Politics has been said to be the art of the impossible. There are also quite a number of sayings in politics often quoted by politicians themselves which is revealing about their true nature .
Examples: “In politics, there are no permanent enemies or permanent friends” – which may mean that there is no true friendship but only marriage of convenience or a relationship based on needs. If is this so between them, can you really expect them to have the People’s welfare in their hearts? I think not. They are responsible only if it means they will not be able to hold political office if they are otherwise. They are not naturally responsible.
If the People (Cat) are not watching, the politicians (mice) will run amuck doing what they want – accumulating more wealth, power, influence and self importance. Let RAPERAs never forget this.
Obviously our country is blessed with citizens of various ethnic origins – Kadazans, Ibans, Orang Asli, Javanese, Minangkabaus, Mendalings, Malay, Bugis, Indian, Portugese, Chinese, and so on.
If you look deeply and closely at the Malays, for instance, you will find associations of Bugis, Javanese, Achenese, etc. In itself, there is nothing wrong.
If you look deeply and closely at the Chinese, for instance, you will find associations of Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese, Teow chiu, etc. In itself, there is nothing wrong.
If you look deeply and closely at the Indians, for instance, you will find associations of Malayalam, Singhalese, Telegu, Tamilians, etc. In itself, there is nothing wrong.
If you look deeply and closely at East Malaysia, for instance, you will find associations of Ibans, Kadazans, Dayaks, Bidayuhs etc. In itself, there is nothing wrong.
Then you have the Malay, Indian and Chinese associations.
It is nothing wrong if it is merely a result of human characteristic to associate with one’s “origin” and with people with familiar and similar cultural traits. That may be a start in the lesson of human interaction.
It becomes wrong if it means disassociation from others; distrust of others, “us against them”, “political tool”, “vested interest tool”, “purely economic tool”, “superiority complex” and such.
It is wrong because such an attitude degrades us all as human beings, as creations of the Creator.
It also means that instead of celebrating the Creators’ creativity; you are mocking His infinite wisdom in creating diversity. You are rejecting the signs of His existence. Allah says in the Quran:
"O Men, We created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may KNOW one another (NOT THAT YOU MAY DESPISE EACH OTHER)." (Quran 49:13)
"And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." (Quran 30:22)
As correctly pointed out in the Quran, those with knowledge will not subscribe to the parochial or racist mentality. The simply cannot. Only the ignorant ones or the ones with a vested interest or the rejecter of Faith can.
Racism or parochialism does not mean the that Tamil cannot speak up on behalf of another Tamilian or a Javanese on behalf of another Javanese or a Malay on behalf of another Malay or a Chinese on behalf of another Chinese. It is only when any one of them speak of their own rights/interests to the deliberate exclusion of others that it becomes not right.
Helping people from your own ethnic origin by itself is not racism. Refusing to help others when you can is.
There are in my view, Malay, Chinese and Indian, etc politicians who play the racial card. While in private they have the best of friends from other races but in public, they position themselves as the sole champion of their race and denounce other races as a threat. These are racists. Such politicians are shameless creatures. Cannibalistic. Hypocrites. Dangerous.
Racism does not reveal its true self most of the time clearly. It hides under the garb of politics, science even, religion, tradition and culture, economics, etc. In fact it is a parasite that will thrive on anything that allows it to live.
Politicians uphold the principle of pragmatism strongly. This is their first value. Hence they will shamelessly manipulate the racist sentiments lurking in society for their own political gain.
If we want to obliterate racism, we have to first clean our own hearts. We have to train our minds and educate ourselves on what being human beings mean. The sooner this happens then, the sooner the politicians will stop their shameless act.
4 comments:
ahmadMy dear learned friend, J,
Let's play a fair game here. It is not only that the politicians should put a stop to racism but so does the RAKYAT !
What I would to highlight here is the 'racism of the indian kind' (Please don't jump the gun yet ! I am not saying that indians are racist, it's totally something else here. Please lend me your ears !)
The 'racism of the indian kind' according to the scenario as follows:-
Scenario 1 - If a non indian person suddenly slip and fell (maybe into a drain), we will most probably here someone from the crowd something like this 'apasal pengsan, sakit jantung ka, high blood ka !
BUT (this is the interesting part!), if that happen to an indian, what we would most probably here, 'apasal jatuh, MABUK KA !
If we were to go by statistics in Malaysia, I think you know who on the top list !
Scenario 2 - If you are a non indian and happens to like indian songs, movie or 'something indian', the other non indian would start to tease and make fun of you as though it is something 'not right to do'! (I know a Master Mariner who would listen to tamil songs when deeply doing his work with his laptop and the common remarks I here 'indian at work' ! What really very funny is that if a non indian (who is also a non chinese) does like chinese songs or movie, we seldom here remarks like above.
Scenario 3 - If you are a non indian (and also a non chinese) and something in your name or your color shows somewhere along the line you have indian blood (a drop would do the trick !), that's it, that 'Rakyat CSI Team' would 'certify' you as an indian but of a special breed (and name !) No, you are not an Indian Muslim ! An indian muslim is an indian muslim but you are an indian but of a differrent type/name. (Ala...apa tu...damak..samak..ala ! lupe plaks!)
ALAHAI ! SAPA PLAKS RACIST NI ! AHLI POLITIK TAU RAKYAT NI ? ALA FENING LA ! ADIOUS !
jon pour do care,
Point well made. of course there are racist sentiments, prejudices still prevalent among the rakyat. It is this that the politicians capitalize on. You are absolutely correct. Each of us have to clean our hearts.
Once again the burden of raising awareness must fall on the RAPERAs, doing what we can in our way. Many small ways can add up to a mountain of change.
My dear learned friend, J,
Will do the cleansing and will raise the awareness !
P.S. Eh ! Mana gi nye si dokhtur dari juburti tu ! Dia balik kampung ke ! Sonyap aje den tengok ! Adious !
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