What is causing Umno leaders such insecurity that makes them desperate enough to want to spill blood among Malaysians?
COMMENT
The spirit of muhibbah Malaysians so very cherished once upon a time is now a thing of the past. Living in Malaysia in today’s time entails putting up with racist and selfish politicians who have seemingly embarked on a ‘divide and rule’ agenda.
It is not just the present Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who has earned the wrath of the rakyat for his pernicious remarks over ”Indian gangsters hunting down the Malays”.
There is also the deputy prime minister who is also the Education Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin. Like Zahid, the DPM has never shied away from revealing his ultra Malay sentiments, never failing to make the non-Malays uncomfortable with his ‘ganyang’ (crush) the Chinese and Indians remarks.
Then there is Mohd Ali Rustam, the former chief minister of Malacca who serves as the classic example of the ‘sour grapes’ idiom when he blamed the Chinese for his defeat in the May 2013 general election and later accused the Chinese of allegedly being involved in illegal businesses.
Zahid’s predecessor, Hishammuddin Hussein too was all gung-ho about ‘defending’ Malay rights and privileges. He broke all traditions by hinting severe repercussions via the keris should anyone dare touch on the Malay sensitivities.
Just why are these politicians going berserk over their religion and all-things Malay is mind boggling.
What is causing them such insecurity that makes them desperate enough to want to spill blood among Malaysians?
The people have not forgotten Hishammuddin’s rantings and threats to the non-Malays. Neither will the rakyat forgive Muhyiddin for trying to incite the Malays against the Chinese and the Indians.
And now, it is Zahid with his irresponsible act of blaming the Indians for “hunting down” the Malays.
Among others, Zahid in a speech in Malacca last Saturday reportedly stated that it was okay for the police to proceed with a ‘shoot first’ policy against suspected criminals if they had the evidence.
Zahid added that the majority of gangsters were from the Indian community and the victims were Malays and therefore there was nothing wrong in arresting or shooting them.
While the Umno vice-president’s speech is still drawing a slew of reactions with some declaring it as “racist remarks”, the man who claims he has the rakyat’s best interest at heart is silent, a ‘standard operating procedure’ Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak seems to hide into.
‘Lawless’ to Umno politicians
More often than not it is the Umno politicians who continue to act brashly, breaking all rules and cultural sensitivities.
The reason why they thrive on playing bullies is because they believe they enjoy some form of immunity. To blame the minority community of turning murderers against the dominant race is a very dangerous presumption, one which definitely makes the racial harmony agenda a joke in the eyes of the rakyat.
The latest racial tension caused by Zahid has prompted calls for him to be removed as the Home Minister. But will Najib adhere to them? Or for that matter what are the chances that Najib will take any action against Zahid?
DAP MP Teresa Kok has defined Zahid’s remarks as “extremely dangerous views” while others see it as an “abuse of power” and as “insensitive remarks”.
However, in the typical Umno fashion, there is no way Zahid will be shown the door by Najib. And nothing is going to change as far as the Umno politicians are concerned – they are going to continue harassing, threatening and insulting the non-Malays.
What next for the non-Malays?
Former Malaysian Bar head S Ambiga says it is time Umno’s partners under the Barisan Nasional coalition made an exit from the party ‘out of self-respect’.
The question is do Gerakan, MIC and MCA have enough self-worthiness left to dump Umno for greener pastures? Is this latest racial attack by yet another Umno politician not humiliating enough for the trio?
Ambiga who is also electoral watchdog Bersih co-chairperson is puzzled as to why Umno’s allies in BN, the country’s federal ruling political force, rather keep their mouths shut, stay put in the ruling coalition and tolerate such despicable behaviour.
“After hearing the home minister, I really want to know what MCA and MIC are doing in BN. Have some self-respect please and walk out!” she said in a Twitter posting on Tuesday.
Walking out en masse is not a difficult step, not when enough verbal abuse and insults have been endured. But sadly, MIC, Gerakan and MCA have become Umno’s ‘Pavlov’s dogs’, unable to think for themselves.
Until Umno’s allies in BN come clean and accept the fact that they have withstood enough humiliation from Umno, there is no stopping the United Malay National Organisation in damning the ‘lain-lain’ (other) races in the country.
Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.
COMMENT
The spirit of muhibbah Malaysians so very cherished once upon a time is now a thing of the past. Living in Malaysia in today’s time entails putting up with racist and selfish politicians who have seemingly embarked on a ‘divide and rule’ agenda.It is not just the present Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who has earned the wrath of the rakyat for his pernicious remarks over ”Indian gangsters hunting down the Malays”.
There is also the deputy prime minister who is also the Education Minister, Muhyiddin Yassin. Like Zahid, the DPM has never shied away from revealing his ultra Malay sentiments, never failing to make the non-Malays uncomfortable with his ‘ganyang’ (crush) the Chinese and Indians remarks.
Then there is Mohd Ali Rustam, the former chief minister of Malacca who serves as the classic example of the ‘sour grapes’ idiom when he blamed the Chinese for his defeat in the May 2013 general election and later accused the Chinese of allegedly being involved in illegal businesses.
Zahid’s predecessor, Hishammuddin Hussein too was all gung-ho about ‘defending’ Malay rights and privileges. He broke all traditions by hinting severe repercussions via the keris should anyone dare touch on the Malay sensitivities.
Just why are these politicians going berserk over their religion and all-things Malay is mind boggling.
What is causing them such insecurity that makes them desperate enough to want to spill blood among Malaysians?
The people have not forgotten Hishammuddin’s rantings and threats to the non-Malays. Neither will the rakyat forgive Muhyiddin for trying to incite the Malays against the Chinese and the Indians.
And now, it is Zahid with his irresponsible act of blaming the Indians for “hunting down” the Malays.
Among others, Zahid in a speech in Malacca last Saturday reportedly stated that it was okay for the police to proceed with a ‘shoot first’ policy against suspected criminals if they had the evidence.
Zahid added that the majority of gangsters were from the Indian community and the victims were Malays and therefore there was nothing wrong in arresting or shooting them.
While the Umno vice-president’s speech is still drawing a slew of reactions with some declaring it as “racist remarks”, the man who claims he has the rakyat’s best interest at heart is silent, a ‘standard operating procedure’ Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak seems to hide into.
‘Lawless’ to Umno politicians
More often than not it is the Umno politicians who continue to act brashly, breaking all rules and cultural sensitivities.
The reason why they thrive on playing bullies is because they believe they enjoy some form of immunity. To blame the minority community of turning murderers against the dominant race is a very dangerous presumption, one which definitely makes the racial harmony agenda a joke in the eyes of the rakyat.
The latest racial tension caused by Zahid has prompted calls for him to be removed as the Home Minister. But will Najib adhere to them? Or for that matter what are the chances that Najib will take any action against Zahid?
DAP MP Teresa Kok has defined Zahid’s remarks as “extremely dangerous views” while others see it as an “abuse of power” and as “insensitive remarks”.
However, in the typical Umno fashion, there is no way Zahid will be shown the door by Najib. And nothing is going to change as far as the Umno politicians are concerned – they are going to continue harassing, threatening and insulting the non-Malays.
What next for the non-Malays?
Former Malaysian Bar head S Ambiga says it is time Umno’s partners under the Barisan Nasional coalition made an exit from the party ‘out of self-respect’.
The question is do Gerakan, MIC and MCA have enough self-worthiness left to dump Umno for greener pastures? Is this latest racial attack by yet another Umno politician not humiliating enough for the trio?
Ambiga who is also electoral watchdog Bersih co-chairperson is puzzled as to why Umno’s allies in BN, the country’s federal ruling political force, rather keep their mouths shut, stay put in the ruling coalition and tolerate such despicable behaviour.
“After hearing the home minister, I really want to know what MCA and MIC are doing in BN. Have some self-respect please and walk out!” she said in a Twitter posting on Tuesday.
Walking out en masse is not a difficult step, not when enough verbal abuse and insults have been endured. But sadly, MIC, Gerakan and MCA have become Umno’s ‘Pavlov’s dogs’, unable to think for themselves.
Until Umno’s allies in BN come clean and accept the fact that they have withstood enough humiliation from Umno, there is no stopping the United Malay National Organisation in damning the ‘lain-lain’ (other) races in the country.
Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.
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