For Ambiga, BTN camps are brainwashing hubs

The Kem Biro Tatanegara (BTN) or National Civics Bureau camps are nothing more than brainwashing sessions to turn Malays into racists and bigots, Datuk S. Ambiga Sreenevasan said today.

The Negara-Ku patron said parents, whose children had attended the camps, were baffled by the objectives contained within the modules and things that were being taught.

"I have met several Malays who have attended these camps and they come out feeling disgusted and angry."

She was speaking during the “4th National Conference on Non-Discrimination: Unity and Social Cohesion in Malaysia – Making It Possible” in Kuala Lumpur.

"What does that tell you? Malays are being brainwashed into becoming racists and bigots while attending these national camps," Ambiga said.

The National Civics Bureau is under the purview of the Prime Minister's Office and camps are held regularly, especially for civil servants.

"I am disgusted with our leaders, they are not interested in tackling these issues. They are only interested in the politics of the issue.

"I have heard people say that this particular minister issues racist statements simply because he HAS to do it.

"What kind of an explanation is that? The blame lies entirely with our leaders, there are no excuses," Ambiga said.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak appears to specialise in making fancy speeches when addressing the international community in the United Nations.

"But when it comes to walking the talk, Putrajaya fails miserably," she said to a loud round of applause from the audience.

"We are interested in national harmony, the rakyat are trying to achieve national harmony, but I am not sure that our leaders are."

She also criticised the police reports lodged against constitutional expert Professor Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, saying Malaysia was the land of police reports.

"Malaysia must be in the Guinness Book of Records for the largest number of useless police reports being lodged," Ambiga said.

"For giving his legal opinion, more than 100 reports are lodged against Aziz. Are you mad? Is this where you want to take the country?"

Ambiga said even the English would be embarrassed at the direction their colonial-era law was being taken to.

She expressed her incredulity when she read about reports that a group of influential Malays approached the Malay rulers to urge them not to repeal the Sedition Act.

"Words could not begin to express my feelings when I read about this meeting," Ambiga said, wondering what was the point of retaining the Act.

"Is it because we cannot detain people without trial any more? If the police force cannot function without these type of legislations, what does that tell you about the police?" – September 30, 2014

- See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/for-ambiga-btn-camps-are-brainwashing-hubs#sthash.wUoFWQnh.dpuf

Applauding Khairy’s suggestion to revise BTN

The Malay Mail Online
March 6, 2014

MARCH 6 ― In The Malay Mail dated 5 March, Umno minister Khairy Jamaluddin has suggested a revision of the country’s National Civics Bureau (BTN) training courses, saying undergraduates should be treated like adults and not taught to be blind supporters of the government.

I, myself have never been to any of BTN courses. However, a few years back, a friend of mine who was working for a government agency and was dating a lovely Chinese lady received a directive from his superior to attend a BTN course.

Upon returning from the course held somewhere in the state of Pahang, we went for our weekly coffee session and he shared with me his experience about the course he attended. He mentioned,

“The course made me racist. I feel that the other races are not thankful enough for being in Malaysia. We should show them that we are the boss and they better respect it.”

I was shocked.

This came from a person who I knew since I was ten, had zero racist streak in him and I must highlight that he professed his love to his (then) Chinese girlfriend every day (and night, almost).

My other friend who was with us was not surprised because he heard the same thing from his other friends who attended one or more of those courses. Apparently, BTN is known for brainwashing the participants by masquerading as an agency tasked to instil patriotism and train Malaysia future leaders.

The closest one I had to BTN was when I was in secondary school, a substitute teacher for Sejarah put the map of Malaysia on my classroom’s whiteboard, and told the whole class that the Malays sacrificed Tanah Melayu for Malaysia. He said that our nation was supposed to be land of the Malays, but we tolerated and accepted ‘them’ and changed the name of our beloved land from Tanah Melayu to Malaya and later, Malaysia.

(Yes, this was years before ISMA came out with a ‘scientific study’ claiming the existence of Malay genetic could be traced back to 30,000-40,00 years earlier compared to the Chinese and the Indians.)

Honestly, at that time, I bought it. There was a sense of pride came rushing over me and for a good week or two, I looked at my non-Malay friends differently, in a not so good way. Thinking that I was above them. Fortunately, I got over it when I had to go to them for help with my Mathematics exercise (or was it to chat about the latest high school drama that was happening that week?)

Back to BTN. Are these allegations true? If they were, the time, energy, funds (paid by the taxpayers) and efforts that are being used to inflict hate and further causing racial and religion polarisation should be properly channelled to encourage patriotism, inspire unity, and promote toleration and togetherness among Malaysians.

The suggestion by our Youth and Sports Minister to revise BTN training courses and encourage critical thinking skills should be welcomed. I too agree with the Rembau MP when he said that youths should not blindly support the government but should be able to decide for themselves if the government deserves such backing.

I was also under the impression that KJ admitted BTN has a must-have-syllabus on giving thanks and being grateful to the government.

BTN should be a delightful course to educate the participants about our beloved country, to remind them of our colourful history, to make patriotism cool and to show how proud we are to be Malaysians.

Instead of shoving one-sided information to our students, similar revision or reform should be applied to our current education system as well, say by removing the political element in our already too far politicised education system? Well, that is another story.

* Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud is a political secretary to MP of Gelang Patah, YB Lim Kit Siang.

Angry natives give BTN boss an earful

Biro Tata Negara director Ibrahim Saad was taken aback when he visited villagers in Tandek, Sabah, on a fact-finding trip recently.
EXCLUSIVE

KOTA MARUDU (Sabah): The director of the Biro Tata Negara (National Civics Bureau), Ibrahim Saad, was taken aback when he heard the grouses of the people in Tandek here last Thursday.

In a meeting with the residents there, Ibrahim was jolted when he heard stories of the systematic land grabs, government lies about MyKad and the illegal immigrants, and the long delay in processing the natives’ applications for land titles.

Ibrahim went to the ground to feel the pulse of the people – and got a earful for his pains. Now residents here are wondering whether Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak will get an unvarnished report from Ibrahim about his “bruising encounter” with the villagers here.

Ibrahim, who has served in the BTN as the federal government’s “eyes and ears” for 10 years, appeared shocked as he listened to about a dozen elders, including women – who took to the microphone in the new Tandek Hall here – tell sad stories of their long suffering.

As the villagers recounted their tales of woe, Ibrahim was seen assiduously taking down notes.

One resident said about 50 kampungs in Tandek are being threatened with eviction by a company that has been allotted 65,000 hectares of fertile land stretching from Beluran to the edge of Pitas and Kota Marudu.

One headman, KK Bandawa Sandigan, from Kampung Malangkap, Marak-Parak, said land applications by the natives dating as far back as 1973 were never processed, while similar application by a company was approved in “lightning” speed allegedly during Yong Teck Lee’s tenure as chief minister.

“Please do something about this. If our applications are not in order, please tell us so, guide us, don’t simply put our applications away.

“We have rights here,” said Sandigan.

Double standard on increments

An elderly resident questioned the 1Malaysia slogan – People First, Performance Now – saying it is “hollow and insincere”.

Yet another elder took Najib and the government to task for leaving Sabah out when announcing the the 2010 increments in allowances for ketua kampung (village headman) and Village Security and Development Committee (JKKK) chairman.

“While our counterparts from the Peninsula now enjoy a RM800 monthly allowance, in Sabah the JKKK chairman and ketua kampung are still receiving their old allowances (RM250 and RM400 respectively). Where is 1Malaysia?” he asked.

A woman leader from another village near Tandek told Ibrahim that it was very hard for her to go around explaining government policies when the only topic of interest to the villagers was the land grabs.

“There is no point (explaining government policies). We want developments but very little is coming while our lands are being threatened by big companies,” she said.

Another activist from Tangkarason, Jaipin Mohigal, told how 32 houses were razed to the ground in Kampung Koiboton, Tangkarason, in 2006, as the Sabah forestry officers tried to chase them out of their NCR (native customary right) land.

“Something must be done to solve these serious land grab issues in Tandek before it gets out of control…” he said.

Not convincing

Meanwhile, Ibrahim tried to explain to the residents the reason for the delay in processing their land applications – “insufficient documents” – and the issue of illegal traders. But the crowd was not convinced.

“Your land applications could be incomplete and not in order as every application needs the approval of six agencies. On the other hand, the application of the company was in order and thus approved.

“Also, there is no way an illegal immigrant would have his or her trading licence approved as he or she has no proper identification,” Ibrahim said.

But one disgruntled elder rebutted: “If our land applications were incomplete, the officer should tell us so and not throw away our files.”

The crowd was annoyed when Ibrahim denied the existence of illegal traders. Many in the crowd were heard saying: “He (Ibrahim) is telling us that those illegal immigrants now have MyKad – genuine or fake – and so we cannot allege they are illegal immigrants anymore…”

The three-hour gruelling session with the villagers ended with Ibrahim, a former teacher from Kedah, promising to look into their grouses.

Malays are afraid of themselves

Malaysiakini

The BTN or National Civics Bureau is divisive, racist and politically-motivated. Most people are aware of this except for BN politicians. Despite the serious allegations made about the BTN, their main coalition partners, MCA and MIC have not been effective in condemning the BTN.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin denied claims that courses run by the BTN were a form of political indoctrination. He said, “BTN is to inculcate nationalism and unity among the people in line with the 1Malaysia concept”.

Talk of nationalism smacks of the supremacy of one race over the other races. If he had said that the mission of BTN was to promote patriotism, this would be more in line with the spirit of Malaysian unity.

After a media blitz on the BTN in late 2009, the cabinet decided that the BTN would be revamped as it had run counter to its aims of instilling a united Malaysia. When former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad disagreed, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz described him as racist.

Nevertheless, the task of revamping the BTN was given to Ahmad Maslan, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, who is also the BTN chief. As is common with most BN politicians, he flip-flopped and said that he was not going to revamp the curriculum but would merely ‘upgrade’ it.

In the last few days, we have heard that the BTN is indeed thriving.

The Pahang BTN assistant director, Ahmad Shah Jamlus, said on the bureau’s blog that “to reject race was un-Islamic”. He also stressed that “the religion and Malays are inseparable”.

Ahmad Shah then said that “the creation of Adam and Eve implied differences in mankind as we are made of distinct races”. He opined that the “Quran says Allah has created nations and tribes and the most honoured are those with the most piety towards Allah.”

Malays and Muslims are indistinguishable?

He said, “Therefore Malays and Islam cannot be separated. The first step in reaching a higher level of God-consciousness is established in the country’s constitution whereby Article 160 stipulates that a Malay must be a Muslim.”

Few people will understand what Ahmad Shah is trying to say in his article entitled “Rejecting race or ethnicity is rejecting human nature”. Is he saying that Malays and Muslims are indistinguishable?

His comments give an insight into the man. How does he equate the rejection of race or ethnicity as rejecting human nature? It is clear that he has a warped view of the Quranic teachings, and that is my being polite.

If Ahmad Shah is the assistant director of the Pahang BTN, then what sort of outfit does he lead? How many hundreds of thousands of minds has he polluted?

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is from Pahang. This is happening in his own backyard. What does he intend to do about this serious failing of his minister, Ahmad Maslan, and the Pahang BTN? Clearly, Ahmad Maslan has failed to do his job properly and should be sacked.

It is obvious that the BTN is not a tool to unite the people. It is only a propaganda machine to unite one race – the Malays.

One Malay man told me, “The Malay spirit is threadbare. Malays are fencesitters and support those who hold the gun. They have no pride and have become shoe lickers of the Japanese, British and the communists. Malays are not concerned about power and do not want to be united. They are willing to work with the devil as long as their livelihood is protected.”

Another said, “Past Malay leaders realised that the Malays are stupid and allowed themselves to be colonised for 500 years without a fight. They preferred to be ruled as long as they led an easy life. That is the reason that today, Malays are still slaves to the Chinese and Indians.”

It is disturbing that some Malays think like this in 21st century urban Malaysia.

Pakatan Rakyat will have to do much more to engage ordinary Malays – urban and rural. The Malays have a misconception that if Pakatan were to take over Putrajaya, non-Malays will rule and over-run the country and take away their rice bowls.

Malays are traditionally conservative and 53 years of brainwashing by Umno has corrupted their minds.

Strangling the ideals of all Malaysian peoples

The greater damage is that BTN has strangled the ideals, aspirations and uniqueness of all Malaysian peoples, not just the Malays.

These Malays will have to be made to understand that if Umno were to lose power, the Malays themselves would not lose power.

What BTN did not tell them was that they can be progressive, innovative, united, creative and excellent, without Umno’s crutches.

The fear these Malays have is a fear of themselves. They do not want to lose their identity. Indoctrination has made them become dependent on Umno for a place in society. Indoctrination has led them to believe they are who they are, because of Umno.

It is up to us to strip them of their insecurities and make them realise that with Pakatan in power, the Malays will flourish alongside the other races.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a non-conformist traditionalist from Perak, a bucket chemist and an armchair eco-warrior. In ‘real-speak’, this translates into that she comes from Ipoh, values change but respects culture, is a petroleum chemist and also an environmental pollution-control scientist.

Racist BTN official suspended, warned

(Malaysiakini) The government has punished National Civics Bureau (BTN) official Hamim Husin over his racist remarks, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz said the BTN deputy director was suspended on Oct 6 and issued a warning letter.

However, Nazri did not elaborate on the duration of the suspension.

He was responding to a question from Wee Jeck Seng (BN-Tanjong Piai) to state the number of civil servants who have faced disciplinary action for being racist while on duty.

At a closed-door briefing, Hamim (right) had reportedly referred to the Chinese as si sepet (slant-eyed) and to Indians as si kaki botol (alcoholics) when speaking of Umno's need to co-opt other races for electoral purposes.

The cabinet then ordered a probe over the incident, which took place during a Puteri Umno function in September.

The minister also said the government has acted on two school principals - in Kulaijaya, Johor and Bukit Selambau, Kedah - for similar offences.

Siti Aishah Mansor, principal of SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra in Johor and Ungku Aznan Ungku Ismail, principal of SMK Bukit Selambau, Sungai Petani, in Kedah - were suspended and reassigned to desk duty at the education department in their respective states.

Mohd Nazri said the three cases were the first such offences reported to the government.

“Nevertheless the government is committed and assures that action will be taken against the officers involved under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993,” he said.

He explained that the investigation initiated against the school principals and the punishment was in accordance with regulations.

Limits to gov't action

Wee, in a supplementary question, stated that the government's move to punish the civil servants was not “effective enough” and has given the perception that the officers can behave “as they like” despite causing distress.

He asked if the government will take more stringent to prevent such incidents from recurring.

However, Mohd Nazri (left) said that, even if the government wants to mete out much stricter punishments, it cannot.

“We can only do according to what is stated in the code of conduct. This doesn't mean the government doesn't want to take stricter action but we are limited by the regulations,” he said.

He explained that, although the police can probe the matter under the Sedition Act if police reports are made, it is also crucial to observe the behaviour of officers after the government has taken action.

“These principals had no intention to incite (hatred), they said it accidentally. In order to (initiate a) probe under Section 504 of the Penal Code or Sedition Act, there must be intention to incite,” said Mohd Nazri.

“We can study from their behaviour after making the statement - the teacher in Johor apologised four times to her non-Muslim colleagues and students in the assembly. The principal in Kedah also apologised - it clearly shows that it wasn't said on purpose but accidentally."

A Participant’s Perspective Of Kursus Kenegaraan (BTN)

Letter
By A Disappointed Civil Servant

It amuses me to note the rapacious back and forth regarding the Kursus Kenegaraan organised by the Biro Tatanegara. However, i notice that remarks defending the program have so far been based on perspectives of certain Government officials, who may or may not have been subjected to the charms of the program. As a serving Government professional of non-Bumiputera descent, I feel it is pertinent that I share my experience of this program, so that some objectivity may be achieved in understanding the isssue at hand.

It is compulsory for all Govt. servants to attend this course once during service. I attended the program in 2006, in a group of 80-odd Malays and 9 non-Malays. We were a mix of doctors, dentists, pharmacists and teachers. On the first day, we had to listen to a series of 4 lectures, all delivered by lecturers from the local MARA University campus. I vividly remember the 1st lecture on Kerakyatan, for it was delivered with such fervour by an obviously inspired lecturer. At times he seemed to go off his script and made several references to ‘other’ races being ‘pendatangs’ and forgetting their ‘place’ in society, and not being grateful for the citizenship ‘awarded’ to them, and other remarks of a similar vein.

However what shocked me was when this lecturer, in a frenzied fit of rage, asked the audience whether they knew that ALL Indians who migrated here were from the PARIAH caste, and similarly all Chinese who came here were also from the lower classes in their country of origin. I was livid with rage that this supposed university lecturer had the unabashed temerity to tar all Indians and Chinese with the same brush, and make such an unsubstantiated sweeping statement that may have been lapped up by the ill-informed as the gospel truth. From that moment I was mentally tuned off from listening to further garbage being spewed by this obvious racist. After ranting and raving for a good forty minutes more, he mercifully concluded and invited questions from the floor.

I immediately got up and proceeded to enquire on what basis the lecturer made his sweeping statements, and if he was aware that aside from indentured labourers, the British had brought educated Indians and Ceylonese Tamils to serve in the civil service in pre-independence Malaya. I then informed him that I was a 3rd generation civil servant, and the last time I checked, I wasn’t a PARIAH. By this time the lecturer was squirming in discomfort, especially as the crowd assembled there started to cheer me on. I sternly told the lecturer to check his facts before he confuses others with blatant untruths.

The Chinese dentist that stood up after me was in no conciliatory mood however. She blasted the lecturer outright by saying ‘Saya berasa amat tersinggung dengan apa yang dikatakan oleh penceramah tadi (I am offended by the remarks made by the lecturer); ianya sangat tidak adil dan amat mengelirukan para hadirin di sini (it is an unfair statement and can confuse the others assembled here).’ Probably stung by the truth of those comments, the lecturer tried to weasel out of the messy situation by defending his statement which was made in a particular context. But none of us were fooled, and we realised that this course was an attempt to stereotype and racially profile the citizenry for the benefit of a certain group to assert its ‘ketuanan’ on others.

Suffice to say, i was least interested in the ensuing activities, especially the drill parade where we were forced to pray with arms outstretched to maintain ‘conformity’, despite my usual method being the traditional hands clasped in supplication.

Ultimately, the course made me despise the way the non-bumis were treated, and served to reinforce the belief shared by many that it is a brainwashing and indoctrination exercise to target the ill-informed and the gullible. I am sure my Malay friends would (mostly) have cringed in shame at the way their fellow citizens were humiliated and made a mockery of.

Bottom line is, stay away from this course. It does no good and can serve to divide the population.

Get a backbone, Kit Siang tells MCA

Malaysiakini


DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang today challenged MCA’s ministers to take a clear stand and demand for action to be taken against two headmasters charged for racism and the closure of the National Civics Bureau (BTN).

He said Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak had already given them the green light to make their position known, when the latter said that MCA should be given “space” within the BN coalition when officiating at their annual general meeting last weekend.

“Here you have the prime minister saying ‘give space to MCA’, and although he said that, you don’t see any MCA minister daring to stand up to make a clear stand to demand that action must be taken against the two headmasters,” Kit Siang (right) said at a press conference in the Parliament lobby.

“Even after Umno gave space to MCA, they don’t use the space. I call on MCA ministers to demand that action be taken against the headmasters and close down the BTN, which is a poisonous anti-Malaysia organisation.”

Lim also took a swipe at federal chief secretary Mohd Sidek Hassan, saying the top civil servant contradicted the statement by Parliament speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, who when rejecting an emergency motion tabled by Lim on Monday, said he was informed by both the Education Ministry and Public Services Department that disciplinary action was on-going against the two headmasters.

Mohd Sidek (right) said yesterday that the government needs to follow proper procedure in dealing with the two headmasters and the BTN official, but would not say whether the trio had been found guilty or disciplined.

“This makes a mockery of the government transformation plan, when two months have elapsed and no action (has been taken) against the two headmasters. Two months and nothing has been done.

“Here the chief secretary declined to say whether they committed any breach of discipline. Has the speaker been misinformed?
“If the speaker is misinformed, then Parliament is misinformed and the chief secretary must be hauled up to Parliament to be disciplined himself,” he said.

Inikah cara BN pancing undi bukan-Melayu?

Oleh K Pragalath - Free Malaysia Today

KOMEN Dalam kejadian terbaru yang mengganggu-gugat sensitiviti kaum di Malaysia, timbalan pengarah Biro Tata Negara (BTN) Kuala Lumpur Hamim Husin dilaporkan menggambarkan masyarakat Cina sebagai 'si mata sepet' dan masyarakat India sebagai 'kaki botol' di dalam satu perjumpaan dengan ahli Puteri Umno.

Jika laporan ini benar, BTN telah melakukan sesuatu yang bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam yang diwahyukan untuk manusia sejagat

Hamim dilaporkan berkata sedemikian untuk menegaskan bahawa hak memerintah terletak di tangan masyarakat Melayu selaras hak keistimewaan orang Melayu.

Kenyataan sebegini oleh seorang kakitangan sebuah biro yang berfungsi secara langsung di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri adalah memalukan.

Tindakan ini membuktikan bahawa BTN menjadi agen penularan semangat asabiyah di kalangan rakyat Malaysia.

Semangat asabiyah menjadi ikutan masyarakat Arab sebelum Islam diturunkan kepada umat manusia.

Frasa 'si mata sepet' dan 'kaki botol' pula membuktikan kejahilannya terhadap masyarakat lain. Sesungguhnya kedua-dua kaum Cina dan India adalah juga manusia ciptaan Allah swt juga. Mata sepet atau warna kulit tidak ditentukan oleh manusia.

Sementara itu, frasa 'kaki botol' merujuk kepada orang yang minum alkohol. Serbuan-serbuan yang dijalankan oleh pihak berkuasa di kelab-kelab malam membuktikan kehadiran kaki botol di kalangan orang Melayu juga. Penggunaan minuman keras tidak terhad kepada satu-satu kaum tertentu.

Masyarakat Cina dan India turut menyumbang tenaga demi negara tanah tumpahnya darah mereka ini.

Industri perlombongan bijih timah di sekitar tahun 1970an dan perladangan getah dalam era 1980an tidak akan meletakkan Malaysia di tangga pertama senarai negara pengeluar tanpa usaha “si mata sepet” dan “kaki botol”.

Buat kali kedua juga BTN telah melanggar tatasusila dan budaya masyarakat Melayu yang terkenal dengan sifat kesederhanaan dan saling hormat-menghormati. Kes pertama membabitkan BTN adalah apabila sukatan kursus BTN yang menyentuh pergerakan kaum tertentu didedahkan.

Persoalan Hamim

Persoalannya, adakah kedudukan orang Melayu begitu terancam di negara sendiri? Lebih 60% penduduk di sini merupakan masyarakat Melayu Islam.

Hamim juga menegaskan bahawa masyarakat Melayu terancam kerana ada tiga parti sahsiah yang mendakwa mewakili kepentingan Melayu.

Pada pandangan saya bilangan parti yang ingin menjaga kepentingan masyarakat tidak boleh dijadikan ukuran kerana setiap parti mempunyai perspektif tersendiri untuk menyelesaikan isu. Ini tidak bermakna nilai kemelayuan dan keislaman mereka kurang dari yang yang lain.

Kepada saudara Hamim, ingin saya tanya soalan ini.

Adakah masyarakat Cina dan India ingin mengundi Barisan Nasional sepertimana kehendak saudara apabila anda menggelar mereka si mata sepet dan kaki botol?

Tepuk dada tanya selera.

K Pragalath adalah seorang pemerhati politik yang pernah berjinak dalam bidang kewartawanan.

Would Najib dare to revamp his Cabinet to ensure that only Ministers who publicly declare undivided loyalty to the 1Malaysia concept to build a nation where every Malaysian regard himself/herself as Malaysian first race second have a place in government?

By Lim Kit Siang,

The weak-kneed Cabinet decision on the latest anti-1Malaysia offence of the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) is a great disappointment and shame and the greatest disservice to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.

In the first place, why was the announcement of the Cabinet decision to ask the Chief Secretary to investigate the latest racist remarks of a Biro Tata Negara (BTN) official made by the MIC Minister for Human Resources Dr. S. Subramaniam and not by the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who had chaired the Cabinet meeting during Najib’s absence?

Is it because the controversy over BTN’s latest offence against Najib’s 1Malaysia concept is regarded as a trivial matter not serious enough to warrant the personal attention and concern of the Deputy Prime Minister?

Secondly, the juxtaposition of the pronouncement by the Gerakan President and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon on the same day, warning against over-reaction in race disputes, seems to be a message on behalf of Umno leaders not to take too seriously the latest infraction of the BTN – serving only to undermine public confidence that much is to be expected of the Cabinet decision, especially bearing in mind the 48-day government inaction over the two school principals for their incendiary, racist and insensitive statements against students in school.

In fact, Tsu Koon seems to be speaking the same language as Perkasa which has claimed an overreaction with the issue “blown out of proportion” over the racist and derogatory remarks of BTN deputy director Hamim Hussain at a closed-door Umno Puteri meeting in referring to the Chinese and Indian communities as “Si Mata Sepet” (squinty-eyed) and “Si Kaki Botol” (alcoholics) respectively.

Thirdly, in failing to consider whether BTN should be dissolved, Cabinet has done a great disservice to 1Malaysia concept propounded by Najib.

This is not the first time that the BTN has proven that it is not fit to be an agency entrusted with the responsibility to instill patriotism among civil servants and undergraduates as it has emerged as the greatest enemy to Najib’s 1Malaysia policy by propounding the narrow and unconstitutional concepts of Malay supremacy, holding to the highly biased, prejudiced and jaundiced view that non-Malays are “kaum pendatang” whose loyalty to Malaysia are to be doubted.

In fact, one could say without fear of contradiction that the greatest concentration of racists in government are to be found in the BTN, and this is why the failure of any government action against the BTN is an immediate reflection on the hollowness of Najib’s recent declaration of “zero tolerance for racism” just before National Day and his United Nations speech calling on the moderates in the world to unite against the extremists!

It is evident that Najib’s Cabinet is incapable of upholding and defending the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia slogan and policy.

Would Najib dare to revamp his Cabinet to ensure that only Ministers who dare to publicly declare undivided loyalty to the 1Malaysia concept to build a Malaysian nation where every Malaysian would regard himself or herself as Malaysian first and race second would have a place in government?

Najib put in an embarrassing quandary

By Thomas Lee

While Datuk Seri Najib Razak was urging all nations of the world to “choose moderation over extremism” to promote international peace and harmony in his maiden speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday 27 September 2010, it is surely shocking that back in Malaysia at about the same time, a senior civil servant spewed out one of the most extremist and venomous speeches against the Chinese and Indian communities.

Federal Territory Biro Tata Negara (BTN) deputy director Hamim Husin referred to the Chinese and Indian communities as Si Mata Sepet and Si Botol when speaking at a Puter Umno function.

“The Si Mata Sepet who has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The Si Botol who only knows how to go up and down Batu Caves only has one vote,” Hamim was quoted as saying, when talking about getting votes from the non-Malay voters.

It surely is most malevolent and seditious for the senior BTN officer to use such a contemptuous, pejorative and derogatory terms of Si Mata Sepet (slit eyes) and Si Botol (alcoholic) to describe the Chinese and Indian citizens.

The flabbergasted speech by the BTN deputy director makes our prime minister sounds like a first-class hypocrite at the United Nations!

The prime minister has urged world leaders to embark on building a “Global Movement of the Moderates” from all faiths to work together to combat and marginalise extremists, whom he said, had held the world with their bigotry and bias.

“It is time for moderates of all countries, of all religions to take back the centre, to reclaim the agenda for peace and pragmatism, and to marginalise the extremists. This Global Movement of the Moderates will save us from sinking into the abyss of despair and depravation,” Najib told the world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly.

Yet, back in his own country, a senior civil servant desacralizes his fair and impartial homily on inter-racial and inter-faith relationship.

The BTN, as an agency to train and develop civil servants, should be in the forefront of preserving and promoting racial equality, harmony and peaceful co-existence among the people.

It should be educating and acculturating the civil servants to lead all races to work towards achieving the inclusive OneMalaysia policy mooted by the Prime Minister.

However, the BTN has been shown to be an extremely racist and highly divisive politically-orientated agency to promote the supremacy of one particular race, which is in direct contradiction to Najib’s inclusive OneMalaysia policy.

During the height of the controversy over the BTN in the last quarter of 2009, various former participants of the BTN courses had testified that the agency is basically geared towards the propagada and promotion of an exclusive political agenda.

For example, the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat state government in December 2009 prohibited state civil servants and students in state-owned tertiary institutions from attending the BTN courses, claiming that they were an indoctrination process by the Barisan Nasional federal government and aimed at brainwashing Malaysians to hate all those opposed to its political agenda.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders have accused the ruling Barisan Nasional federal government of using the BTN to brainwash civil servants and tertiary students to hate the opposition and asked why the BTN is not open to public and conducted in secrecy.

Pakatan Rakyat leaders and former participants have also claimed that the courses were racist in nature and emphasised the idea of the supremacy and superiority of one particular race.

It was also reported that former BTN participants revealed that they were not allowed to take along their mobile phones and other electronic media gadgets while course notes were not allowed to be taken out of the lecture hall.

The latest malicious and malevolent remarks on the Chinese and Indian communities by the Federal Territory BTN deputy director has again highlighted the fact the BTN is in fact an indoctrination tool to instil and reinforce a racial supremacist agenda, which is, for all purposes and intend, an antithesis to Najib’s OneMalaysia ideal.

The predictable danger of such an indoctrination scheme causing untold harm to the already very frail and fragile multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural and mulit-lingual Malaysian society is very real. It can even result in a veritable racial explosion, if not checked, curbed and controlled.

For the most part, those participating in the BTN courses consist of pre-university students, government scholarship students, civil service recruits, and civil servants sent for refresher courses.

With the BTN leadership comprising people with mentality like the Federal Territory deputy director, instead of seeking to instil the spirit of patriotism and love for the country, and promoting racial equality, justice, harmony and peaceful co-existence, the BTN is an utterly destructive agency which should be closed for good.

Najib has told the world leaders at the United Nations: “We must choose moderation over extremism. We must choose negotiations over confrontation. We must choose to work together and not against each other. And we must give this effort utmost priority for time is not on our side.”

If that is what the Prime Minister sincerely believes in and wants to happen, he must show the world by example that he practises what he preaches in his own country.

Then, among his first actions should be the dismantling of the BTN, and the taking of disciplinary action against the racist civil servants, such as the Federal Territory BTN deputy director and the two school principals who cynically and contemptuously run down the non-Malay students in their schools. The actions should include sacking these people, and charging them for sedition.

In the case of the Johor principal who liken her Indian students to dogs, and told them and the Chinese students to go back to India and China, it has been more than two and a half months since the incident was exposed, yet no action has been taken against her. The most ridiculous and stupid statement issued by the federal government is that the Education Minister has no power to act on the case.

Najib also must act fast to rein in and restrain those political racial rousers in his own party Umno who are playing the communal card, causing the racial temperature and tension to rise with their irresponsible blazing stirring of sensitive issues.

He should also put a stop to all the fierce and destructive racial attacks propagated in the media owned by his party. The series of communal onslaughts on the human, fundamental and constitutional rights of the people must be made to cease immediately.

Until our Prime Minister acts on these matters, his speech at the United Nations General Assembly will just be sounds from an empty gong, with no substantial and essential value.

MCA, DAP flay BTN, demand punishment for ‘racist’ official

Lim wants the BTN official punished. — File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — The DAP and MCA demanded the immediate punishment of a National Civics Bureau (BTN) official today for making racist remarks during a Puteri Umno function yesterday.

Lim Kit Siang from the DAP also pushed for BTN to be dissolved in the wake of the comments made by the bureau’s deputy director Hamim Husain.

Hamim had yesterday referred to the Chinese and Indian community as “Si Mata Sepet” and “Si Botol” respectively when asking Puteri Umno members to approach the non-Malays for votes.

“The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote,” Hamim told the closed-door gathering.

The BTN, a state agency charged with running courses on patriotism for civil servants and undergraduates, came under fire last year for promoting racism.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration had promised a revamp of BTN’s courses following a widespread public outcry.

Lim said today that the onus was on the Cabinet take action against Hamim

He also challenged the Cabinet to dissolve the entire bureau which he claimed promoted “extremism”.

“The Cabinet is meeting tomorrow. It must act or be exposed for its irrelevance or impotence,” said Lim in a statement today.

He also claimed that the manner in which the BTN controversy was being handled was in stark contrast with Najib’s remarks at the UN General Assembly yesterday where he pushed for moderation to be practised between all major religions and races in the world.

“Borrowing Najib’s analogy in the UN yesterday, the real issue in Malaysia is not between Malays and non-Malays or Muslims and non-Muslims but between the moderates and extremists.

“Would the Cabinet dare to rise up to the challenge tomorrow and answer this national call?” asked Lim.

Separately, MCA central committee member Loh Seng Kok also expressed outrage over Hamim’s remarks and urged the Public Service Department to take appropriate action.

Loh also suggested that the police charge Hamim under the Sedition Act for his remarks.

“It is time to put a halt to the arrogance and intolerance of bigots,” said Loh in a statement earlier today.

He said that it was high time the government overhauled the BTN, given that there had been many reports alleging that the bureau’s courses promoted “ethnic supremacy” and racism.

“The Kursus BTN should produce civil servants with a global outlook and a 1 Malaysia mindset of moderation, mutual respect, and not extremists stuck in racial parochialism,” added Loh.

MIC, DAP claim BTN undermines 1 Malaysia

Lim described the BTN as ‘racist’. — File pic

 

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — MIC and DAP leaders agreed today that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia was being undermined by his own men in the government’s controversial National Civics Bureau (BTN).

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang also went a step further to accuse Najib’s deputy Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of backing the BTN in an open revolt to ruin the prime minister’s brainchild 1 Malaysia.

The veteran leader claimed that was because Muhyiddin was one of the biggest champions of the government’s “racist” BTN, saying that this was also one of the main reasons why he had failed to act on the racist principals.

“In the Cabinet in the past 18 months, Muhyiddin had stood out as the champion of the anti-national and anti-1 Malaysia poison spouted by the BTN.

“Is this the reason why Muhyiddin had been thunderously silent in not condemning the two school principals for their incendiary, racist and insensitive statements, telling Chinese students to go back to China and likening Hindu prayer bracelets to a dog leash, because such offensive remarks were quite in line with the poison which BTN had been dishing out to civil servants in the past two decades?” he asked in a statement today.

Lim also slammed the proclamation by BTN deputy director Hamim Husin to a Puteri Umno closed-door function today that Malay rights is a mandate to rule the country, claiming that this showed Najib’s 1 Malaysia was being hampered by enemies from within his own camp.

“The proclamation is the latest proof that the biggest enemy to Najib’s 1 Malaysia is from within his own camp, not only Umno but also BTN in the government.

“When the BTN can continue its offensive, insensitive and racist ‘brain washing’ not only among civil servants but extend it to political activists in Umno circles like Umno Puteri, it is clear that Najib is facing an open revolt, which clearly has the backing of Muhyiddin,” he said.

In his speech to Umno Puteri today, Hamim had proclaimed that the rights of the Malays was to rule the country, urging the community to unite to defend their rights.

“The rights of Malays is to rule the country. Simple. Malays must unite in the face of threats,” he had said.

Later, when acknowledging that the Malays could not rule the country without the co-operation of the non-Malays, Hamim also made derogatory references to the Chinese and the Indian communities.

“Malays cannot rule the country by themselves. That’s why we make friends with the MCA and MIC.

“The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote,” said Hamim.

Dr Subramaniam wants the government to act against the BTN deputy director. — File pic

MIC vice-president Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam joined Lim in condemning Hamim’s derogatory remarks and called for an investigation into the issue.

He also raised concerns that such remarks could be interpreted as reflecting the views of the Najib administration, which in turn would reflect badly on Najib’s all-inclusive 1 Malaysia concept.

“I refer to the article in a news portal which quoted the National Civics Bureau (BTN) deputy director as uttering derogatory remarks against non-Malays at a closed-door meeting of Puteri Umno delegates today.

“I wish to state here that the BTN is a government agency under the Prime Minister’s Department. If an officer from this agency is found to have passed such remarks, it can be construed as reflecting the views of the government.

“It will also reflect badly on the government and have adverse effects on the 1 Malaysia concept,” he said in a statement today.

The human resources minister urged BTN director-general Datuk Shagul Hamid Abdullah to investigate the matter and take further action.

Lim also urged the Cabinet to take action against the BTN by closing it down entirely and to take a clear stand on the incidents involving the racist principals.

“Will the scandal of the 46-day inaction by the Najib administration be top on the agenda of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting or will the ministers be like the traditional three monkeys with eyes that see not, ears that hear not and mouths that speak not?” he asked.

Pakatan demands explanation for BTN's only Malays can rule

National Civics Bureau or BTN

Malaysia Chronicle

In a sign that pundits said only reflected the duplicity in Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia plan, the National Civics Bureau which falls under his department, continued to crank out racist propaganda aimed at shoring up Malay support for his Umno-BN coalition.

“From long ago, we have always stated that for Malaysians to take 1Malaysia seriously, the first agency to be dismantled must be the BTN," Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham told Malaysia Chronicle.

"But Mahathir objected and of course Najib didn’t do anything except promise that BTN courses would no longer contain racist references. But again, this has turned out to be another lie. Najib owes the nation an explanation. A clarification should be made by the BTN.

Only Malays can rule

At an Umno closed-door function on Monday, BTN deputy director Hamim Husin had made comments that suggested that only Malays had the right to rule Malaysia.

Ngeh Koo Ham

Hamim’s words comes hot on the heels of a warning by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad that should the Malays support the Pakatan Rakyat led by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, then they would lose political power and suffer bullying by the other races.

According to Mahathir, the prime minister of Malaysia would then be Chinese or Indian or any other non-Malay ethnicity. His remarks drew immediate condemnation, but obviously not from Umno or Najib’s department.

“The rights of Malays, is to rule the country. Simple. Malays must unite in the face of threats,” Malaysian Insider reported Hamim as telling Puteri Umno delegates on Monday.

In an immediate response, DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang challenged the non-Malay components in the BN coalition to also demand an explanation from Najib.

“Will Tsu Koon, MCA, BN ministers demand that the Cabinet act against the BTN deputy director?” Kit Siang said on Twitter.

Is the real reason for the 46 days of government inaction against the two school principals for incendiary, racist and insensitive statements because they cannot be faulted as this was exactly the “official ideology” which BTN had been indoctrinating civil servants past two decades?

By Lim Kit Siang,

All Malaysians want to know whether the scandal of the 46-day inaction by the Najib administration against the two school principals who made incendiary, racist and insensitive statements against students in schools will be top on the agenda of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting or whether Cabinet Ministers would be like the traditional three monkeys with eyes that see not, ears that hear not and mouths that speak not!

Noises are being made by MCA, Gerakan and MIC outside the Cabinet protesting against the Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement claiming that he is powerless to do anything against the two principals as this falls within the ambit and jurisdiction of the Public Services Department and the Chief Secretary – but all these are empty posturings by these political parties when their Ministers in Cabinet maintain a discreet and self-serving silence on this issue.

In fact, the question must be asked in Cabinet, Parliament and the country whether the real reason for the 46-day government inaction against the two school principals who publicly made a mockery of Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Raza’s 1Malaysia policy is because they could not be faulted because what they said was exactly the “official ideology” which Biro Tata Negara of the Prime Minister’s Department had been indoctrinating civil servants in the past two decades!

Is this the reason why Muhyiddin had been thunderously silent in not condemning the two school principals for their incendiary, racist and insensitive statements, telling Chinese students to go back to China and likening Hindu prayer bracelets to a dog leash, because such offensive remarks were quite in line with the poison which BTN had been dishing out to civil servants in the past two decades?

In the Cabinet in the past 18 months, Muhyiddin had stood out as the champion of the anti-national and anti-1Malaysia poison spouted by BTN, which was why Muhyiddin had done the following:

• Defended the racist “brain washing” and indoctrination on “ketuanan Melayu” by Biro Tata Negara despite criticisms and expose of its racist, divisive and seditious content for the past two decades;

• Mitigated the Nasir Safar outrage claiming that it could have been “a slip of the tongue” when Najib’s senior political aide labelled Indians and Chinese in Malaysia as “pendatang”, alleging that the Chinese came as beggars and the Chinese women as “prostitutes”; claimed that Umno was solely responsible in drafting the constitution sidelining the contribution of MCA and MIC; and issued the threat to revoke the citizenship of those vocal about the subject cap for SPM examination.

• Maintained a conspicuous silence at the JAKIM (Islamic Development Department of the Prime Minister’s Office) forum at the end of January for 800 civil servants tantamount to an insurrection against Najib’s 1Malaysia concept – with government speakers making inflammatory and incendiary speeches, blaming Christians for provoking Muslim anger by challenging the ban on the use of the word “Allah” and Umno/BN politicians for failing to defend Islam, with one speaker suggesting that a repeat of the May 13 riots was possible if the Christians, whom he accused of practising “extremism” did not “back down”, uttering the threat: “Who knows, there might be a Feb. 13?”

• Also kept a conspicuous silence when the racialist rantings of Umno executive secretary Datuk Abdul Rauf Yusoh at an Umno club function in London in March this year was exposed;

• Aided and abetted the inflammatory and incendiary campaign by Umno-controlled media like Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, government television and radio stations, playing the race and religious cards to viciously and falsely paint Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Pakatan Rakyat Penang State Government as “anti-Malay” and “anti-Islam”; and

• Declared that he is “Malay first and Malaysian second” which is not only against Najib’s 1Malaysia concept but served as a rallying point against Najib and any meaningful flowering of the 1Malaysia concept.

The proclamation by the BTN deputy director Hamim Husin to a Puteria Umno closed-door function that Malay rights is a mandate to rule the country (Malaysian Insider) is the latest proof that the biggest enemy to Najib’s 1Malaysia is from within his own camp, not only Umno but also BTN in government.

When the BTN can continue its offensive, insensitive and racist “brain washing” not only among civil servants but extend it to political activists in Umno circles like Umno Putri, it is clear that Najib is facing an open revolt, which clearly has the backing of Muhyiddin.

This shambolic anarchy in the Najib premiership cannot continue or it will drive away all interested investments in Malaysia, whether foreign or domestic and condemn Malaysia to the fate of a new failed state in the world.

The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday must take a stand, not only to end the 46-day government inaction against the two principals for their incendiary, racist and insensitive statements; on firm action against BTN by closing down the government “brain-washing” unit which is openly revolting against Najib’s 1Malaysia concept but also on whether the Cabinet fully endorse Najib’s 1Malaysia policy or otherwise.

Malays must rule the country, says BTN rep

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — National Civics Bureau (BTN) deputy director Hamim Husin today proclaimed Malay rights as a mandate to rule the country amid a spike in Malay rhetoric.

Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently warned Malays that they would lose power if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took control of Putrajaya.

“The rights of Malays, is to rule the country. Simple,” Hamim told Puteri Umno delegates in a closed-door function today.

“Malays must unite in the face of threats,” he added.

The BTN Federal Territory deputy director cited an example where the Malay ruling party failed to act during a purportedly seditious demonstration by non-Muslims in Kuala Lumpur a few years ago.

“The Hindus marched to Parliament to send a memorandum. They, like Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force), are groups that spread sedition,” said Hamim.

“Where was the political party then?” he asked.

About 30,000 protestors from the Hindu non-governmental organisation Hindraf had rallied in the city in November 2007 to submit a memorandum to the British embassy, where they demanded for the Queen’s Counsel to represent sidelined Malaysian Indians.

Today, Hamim underscored the importance of Malay unity in view of a possibility that snap polls may be called as early as next year.

The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote.

“The general election is coming soon. If there is still disunity, we cannot have events like this... where we can say what we want,” he said.

Last Tuesday, Dr Mahathir said the Malays were not aware of the political threat facing them as they were divided into three groups (PAS, PKR, Umno), where no one group could obtain a percentage of Malay votes that can secure power for the community.

He also claimed that the political marginalisation of the Malays had already become a reality in PR-controlled states even though those administrations were led by Malays.

The former Umno president, who still commands widespread influence among party members and the larger Malay community, pointed to the former PR mentri besar in Perak Datuk Seri Nizar Jamaluddin as an example of how Malay politicians had been sidelined by PR.

Dr Mahathir also implied that a Chinese or an Indian could become prime minister if PR took federal power because there was no constitutional restriction on race for the position.

Today, Hamim also urged Puteri Umno to make sacrifices in a bid to defend Malay rights.

“In the context of Malay rights, don’t just demand for your rights. You must ask, ‘what must I sacrifice to defend my rights?’” he said.

Hamim stressed that the Malays could not rule the country without co-operating with the non-Malay communities as each citizen only carried a single vote.

“Malays cannot rule the country by themselves. That’s why we make friends with the MCA and MIC,” he said.

“The ‘si mata sepet’ that has never gone to a mosque or surau only has one vote. The ‘si botol’ that only knows how to go up to Batu Caves up and down only has one vote,” said Hamim, using apparently derogatory terms to describe the Chinese and Indian communities in Malaysia.

“So Puteri Umno must make friends with youths who are not Malays,” he added.

He also exhorted Puteri Umno to recruit youths born from marriages with foreigners into their party.

“There are many foreigners who have children here. Their daughters and sons who have turned 18 should be in Puteri and Putera Umno,” said Hamim.

“You are losing them... thousands of them. You should be collecting them and network with them,” he added.