THEY might have lost the battle to be government but a number of politicians are winning the war to keep race relations a divisive issue in Malaysia.
Their plan is simple – stoke the embers of race, add the spectre of religion into it and distract the nation from the main issue that has left our economy souring again – the plunder and theft of money, land and concessions since Merdeka.
Two politicians stand out in this regard. PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – both of whom are now together in the opposition bench after the May 9 general election.
One wanted to be the kingmaker in the elections while the other suffers the ignominy of being the first serving Umno president to face criminal charges – 45 related to criminal breach of trust and corruption and none linked to the biggest scandal of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
Despite their failure to form the federal government, the duo and their parties have seized on the one issue that has kept Malaysia from being a nation of happy people as envisioned by founding prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.
This is the only game that PAS and Umno know how to play all these years. That the Malays are oppressed and any attempt to eradicate discrimination or promote equality and equity will threaten the social fabric or contract of the country.
That is complete and utter nonsense.
And Malaysians must not fall for this provocation by them. Their statements these past few days illustrate their lack of knowledge about the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) and Malaysia’s move to ratify the pact.
Read what Hadi said last night in Kuala Terengganu.
“Unfortunately, there are Muslims who don’t understand or pretend not to understand… they want to fight for equality by making Islam the same as other religions.
“We must oppose (ICERD) because it is compulsory for Muslims to say that Islam is correct. We can give rights to other religions but to say that other religions are the same as Islam is unacceptable,” he said.
Perhaps he cannot tell the difference between race and religion. Or perhaps he doesn’t care except to push his agenda of exclusivity rather than inclusivity. It is a wonder that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has always said PAS is a divisive force in the country.
If that isn’t enough, Zahid’s threat of trouble if Malaysia ratifies ICERD has made the Malays into a community that can only resort to riots when things do not go their way.
“Don’t wait for the Malays to run amok. If Hadi Awang’s warning is not heeded (by the government), Umno and PAS will unite.
“We are not just giving a warning. We will show that if ICERD is not rejected, Umno, PAS, and Malays will unite and fight against it nationwide. Don’t push us to do that,” he said at a rally to oppose ICERD in Pasir Salak on Saturday night.
If the Malays did support Umno and PAS, wouldn’t both parties have formed the federal government now instead of Dr Mahathir and his allies in Pakatan Harapan (PH)?
Suffice to say Hadi and Zahid’s remarks are nothing short of threats that can divide the country and undermine its peace and security.
Dr Mahathir should take off his kid gloves and treat them the same way other threats have been handled in the past.
Ratifying ICERD, if that is even possible now, will not make anyone poorer or disadvantaged in this country.
What has made Malaysians poorer and disadvantaged is politicians who have whispered sweet nothings all these years while looting the treasury. They can be found in the opposition bench and on the criminal prosecution lists.
They now want to steal Malaysia’s harmony to distract from their misdeeds. Reject them and consign them into the rubbish heap of history.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT
Well written.
ReplyDelete