Who says Malays need protection?

 

In an interview with a news portal, Bersatu Youth chief Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal, who is also the deputy unity minister, claimed that the Malays needed protection.

Why did he have to insult the Malays and suggest that they are not able to stand up for themselves?

Didn’t the Malays rise up against colonialism and demand Merdeka, and didn’t they tell the British that they are able to rule their own nation as a democracy?

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Why is Wan Fayhsal making out that the Malays are weak and insecure, that they are bereft of thought or action and must be told what to do?

Malays, like people of other races and religions, share the same aspirations. They want the same things as the other communities like a peaceful and stable nation, good communal relations, a good health service, effective public services, an efficient public transport system, care for the elderly, good schools and higher education to enable their children to learn and become good citizens, and a safe environment to live in, among other things.

So why, as a deputy in the unity ministry, is he promoting ill will, and projecting an image of Malays being threatened by others? The Malays are capable of excelling themselves. The thousands who left Malaysia have thrived in other countries where they do not have a Malay “protector”.

The Malays have evolved too, alongside their non-Malay compatriots. Their pace of self development could be faster, if only Malay politicians like Wan Fayhsal would allow them the freedom to spread their wings and excel. Instead, people like him are trying to cage the Malay mind and psyche.

Perhaps, his recent outburst about Malays needing protection is because his party is increasingly being rejected by the Malays. When faced with such a troubling realisation, Bersatu then seeks to distract the negative image of the party by deflecting all attention to Pakatan Harapan, which he then accuses of being too liberal. In other words, Wan Fayhsal is attempting to make his party more relevant than PH.

Wan Fayhsal attempts to use race and religion to trap the Malays, but even the younger generation can see through him. The only protection that Malaysians, and especially the Malays, need is to be saved from politicians like him.

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He is misinformed about, or does not know, the real Malay. Just like their non-Malay peers, many Malays work hard. Ask the fisherman or the farmer, the Felda settler, or the nurse in the rural clinic. Do not take these people for granted. Just like their urban cousins, both Malay and non-Malay, these people desire the same things – good governance and fairness.

Only the elite and well-connected Malays hold on to their positions of power to continue their dominance over other people. They refuse to let go.

The Malays do not desire or need protection, and isolation. All one has to do is to observe how we treat children. A child that is adequately nurtured will flourish, seek opportunities and is not afraid of overcoming any challenges. One that is over-protected lacks confidence, has low self-esteem and no self-respect.

Wan Fayhsal does not sound like he is a leader, nor does he sound like he has much faith in the Malays. He appears to lack self-esteem and self-respect. If anyone needs protection, it would be Wan Fayhsal – from himself and other politicians who think like him. - FMT

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