Enough of pessimists like Ramasamy who run down Dr M

 

From Rafique Rashid Ali

Every month or so, almost like clockwork, P Ramasamy the Penang deputy chief minister, will continue his attack against Dr Mahathir Mohamad. It is an obsession which he can’t seem to overcome.

In his latest piece “Non-Malays don’t trust Mahathir” (FMT March 27), Ramasamy not only targets the former prime minister but has also trained his guns on the Mahathir-led Pejuang. In essence he is stating that Pejuang is a “mosquito party” that “is fading into oblivion”.

Ramasamy and many of his ilk will pick on Mahathir’s narrative that the Malays have been fair to the non-Malays in the past, and concessions were granted to the Chinese by the Malays post-Merdeka which the Chinese could not get from the former colonial British masters.

But here is the catch: isn’t all of it true? Mahathir is one who does not mince his words. He tells it as it is.

Go to every town and you will realise that the flourishing city centres are dominated by Chinese businesses, while the kampungs are for the Malays. Economic power is with the Chinese, the Malays are pushed to the semi-urban and rural areas. Painful to note but the truth hurts.

Does this mean that Mahathir and Pejuang do not recognise people of other communities? Are we only concerned about the Malays to the detriment of others who make up Malaysia? The short answer is No.

Pejuang’s constitution clearly contains its affirmation that everyone is equal before the law and the rights of non-Malays must be protected as per the Federal Constitution.

But these are not merely words. Look back at Mahathir’s tenure in office for 22 years which proved that Malaysia (not Malays) progressed as a nation from agriculture to industrialisation and the automotive industry, with our skilled labour and workforce much sought after by developed countries.

If, indeed, Mahathir was not concerned about non-Malays, why is it that Forbes’ yearly rich list of Malaysians is dominated by non-Malays? Yes, the truth hurts but the Malays have given concessions to non-Malays. In return we live in relative harmony.

There is also the argument that Mahathir’s tenure caused more damage to the country than that of other prime ministers. Laughable, if not ludicrous. Maybe we should not look further than the “immense contribution” of a certain Najib Razak which put Malaysia in the headlines again.

Mahathir has always been a target of zealots like Ramasamy. They will continue to spew hatred by saying Mahathir was only known for his Chinese cronies and powerful Umno connections. But when it suits them, Mahathir will be labelled as the saviour. Just ask Ramasamy and his DAP comrades who were waxing lyrical when PH, led by Mahathir, swept to power in May 2018.

It is sad that Ramasamy and such are still entrenched in the old politics of running down one another while what the country needs now, more than ever, is stability and fortitude. That can only be achieved if there is a political party which will put the people first through policies benefiting the rakyat. That is what Pejuang is trying to achieve.

But along the way, we will meet with resistance from people like Ramasamy. It is best to look forward, rather than still hearken back to old myths.

I think Malaysians as a whole have had enough of pessimists like Ramasamy. - FMT

Rafique Rashid Ali is deputy chief of Pejuang’s federal territory division and an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.