And now the Malays are called immigrants too?
LENGGONG, Oct 19 – The Malaysian Youth Council (MBM) has called on Gerakan Wanita chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe to apologise and retract her statement which termed Malays as immigrants as it could affect racial harmony. [The Malaysian Insider, 19/10/08]
Gerakan Wanita Chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe (image) did an Ahmad Ismail à la mode when she was alleged to have called the Malays in the country immigrants - just like the Chinese and Indians here. She was reported to have made those remarks in her speech during a party conference which she reminded Malaysians not to forget their history and roots.
In August, an UMNO politician made a similar racist remark but in his case, towards the Chinese community. The then Bukit Bendera division chief, Ahmad Ismail labelled the Chinese as "squatters" and "immigrants" during his campaigning speech for the Permatang Pauh by-election. He was then chastised by the BN leadership for his offence but was only slapped with a minor 3-year suspension from politics and membership in UMNO. Ahmad Ismail has yet to offer a public apology nor any attempt was made to retract his statements.
Gerakan and UMNO are both components parties of the ruling coalition, Barisan Nasional.
Tan's comments caused an outrage amongst the Barisan Nasional leaders, particularly from UMNO when Utusan Malaysia reported that Tan had questioned the origins of the Malays and had claimed that their ancestors of the Malays had migrated from Sumatra (in Indonesia).
But then again, Utusan Malaysia?
Gerakan released a statement on October 17 that the party would issue a written inquiry to Utusan Malaysia in order to clarify the misreporting on the statements made by the Gerakan Wanita Chief. Party president, Datuk Koh Tsu Koon accused the UMNO-owned daily of misquoting Tan in their report regarding her alleged immigrant-calling. Koh also said that a thorough scrutiny of her original speech would show that Tan was merely backing her idea of "Anak Malaysia (sons/daughters of Malaysia)".
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi chose to give Tan the benefit of the doubt when he said that Tan would be given a chance to explain herself to Barisan Nasional leaders regarding her alleged statements. [Malaysiakini, 15/10/08]“In her text, she said ‘orang Melayu adalah dari kepulauan Nusantara’ (the Malays are from the Malay archipelago), not ‘pendatang’ (immigrants) from Sumatera, as reported in the media on Oct 12. It was misinterpretation, misreporting and misunderstanding... We hope Utusan will publish a clarification” Koh said. [Bernama, The Edge Daily, 17/10/08]
However, this did not stop UMNO leaders to divulge at every opportunity of rebuking the Gerakan Wanita chief. Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek had reminded Tan to refrain from making further controversial statements in the future that might jeopardize racial harmony and unity among BN members. Puteri UMNO Information Chief Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin echoed Shabery's view; calling for Tan to be more careful when making statements regarding such matters. UMNO Cheras division chief, Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshee also expressed his disappointment for the disregard of racial sensitivities by a fellow BN politician like Tan.
Shabery and Batu Pahat MP, Dr. Mohd. Puad Zarkashi also managed a holier-than-thou promo talk for UMNO in relation to the Ahmad Ismail incident which got the "immigrant-calling" ball rolling in the first place.
"UMNO had already acted against a leader who had made what was deemed a racist statement," Shabery told reporters before leaving to China for the Asian Information Ministers' Meeting. [Bernama, 18/10/08]
"If UMNO could take disciplinary action against its members (referring to Ahmad Ismail) who were alleged to have made racist remarks, there is no reason for Gerakan to be fold their arms when one of its member have done similarly, " Dr. Mohd Puad Zarkashi said. (Utusan Malaysia, 15/10/08]
Dear UMNO, a mere 3-year membership suspension does not constitute much of a "disciplinary action" in comparisan to the unlawful arrest under the Internal Security Act of the reporter who brought Ahmad Ismail's racist remarks to the knowledge of the nation.
The bottom line is that it would not be fair for Malaysians to pass judgement over Gerakan Wanita Chief Datuk Tan Lian Hoe for her presumptive remarks in the press. After all, it was Utusan Malaysia who reported that Tan had called the Malays immigrants. Nonetheless, the bigger concern lies in Malaysia's Archilles' heel of rhetoric arguments on the status of races in the country. Such debate cannot change the fact that Malaysia is and will always be a plural nation.
So what if the Malays were the original inhabitants of this land, the Chinese immigrating from China or the Indians from India? Does out-arguing one another on these issues contribute to poverty eradication, decent housing for the poor, rural literacy or the reduction of escalating crime rates? No.
So let us just all agree that we came from Mars and end this bickering.
4 comments :
If anybody call the Malays immigrants they would be very uncomfortable. It's like equating the Malays with the Indians and the Chinese when they feel they are the superior race, first class and privileged citizens.
If the Chinese and Indians start to feel equal they might even start to ask for equal rights, then who's going to pay for all the privileges? Therefore never call a Malay an immigrant or they will scream blue murder.
Yes ! can't the politicians and leaders get back to WORK ?? What is the point of arguing on all these things which will not benefit the country or the people. The country seems to be stagnant in all aspects. We can only read and hear the word 'reform' but all I can see is that we are changing for the worse. For all I know only the 'mouths' are working !
Oh wow! At it again, who came from where? This doesn't seem to trouble other countries who have lots of immigrants as long as they work and do their bit for the country and call it as theirs. It may not be their birth land but at least it is where they live and have a family and earn their living.
My fellow Indonesian friends love this country and thank God for staying here - mind you. They sing the Negara-Ku with all of us - because they are already citizens here legally I mean.
Can we change history that tells us where we come from? What is the big deal?
The important thing to know is, this is where we stay and we are all part of the nation and need to help build it. Not fight. Not be like little children who bicker, "my father is better than your father", why? because of his skin colour? His race?
Grow up Malaysian politicians!
It is not where we come from, it is now what we do when we are here.
Malaysia needs right-thinking politicians and strategists to get us out of the economic tsunami hitting our shores; I guess they can afford to bicker bec. they are safe with their money but we ordinary folks do not have billions nor millions in off-shore delas etc - we only have a swindling salary with rocketing inflation.
The point is Malaysia is not ready to be Malaysian race.
Are the chinese and indians ready to abolish all chinese and indians school and become only sekolah kebangsaan.
The truth is everyone still wants to keep and stick their to their own culture and custom. Are we all ready to be One race called Malaysian?
NOT! cause we have to accpet the fact that every race is different. A few may be more tolerant that the others, but evntually it's going to be more trouble when things get out of control.
At least now everyone is free to do what ever they want as long as it is in line with rules and law.
Even in school we still see malays hangout with malays, chinese with chinese and indians with indians. They do interact but by the end of the day many still flocks with their own race oso.
This racism shit is BS if u ask me. It is causing fear.
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