Race-based society must change to merit-based, says Najib’s ex-aide

 

Najib Razak’s former political communications consultant has rubbished past slogans like Bangsa Malaysia, Malaysian Malaysia, 1Malaysia and Keluarga Malaysia to unite the races.

PETALING JAYA: Former journalist Romen Bose, who became Najib Razak’s political communications consultant, says a new power-sharing arrangement among races is the way to bring about greater unity in the country.

It is important for Malaysia to undergo a transition from a race-based society to a merit-based one so that all could compete in the global marketplace, he said in a closing keynote address at a forum on “Projek Amanat Negara XIX – Perpaduan: Our Country’s Contradiction”.

Citing Malaysia’s history, Bose said previous leaders cooperated with one another to build the nation.

“Did Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun VT Sambanthan back then talk about being part of the same ‘keluarga’ (family) or being one ‘bangsa’ (race)?

Romen Bose.

“I think you will find that our leaders from the independence era were much more pragmatic in their approach.

“The idea was to get rid of the British and everyone worked together to do that. The issue of unity came later.”

Bose said Malaysia’s previous attempts at unity since independence, such as having a common slogan, had failed.

“Our various attempts at unity since independence, whether you call it Bangsa Malaysia, Malaysian Malaysia, 1Malaysia or Keluarga Malaysia, have been rubbish.

“The only common element is the word ‘Malaysia’. And everything else attempting to define it has been pretty horrible.

“So, my contention is that if we want to bring about unity and, of course, stability and economic prosperity, it is not just an issue of coming out with a slogan about what we share in common or not.

“It’s more about a new power-sharing arrangement among the various races,” he said.

Previously, an MP had voiced concern over worsening race relations despite Putrajaya spending billions on unity programmes.

Wilfred Madius Tangau (PH-Tuaran) said a unity department had been set up in 1969 and two years later, the department was turned into a ministry, “but unity in the country is worsening”.

The billions spent on managing the ministry could have been channelled to Sabah to solve its infrastructure problems, he said, “since the government policies are not in line with unity and do not promote integration”. - FMT