

Despite that, racial issues continue to be used and abused by politicians, giving rise to the fear that anarcy might someday raise its ugly head in Malaysia.

When Muhyiddin warned the ‘other races’ to not insult Islam, there was absolutely no basis for him to do so. The scenario in the country has always been the reverse, with the dominant race instigating and threatening the non-Malays.

Racial unity is the right and responsibility of all Malaysians and it can only be achieved when politicians stop creating racial tensions among the people.

Talk about unity, not threats to Islam
Instead of holding the non-Malays at ransom for ‘belittling’ Islam, the politicians here would be wiser to talk about ways and means to foster harmony among the rakyat.

To continue lying to the Malays that Islam is under attack no thanks to the non-Malays is not going to bring back the glory days of Malaysia, when race and religion were not used as a yardstick to extend a hand of friendship.

When Muhyiddin back tracked saying he never alluded to the non-Malays as insulting Islam but was referring to ‘certain parties” and that he was misquoted by the New Sraits Times and the country’s national news agency Bernama for saying the former, it was ironical that opposition DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng who is also Penang chief minister came forward to lend support to Muhyiddin, saying both NST and Bernama be taken to task for falsely reporting that the DPM had blamed non-Muslims for tarnishing Islam.

Did the two news agencies really misquoted Muhyiddin or is it once again the case of a politician trying to safe his skin by claiming so?

Whatever it is, the truth cannot be hidden that Muhyiddin has always been using the non-Malays as a punching bag, blaming them for the hostility he thinks Islam is under.

There is amply evidence to show that Muhyiddin has never had the interests of the non-Malays at heart. One cannot forget his one too many remarks on TV in defence of Islam, giving the false impression that the religion was under attack and had to be protected at all costs.

But the Malay Consultative Council (MCC) in defending the DPM blamed his detractors for provoking racial hatred, this was a pathetic display of racial supremacy.

Sow seeds of love, not hatred
MCC’s argument that Muhyiddin by virtue of his position in government had the right to warn those inciting racial disunity is simply an excuse to justify the DPM’s condemnation of the minority races.

By claiming Muhyiddin has every right to reprimand the non-Malays, the MCC is equally guilty of flaming the fires of racial tension.

And the decision to set up a task force to look into the speeches and remarks of figures from the parliamentary opposition, which the MCC alleges are seditious.

The task force comprised 12 permanent members, which include retired politicians, policemen, judges and businessmen.

If the DPM was indeed worried about peace and harmony, he would not have accused the opposition parties for playing the racial game.

It is not the DAP nor its leaders Lim Kit Siang or his son Lim Guan Eng or for that matter its national chairman Karpal Singh who must be punished for stirring racial hatred among Malaysians.

Rather it is politicians like Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Ibrahim Ali, Hasan Ali and Zulkifli Noordin in particular who are the real threats to Malaysia’s peace, harmony and stability; DPM Muhyiddin knows this only too well and yet chooses to play dumb whenever these trio ridicule Malaysians of other faiths.

Nothing is going to change in the country as long as the likes of Mahathir, Ibrahim Ali, Hasan Ali and Zulkifli Noordin continue to be exonerated for their seditious remarks, for castigating the non-Malays and for lying to the Malays that Islam is under siege and demands ‘sacrifice’ and the blood of the enemies, in this case the non-Malays.

Malaysians have every reason to enjoy peace and stand united provided certain politicians in our midst stop spewing hatred and start sowing words of love.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.