A SOLUTION TO RUU 355

This is a satirical piece meant to make my fellow Malaysians reflect on just how stupid the discussion on RUU 355 is becoming.

Mak Khuin Weng

Dear Datuk Seri Najib Razak,

Allow me to start off this open letter with an admission: I’m not your biggest fan. I actually prefer your predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was a much nicer, kinder Prime Minister.

After all, it was under his premiership that Malaysians were able to march to demand for free and fair elections in 2007 without any repercussions.

I was among the handful of Chinese that marched in 2007 because many of my fellow Chinese friends and family were still afraid. They reminded me of how the Malays marched in 1998 and were put down by the ruthless tactics used by our former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed.

The New Messiah

But times have changed. Badawi was made to pay the price for BN’s poor performance in the 2013 elections and the Chinese are all raring to march against you without PAS.

The once timid and meek Malaysian Chinese are now all about making demands. Just see the comments on our social media whenever any news involving the Syariah Act amendments, also known by the code word: RUU 355.

Somehow, the Chinese have also started believing that their one-time worst enemy – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad – would become the messiah to deliver our country from the yoke of oppression.

The Chinese have forgotten that it was Mahathir who used the Vernacular Chinese Schools to instigate the Chinese educationists and politicians to protest loudly, thereby giving the impression that there was racial tension and providing the excuse for Operasi Lalang to take place.

I suppose the Chinese believe that all can be forgiven because Mahathir is now your worst enemy. Or maybe the Chinese have not forgotten but are dastardly opportunists and just want to use Mahathir to take you out, and then promptly betray Mahathir once you are removed from office.

Fair Trade

Anyway, back to the part about the Chinese making demands on RUU 355. The Chinese do not recognise your leadership, but would still make demands of your government to stop the proposed RUU 355 amendments. That is a rather perplexing conundrum indeed.

I mean, what on Earth are my fellow Malaysian Chinese thinking of in making such demands anyway? It’s not like the Chinese will vote for BN even if you prevent the bill from being read in Parliament, right?

If you stop the bill from being heard, you piss-off PAS and your colleagues in Umno for no benefit.

If you allow the bill to be voted on, Umno and PAS will bring 100 votes to the table, with just 12 votes short. That puts the onus on PKR and Amanah MPs to vote for or against. However PKR and Amanah vote, you either become the hero or they become the villains to the Malays. A win-win for you.

No, in order for you to consider an alternative solution, the Chinese must be willing to pay a price that offers you a tangible benefit. So, I would like to offer a solution for your consideration, Datuk Seri.

Shut down all Chinese Vernacular Schools and replace them with National Schools in exchange for stopping any and all future amendments to RUU335.

Think about it; you will appease your Sabah and Sarawak colleagues and make sure that the Chinese get what they want (for a price, of course). Even PAS and Umno wins because they just need to be patient while the number of DAP sympathisers being churned out from Chinese Vernacular Schools will be no more and DAP will die a slow and natural death.

A win-win for everyone except DAP and Mahathir (even solutions have a price too), wouldn’t you say so, Datuk Seri?

P.S. This is a satirical piece meant to make my fellow Malaysians reflect on just how stupid the discussion on RUU 355 is becoming. I sincerely wish both Muslim and non-Muslim leaders from BN, PH and PAS would just sit down and work out a solution behind closed doors rather than allow the Rakyat to continue hurling abuse at one another. You are leaders of your respective communities – act like leaders and lead your people towards peace.