SO WHAT’S THE REAL ISSUE THEN?

Alternatively, Pakatan Rakyat can propose that we amend the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and remove Islam as the religion of the Federation. To be very honest I have no problems with that. But can we hear from the other Muslims, in particular the PAS supporters in Pakatan Rakyat?

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Over the last few days I have been provoking a debate regarding Malaysia’s Constitutional Monarchy. Remember I said some time ago that I just love to throw the cat amongst the pigeons and watch the feathers fly?

Anyway, early in the debate, I made it very clear that I support the Monarchy and this upset many people, some who used to be my friends in the past. Now that (as they said) I have made my stand clear (that I am a Monarchist), they do not see how they can continue to be my friend.

I knew many of these people are Republicans from way back. In my conversation with them over the years they made this very clear. But I did not see the need to end my friendship with them just because they are Republicans whilst I am a Monarchist.

So that is the first test of the Malaysian mind. If you are not on the same page with them then there is no way they can treat you as a friend. You now become the enemy.

I can accept that if that is how you want our relationship to be. We need to share the same thoughts, ideals, philosophy, doctrine, values, etc., to be friends. If we do not then we cannot be friends.

Okay, as I said, I can accept that if that is how our friendship has to be based upon. But then what about our thoughts, ideals, philosophy, doctrine, values, etc., regarding theology? I am a Muslim and, say, you are not.

Does that also not mean we do not share the same thoughts, ideals, philosophy, doctrine, values, etc., regarding theology? And does that mean, therefore, we cannot be friends unless I convert to Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shia Islam, or whatever?

Why is it okay for me to have a different theological belief from you but it is not okay to have a different political belief from you? What makes one okay and the other not okay?

This is what I cannot understand about the Malaysian mind. We must share the same thoughts, ideals, philosophy, doctrine, values, etc., regarding one thing but it is okay to not share the same thoughts, ideals, philosophy, doctrine, values, etc., when it comes to another thing.

Is this the mark of a mature mind?

Okay, so what is the beef with the Monarchy? You say that you oppose the Monarchy because of the cost of maintaining them. And you, the taxpayers, are paying this cost. So you resent that.

I can buy that argument. So what if we reduce the salaries of the nine Rulers (and one Agong) to just RM1.00 a year. And you do not even need to pay that RM1.00 a year. I, Raja Petra Kamarudin, will personally foot that bill for that RM10.00 a year.

Does this solve the problem for you? Can we now retain the Monarchy since it costs the country nothing? It costs only RM10.00 and I, not you, will pay that cost.

And can the two Pakatan Rakyat states of Kelantan and Selangor take the lead in reducing the salaries of the Sultans of Kelantan and Selangor to just RM1.00 a year?

Since the Pakatan Rakyat supporters are the most outspoken regarding this matter and have demonstrated Republican and anti-Monarchy tendencies, then let Pakatan Rakyat abide by their supporters’ wishes and address this problem in the two Pakatan Rakyat states.

Can this be done and from January 2014 the states of Kelantan and Selangor will no longer fork out any money for the two Sultans?

If Kelantan and Selangor do this then I promise I will launch a campaign for the same thing to be done in the Umno-run states as well. And Penang can follow suit with its Governor. DAP can announce that the Penang Governor will no longer be paid any salary and the cost to maintain the office of the Governor will come from the pocket of the Governor himself.

As I said, will this solve the problem for you?

After suggesting this you then come out with other arguments as to why you want Malaysia to be turned into a Republic.

The Monarchy is outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times. The Rulers are supposed to be the head of Islam but yet they drink and gamble so it is pointless to have a Monarchy (meaning, also, head of Islam).

Now hold on! The argument here is that the Monarchy is a waste of the taxpayers’ money and that is why you are opposed to it. But if the Rulers, as you say, drink and gamble with their own money how does this affect you the taxpayer?

I thought many of you are libertarians who believe that every human has a right to decide how he or she would like to live his or her life. I have witnessed many of you argue that you are opposed to Islam because Islam is a restrictive religion that does not allow Muslims freedom of choice. But now you want to decide how the Rulers should live their lives and you want to determine whether they should be strict Muslims or ‘liberal’ Muslims.

You praise liberal Muslims such as Zaid Ibrahim. You say that Zaid and people like him should be the Prime Minister so that we can have a more liberal Malaysia with less strict Islamic rules. But then you vilify liberal Muslim Rulers and say that we should get rid of them.

So, do you want liberal Muslims or do you want strict Muslims? Make up your mind!

You say that Tunku Abdul Rahman, the First Malaysian Prime Minister from a Royal Family, is the best Prime Minister Malaysia ever had and that we should have more Prime Minsters like him. But the Tunku drank and gambled. So why do you say he is the best Prime Minister? Should he not be the worst Prime Minister going by your own standards of good and bad?

As I said earlier, this is what I cannot understand about the Malaysian mind. Is this the mark of a mature mind?

Regarding your comment that the Monarchy is outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times, there are many things that fall within that category. Hinduism is outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times. Buddhism is outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times. Christianity is outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times. Islam is outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times.

Do we get rid of all these as well?

Religion also costs a lot of money. We need to build houses of worship when that money could be spent on other better things. Indians complain that they are so poor. Yet they waste so much money on Hindu temples, priests and so on. Should we not just demolish all the temples and send all the priests back to India and spend the money we save in giving scholarships to Indian students?

Many Chinese customs and traditions are also outdated and obsolete and a relic of ancient times. If the Chinese discard all their old customs and traditions, just imagine how much money we can save?

The Chinese spend tons of money on ang pows. The Chinese argue that gambling is an old Chinese tradition and therefore gambling should not be banned. The Chinese also refuse to allow the government to ban liquor like, say, in Saudi Arabia. But does not gambling and drinking cost a lot of money? So why uphold old customs and traditions that waste so much money?

This debate on the Monarchy is a good test to see how the Malaysian mind works. You argue one point and when that point has been rebutted you raise another point to justify your stand in opposing the Monarchy.

Make up your mind! Why do you want the Monarchy to be abolished and for Malaysia to be turned into a Republic? You say one thing and then you change your mind and say something else. You cannot really support your argument as to why the Monarchy should be abolished and for Malaysia to be turned into a Republic.

Okay, let us say we do abolish the Monarchy. Will Malaysia then have a President since we no longer have an Agong? Sabah, Sarawak, Penang and Melaka do not have Rulers and instead have Governors. Will the other nine states that now no longer have Sultans have Governors as well?

So we will now have 13 Governors in Malaysia. And how much does it cost the taxpayers to maintain 13 Governors? Is it free? Or, to save money, do we also abolish the office of the Governors and the states come under the 13 Chief Ministers (there will no longer be any Menteri Besar since we do not have any more state Rulers)?

Penang has a Chief Minister. However, Islam comes under the Governor. And since we abolish the office of the Governor then Islam will have to come under the Chief Minister. Hence the Chief Minister can no longer be a non-Muslim Chinese unless Lim Guan Eng converts to Islam or they appoint a new Malay Chief Minister of Penang.

Alternatively, Pakatan Rakyat can propose that we amend the Federal Constitution of Malaysia and remove Islam as the religion of the Federation. To be very honest I have no problems with that. But can we hear from the other Muslims, in particular the PAS supporters in Pakatan Rakyat?