Yin’s heart-wrenching plea: Tell Me You Want Me to Stay

In all the betrayals, counter betrayals,  bluffs and counter bluffs it is very clear that the non-Malays do not count.

This is a Malay fight for Malay interests among Malay  politicians, like they are the only ones in this country.  The non-Malays do not count – they never did for a very long time now.

When the dust settled, it has become clear that the Malays (most of them anyway) has achieved what they wanted all along – A Malay Nation Governed by Malays for the Malays.

The Perikatan Nasional Cabinet, is entirely a Malay Party (with a few token non Malays).

I wonder what is going through the non-Malay minds. They must be thinking:

I wont stay where I am not wanted even though it is my birthright to do so. You have made it abundantly clear – not once, not twice but for sixty years.  You discriminate against me at every turn, you discriminate against my children and I dare say you will discriminate against my grandchildren. We will always be second class.  Good enough to pay most of the taxes that run the country; good enough to provide the services needed to keep things going; good enough to put our lives on the line to serve the country but not good enough to be treated as an equal citizen.

Yes I know we have to sacrifice in the name of ‘affirmative action’ so that the Malays can catch up. I believed it and was all for it. But sixty two years later there is still no end to it – in fact it’s getting worse.

But since you do not want me in this country, I leave you to steal from each other and stab each other in the back.

We are not beggars and we are not prostitutes like you call us; we are not guests. Our ancestors left a poor country to seek a better life. We have helped build the railroads in the United States, worked on the gold mines in Australia. In very country we have been to we have contributed to it economically and have not caused trouble. Swettenham was reputed to have said that the Chinese are the easiest people to govern; they cause very little trouble, they work hard and contribute to the economy of the country.

When the Chinese got rich they opened hospitals and donated to schools all of which benefitted every community. Even the Perak Chinese Maternity Hospital (despite its name) was opened to all communities without discrimination. What about the Loh Guan Lye, Lam Wah Ee, Seventh Day Adventist hospital, Fatimah Hospital (largely from Chinese donations)– all are open to every race and religion. We donated to the national mosque, a Chinese doctor (Muslim) built a mosque in Ipoh  We wanted to be part of the community.

We want to be part of the country as full and equal citizens  but you do not want that. You want us only as second class citizens. You want us for what you can get out of us and nothing more.

There’s a limit.  Enough is enough. We too have our dignity which is built on honest hard work. If we don’t make it we don’t blame anyone else but ourselves and we double up to work harder and smarter next time.

You on the other hand blame us and everyone else for your lack of application and you stretch your hand out for money – most of which have been provided by the very people you want to kick out (Mahathir’s own word that the Chinese pay the bulk of the taxes).

I told my children not to be angry about being discriminated against when they could not get into public univeristies or get a government job. I assured them that it was only a temporary thing – part of the affirmatiive action. Have they to lie to  their children too.

How many tears must I wipe away when my children cannot get into the football team because they are of the wrong colour. How do you console those who climbed Everest and their prime minister only congratulated them as an after thought. You know full well if it were Malays they would have all got titles and money.

How do you feel when your idea is rejected by your own country and another country benefits from it. Every time you take a Grab think about that; every time you use a pendrive think about that.

We are discriminated against in every facet of public life.

We have to work doubly hard to be recognised; or to be successful in business.

We cry out to be full citizens of this country. The country we were born in and the country we want to die in. Yet you push us away at every turn.

You would rather accept an Indian fugitive preacher and give him land; hand out Blue ICs to Muslims from another country when those born here cannot get one because they lack a piece of paper.

I used to criticise those who left . I used to urge those who remained to stay and fight. Now I am not so sure anymore; and if I am not convinced myself how do I convince others?

While I won’t ask every Chinese to leave; unlike before, I won’t persuade them to stay either. I can’t keep selling them a nightmare and tell them it is a dream.

Now that there is an All Malay Government there is no one else the Malays can blame but themselves. With the Malay leaders busy backstabbing each other who is going to govern the country?

Let’s see where the country heads – to the Fourth World  as an Islamic Nation is my guess.

In which case the non-Malays don’t need my coaxing. They will leave in droves and with them the liberal Malays.

For a moment in 2018 I thought there was a glimmer of hope after GE14; all that changed with the recent coup d’etat. But even then; the head of PH was a self professed Malay First prime minister.

Those who think that the future generation Malays will be different and that with them will come a true Malaysian nation; should think again.

A young Malay friend of mine (young enough to be my grandson) in one of our discussions said that “Religion is the most important thing in the education system” and that Muslims and non-Muslims cannot be brothers/sisters. How do you convince others like him about the need for a Malaysian nation. He (and those of his generation) are a product of the national school system. They are the ones who will run the country.

I had a dream that ours will be a rainbow nation where everyone is accepted. Where a person is judged on his merit and his contribution but not on the colour of his skin or how he worships. But that is not to be.

Despite all this, I hold my Malay friends no grudge or anger. I just feel sorry for them.

We can move away and seek our fortune and a new home elsewhere where we will be welcomed and treated as equal citizens. We will contribute our hardwork to that country; like our forefathers have done here.

You on the other hand cannot leave because of the education system and the “entitllement” mentality your Malay leaders have brainwashed you with.

Of course we want to stay; but only as equal citizens. No more Bumiputra and Non-Bumiputra – just Malaysians.

Together we can make this country great – pooling our talents together. Trusting each other; helping each other; accepting each other.

It’s up to you (my Malay friends) what it is to be, because you call the shots. The fate of the country is in your hands.

My fate is in mine; do not think that I have to take this apartheid any longer. Six decades is a long time.

Please tell me you want me to stay.

(The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rebuilding Malaysia.)

By Yin, 

Letters from Ward 5, Tanjong Rambutan

-mariammokhtar.com