YOURSAY | New politics must include end to tolerating racism

 

YOURSAY | 'This tolerant attitude is not so much Malay as it is Malaysian.'

The 'non-Malay dilemma' 64 years after independence

Hrrmph: This is the most direct article I’ve read on racism in Malaysia for a long time. We’re often told Malays are tolerant. Well, the non-Malays are too. They are tolerant of the perpetual discrimination against them, by the government no less.

This kind of discrimination will never be allowed in any self-respecting developed country. The difference between racism in those countries and Malaysia - and there is plenty of racism in Western countries - is that racism in Malaysia is institutionalised.

I guess this tolerant attitude is not so much Malay as it is Malaysian. All these years, many non-Malays focused on making a living and kept quiet. Malays also kept quiet because they benefited from it. Who will voluntarily give something like that up?

As I often tell my non-Malay friends, they can complain about the Malays’ attitude but I doubt they would be the ones complaining if the government had favoured them instead of the Malays.

We have long passed the point where everyone, not just the non-Malays but even Malays, are hurt by these discriminatory practices. All of us need to open our eyes, minds and hearts. Always keep in mind that it is not fair to do unto others what we do not want to be done to us.

It takes an honest man to react the way CIMB group chairperson Nazir Razak did in his interview with Harith Iskander. He did not sugarcoat the fact that it is an uphill task to change things in Malaysia.

But he implored those who feel they can to soldier on. For Malaysia is our home. There is no better reason to fight.

Cogito Ergo Sum: There is hope yet! The youth of today do not really see race as a definition of who they are.

They know they have all suffered together under dysfunctional policies and politicians in the past. During the White Flag campaign, Malaysian youths rallied to help one another, irrespective of race or religion.

The biggest fear the old guards have is that the youth, after Undi18 is passed, will totally reject race-based politicking. In that sense, the old guards like PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and the chauvinists in other parties will become irrelevant.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clear that policies encouraging and promoting affirmative action have failed spectacularly. This administration is the culmination of decades of practising and preaching everything that is wrong for this nation.

We have promoted everyone to their level of incompetence and unfortunately, there aren’t enough competent ones to save the rest of the sinking ship. Our hope lies within the next two generations.

RR: Bravo, Chandran Nair for initiating the establishment of the Malaysian Anti-Racism Institute (MARI). It is about time enlightened Malaysians of all races, especially the elite, embark on eliminating racism in this nation.

To begin with, all like-minded Malaysians, particularly enlightened Malay leaders, must join MARI to promote human values.

There is no use talking of past failures. We must unite all Malaysians as one class of citizenship. Without meritocracy, the country is doomed, as we see happening in many countries affected by self-interested, avaricious politicians.

The non-Malay dilemma is real and the suffering has been going on for generations. It is time to move forward towards an egalitarian citizenry.

Kim Quek: The almost lone crusader against racism, Chandran Nair, has once again pricked the Malaysian conscience to awaken our indifference to the root cause that has impaired Malaysia to almost a failed state – pervasive institutional racism.

This time, Chandran has called for the non-Malays to rise up from their slumber to create public resistance against this policy while expressing his pessimism over changing the system through the political process.

While I agree that peaceful mass protest is very helpful, I still firmly believe that installing a reformist government is the most powerful way to transform the country from its current racism-devastated status.

With the immense resources at its disposal, the ruling government can re-educate the masses to undo the deeply ingrained racist mentality and gradually reduce racial discrimination while revitalising the economy to benefit all races at the same time.

The short-lived Pakatan Harapan government could have embarked on such a course if it was helmed by Anwar Ibrahim, instead of the traitorous Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

We must now endeavour to restore the stolen mandate of the electorate to Harapan soonest to fulfil our dreams of creating a cohesive and progressive multiracial nation.

Mat M Din: For decades, non-Malay organisations have complained about the discrimination they suffered as rightful citizens under the Malaysian sun, being treated as second-class citizens and not given equal rights.

Being organisations without political power, their demands for redress fell on deaf ears. Using organisations, which are toothless, to request redress is not suitable and proper as it lacks impact.

Indeed, it will be more effective if the demand for change is conducted jointly by a unity national government made up of DAP, Umno, PKR and the native parties of Sabah and Sarawak.

Once the unity government has been successfully formed, the cabinet can initiate discussions on how to resolve the controversial issues of affirmative action, admission to institutes of higher education, Chinese and Tamil schools, and others.

All issues have to be discussed cordially, with a view to agreeing to make compromises to resolve the issues to the mutual satisfaction of all parties.

This is the most sensible way to resolve most of the irritable and controversial issues that remain unresolved.

AlphaBeta: Two wrongs don’t make a right. Both sides, bumis and non-bumis, have to sit down and chart a future together.

Of course, both sides are not right or wrong all the time. The private sector has conditions that may exclude bumis but the public sector is almost exclusively bumis. As I said, we must be able to sit down and talk.

The country is at a crisis point. We must move forward. The world outside is competitive and moving very fast. And we are falling behind. We cannot afford to be bogged down by conditions of our own doing.

These are emotive issues. The bumis see this land as their own. But they must also realise that other Malaysians born here also see themselves as belonging to this land.

We must seek common ground. We must see strength in diversity. We must equalise opportunities. We must help the needy and the deserving of all races.

The special position of the bumis must be preserved and guaranteed. But the non-bumis must not be treated like step-children of the country. We leave it to our new prime minister to ponder upon his ‘Malaysian Family’ concept. - Mkini