I tried very hard not to write about this. I have more important things to do and trials are really taking up my time. But, I find it so annoying that I have pen down my thoughts. I am talking about a statement apparently made by “Wira” Datuk Ibrahim Ali, the Perkasa President.
“Amat wajar kerajaan tangguh dulu apa jua peruntukan dan kelulusan kepada masyarakat kaum Cina, terutama desakan-desakan MCA dan Gerakan kerana jelas masyarakat Cina di Hulu Selangor serta India tidak menyokong BN.
“Mereka langsung tidak hargai apa yang diberi oleh kerajaan BN walaupun kerajaan BN terpaksa mengguris hati orang Melayu dan Bumiputera,” kata Ibrahim yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bebas Pasir Mas mengulas keputusan malam tadi yang memihak BN tetapi majoriti cuma 1,725 undi.
In fact the Perkasa website proudly publishes his statement:
“It is necessary for the government to delay any allocation andapproval of projects for the Chinese community,” said Ibrahim in a statement responding to the by-election result”.
If you know Ibrahim Ali personally, it is not mind boggling that he may say something like that. However, since he is the President of Perkasa and Perkasa markets itself as representing the “interests” of Malays, such a comment cannot go uncommented. Malays are Muslims or at least they are supposed to be constitutionally.
So, here you have a Malay Muslim leader of an NGO which is largely made up of Malay Muslims asking the Government to delay allocations and approvals to the Chinese community of Hulu Selangor. When Ibrahim Ali made this statement, was he thinking of the following (maybe he can clarify if he is reading this blog):
1)The withholding of projects to the Chinese community – does that include the Chinese Muslim too, if any? Or does that not matter?
“O you who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do”. (Quran: 5:8)
2)Does he not know that the Honourable Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib is working hard at his 1Malaysia policy, which this blog supports? Was he trying to throw a spanner into the policy which in principle is consistent with the Quran???
“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which God (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude God's favour on you; for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace, you became brothers; and you were on the brink of the pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth God make His Signs clear to you: That you may be guided”. (Quran:3.103)
3)Where in the Quran does it teach to discriminate against people based on race and political affiliations?
“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (not that you may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (Quran: 49:13)
4)Does he not know that the Government’s money is the Rakyat’s money? It is not any political party’s money? And if it is approved, that means there is a promise made. Promises must be upheld right?
“God does command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; And when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice: Verily how excellent is the teaching which He gives you! For God is He Who hears and sees all things. (Quran: 4:58)
5)I wonder, if the Chinese community are considered “ungrateful” because according to him, they did not support the Government…he left UMNO to contest as an independent ! SO…that makes him….???
“So eat of the sustenance which God has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favours of God, if it is He Whom you serve”. (Quran: 16.114)
6)Is it not possible to fight for “Malay rights” without being unjust to non-Malays? I am sure it is very possible.
I am sure the majority of the Perkasa members, being Muslims will not support his strategy of denying Chinese families and their children, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, etc what is due to them. I know many of my friends in Perkasa did not like this statement. As expected our Prime Minister did not find Ibrahim Ali’s statement persuasive at all !
The International Movement for a Just World (JUST) welcomes the probe by four bodies into the allegations made by Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, about Israeli agents infiltrating Bukit Aman.
Infiltration by any foreign agent or element into the sanctum sanctorum of a nation’s internal security system --- the nation’s police force--- is a grave violation of its national sovereignty and integrity. When that infiltration has been allegedly carried out by agents of a state with whom Malaysia has no diplomatic relations, the matter assumes even greater seriousness.
This is why one hopes that the probe being conducted by the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the National Security Council and a parliamentary select committee, will be thorough and detailed. The whole truth should be made known to the public. Once the probe is completed, the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, should make a comprehensive Ministerial Statement in parliament.
Total transparency and accountability is particularly critical in this instance because the allegations have come from an individual who has close and extensive ties with leading champions of Israeli and Zionist interests in politics, in finance, in the media, and in tertiary education. No other Malaysian politician has forged such a relationship with individuals of the likes of Paul Wolfowitz, the former US Secretary of Defence and ex- President of the World Bank, who fervently believes that Israeli military dominance and power in the Middle East serves US interests. One of the principal advocates of the invasion and occupation of Iraq in furtherance of Israeli goals in the region, Wolfowitz was described by Anwar as his “great friend,” a person in whom he has “faith,” in a speech in the US on 19 June 2006.
Why should a man with such links want to expose so-called Israeli infiltration into our police force? Is it because he is trying to regain support from his Malay-Muslim constituency--- a constituency that has become increasingly disillusioned with his politics? Is it an attempt to divert attention from his sodomy trial which may raise questions about his moral conduct? Or, is it because Anwar is incensed that a Washington lobbyist and public relations corporation by the name of Apco--- with quite a few former Israeli diplomats and retired military chieftains on its advisory panel--- has managed to turn the tables on him, and has succeeded in projecting a positive image of Prime Minister Mohd Najib and the Malaysian government in the US and elsewhere?
Whatever the motive, the four party probe should be able to provide us with some answers.
“Let me tell you this. And listen carefully. Forget your idealism if you want to be counted. Forget your ideals and your quest for a just society. All this is mere talk and waste of time. You are being irresponsible to yourself and your family. They need you. They are the ones that care for you. Not the masses called “the People”.
Do you really think people care that you are fighting for their well beings and rights? Who are you? What can you do alone or with your friends? All you people can do is just hold seminars, give talks, maybe demonstrate once in a while and the what? The world does not change at all. You and your friends will still be where you all are - forever struggling in life. Look at me. I just have to be master.
Look at me. I am a capitalist. I am in politics. I have a party behind me. I have power and wealth. I have the whole system behind me. I have the networks. I can do more good than you can ever dream of.
Come on. Give up your childish dreams and join me. Support me. I can make you rich and make you respectable. The people only know only thing – their own selfish need to survive. They too want to feel useful and important. I will teach you the secret to make yourself a lord over them. Do not be a foolish candle and burn your self. They will simply replace you with another candle. They will never be a candle themselves. So, why should you?
Do you know that to be the lord, you must have subjects? They must forever need you and know that only you can make a difference in their miserable lives. You must forever be above them and they, forever beneath you.
Enrich them, but make sure that they are never too rich such that they no longer need you. Help them enough such that it is just enough. They will have to come to you for help. That is important. That’s where you have power. You become indispensable and respectable to them.
Give them fishes but never teach them to fish. If you teach them to fish, that will raise their dignity to live independently. Do not do that. Dignity is only for you, the master. Not for the people, the masses, the subjects. Every time they need a fish, they have to come to you. They will be willing to trade their human dignity for the fish. They will bestow upon you titles, give you more access to wealth that they do not understand and they will kiss your hands.
But make sure they are not too poor. Poor people have nothing to lose. They are so used to suffering and indignity, they may rise against you. That is not good. If you have to, make sure only a few are poor and make a show of helping them. It is excellent marketing for the image to make a show of helping the poor. It is simple actually…if you do not want to spend too much money, just visit them. Yes. Just a visit for 10 minutes will do much for your image as a leader. The people will hail you as a sensitive leader. Trust me. After 3 days, the poor folks will be forgotten and everyone will assume that you actually have helped them to live better.
So, why are you being such a fool? Why do you insist on doing what you are doing? Don’t you see that all your activities are a waste of your life? Think and be counted. Be like me. Be rich. Be powerful and be king in life.
What? You want people to think? Still being a fool aren’t you? The only thing they know is to admire others greater them in wealth and power. They like to be mesmerized. They enjoy being servants of the lord. I have made sure that they have no time to think. I have made them busy trying to live. I have engineered what information they should get.
People will not think. They will not want to sacrifice their precious time to think about what I am really doing. They have their daily living to struggle with.
People should just follow me. Not think. How many normal people get invited to give their views on important things? They are irrelevant. They have been trained to receive and listen. To be the obedient dog that wags its tail everytime the master comes. Do you want to be the dog or the master?
You cannot change the system. You do not have the power nor the wealth. I am the power. I am the wealth. I am the system. I count. You don’t.
People are fools and are meant to be so. You are one of them. So grovel at my feet for your own good so that I can give you a fish”.
Someone called Ranjin, I met from India told me this last year. Do not know how far it is true.. I’ll share with you the conversation I had with him anyway (as much as I can remember).
Ranjin: Brother, do you know that there is a unique village in India called Injapuram? It has a population of about 500,000 people. It is a very stable village and everything is organised. They believe in a religion called Marasmas. They have a holy book which they believe is divine originated called Marashgi and worship a god called Devadassi. They have a religious head called the MaraGuru whose word is law. Even the village committee which is elected every 3 years by the village has to get his approval on important things.
Me: Wow…never heard of Marasmas before. Where can I get a copy of the Marashgi? I am into inter-religious studies.
Ranjin: Well…I’ll try to get a copy of it when I get back to India. It is difficult to find a translation of it in English as the religion is limited to the village. The original Marasghi is written in a language called Sanurdu .. a mixture of Sanskrit and Urdu. In fact this language is no longer spoken anymore.
Me: Then how do the followers understand their holy book?
Ranjin: Well, the Marasmis, followers of the Marasmas religion, depend on their priests for the understanding of their book. You see, the MaraGuru is the head of a religious order made up of priests. These priests are experts in the religion of Marasmas and are in charge of all religious affairs from rituals to daily living rules. All the Maramis must follow everything that the priests say and whatever decrees that the MaraGuru may pronounce from time to time.
Me: You say must…what happens if a Maramis does not follow the decree? Ostracised..or pay a penalty or do penance?
Ranjin: No..no. In Injapuram, all the village laws are derived from the Marashgi. They are religious laws. If you stay and live in the village, you are subjected to it. If you do not like it, you have to migrate somewhere else. You can be punished if you break the religious law.
Me: Wow…a very religious village who takes Devadassi seriously. Can you give me an example of a punishment?
Ranjin: Well, blue and green is a holy color for the Marasmis as it represents heaven and earth. Every Thursday is their holy day where every Marasmis is obligated by law to wear only blue and green colours and drink only water until 9pm. If anyone wears any other colour, that is not only a sin but an offence as well. It is considered an insult to Devadassi.
Me: Really?? And what happens?
Ranjin: The offender may be flogged in public between 5 to 25 strokes depending on the frequency of the offence.
Me: For wearing the wrong colour???
Ranjin: No my friend…. for going against the religious teaching.
Me; You mean..all these years..no one has ever questioned that practice?
Ranjin: Uh uh. These are village idiots. Further more, it will be suicidal to do so.
Me: Name calling is not nice! But yes…I suppose…religion is a sensitive issue.
Ranjin: Yes my friend…sensitive to the position of the Marasmas priests and the politicians. The status quo has worked for years, so why rock it?
Me: But tell me….doesn’t the village committee and the religious group run into problems with each other?
Ranjin: Well..it has happened several times..but confined to small issues only. You cannot make it in the village politics if you do not agree with the MaraGuru. So, because of this, the village politicians who make it are those who say that they will protect the religion of Marasmas.
Me; Oh…I see..so the politicians know how to read the holy book..the Marashgi?
Ranjin: I just told you…no one but only the MaraGuru and holy priests know how to read the holy book.
Me: But..but how can they protect something when they do not know the contents of the holy book???
Ranjin: Well, the MaraGuru educates them. You see, the MaraGuru can read by inspiration. The messages from the book can keep expanding when he reads it. That’s the divine power that he has.
Me: Wait a minute….how thick is the holy book?
Ranjin: Well….it is about 500 pages.
Me: That’s all??? That’s not a thick book to read to understand the religion of Marasmas!
Ranjin: That’s where you are wrong. To be a Marasmis, you not only believe in the Marashgi but also all the holy inspirations of all the MaraGurus. This religion is claimed to be 850 years old. There has been many MaraGurus….and by now, there is a huge library full of their holy writings.
Me: Wow! Will take a lifetime to read.
Ranjin: Exactly! So, they just follow the experts. Furthermore, these are village idiots who cannot think beyond their own basic survival.
I hope this is just fiction!!!
Thank God, I am not in Injapuram but in wonderful thinking Malaysia!
A: But..but...I do want to eat Loh Shee Fun. You can eat whatever you all want ok?
B: Ahh..but you mentioned Loh Shee Fun didn’t you? That reflects your mindset!
A: Wow o..ok..ok…lets have pizza then.
B: Cheezh! Now you are worse..penjajah mentality!
A: Hello..pizza is Italian, not British!
B: doesn’t matter..they aare orang putih food.
C tried to mediate between his friends.
C: Guys. Guys relax. Its just food. Can we just see that Loh Shee Fun is food first and Chinese origin second? Pizza is food first and Italian origin second?
B; Ok A..tell me. To you..is Loh Shee Fun Food first or Chinese First?
A: Er…well…it is Chinese food?
B: See you are a bigoted racist! Why cannot you say it is food of Chinese origin? Why do you say Chinese first, then food - Chinese Food??
C: Guys..can I suggest….
Both A and B snapped at him and said together:
A & B: C, you stay out of this. You are a liberalist with no Asian values!
Though I was very happy when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the 1Malaysia policy, I did expect diverse reactions to it, particularly from within UMNO. In fact, I believe I was probably the earliest blogger to “expand” and try to give meaning to the policy with the first posting on April 8, 2009 (I believe too that even then, Najib did not yet outline his concept!). Since then, there has been more than 10 postings on the subject.
I truly believe that 1Malaysia concept is relevant, and the way forward. It is a good start and a bold one by an UMNO President considering that it could easily turn out to be a major political risk for him. I knew then that it will be misunderstood by some people in UMNO as abandoning the main objective of UMNO – ie protecting Malay rights. While UMNO’s stated objective of “protecting Malay rights” is exclusive, 1Malaysia policy promotes inclusiveness – every citizen’s rights. Such a shift will certainly require time for UMNO leaders in general to understand and to subsequently embrace it.
1Malaysia calls for a paradigm shift - away from the used way of doing things to looking at the same things with fresh eyes and new approaches. Changing habits is never easy but 1Malaysia motivates the need to change for the better – for the general good. The Nation itself is still on the learning curve and we are learning that the way we are used to is not necessarily the best way to achieve positive results. Admission of past failures and our collective weaknesses is the first step towards realigning the Nation towards greater things. 1Malaysia, I believe provides us the channel to do this. In this regard, the Quran itself challenges us to reevaluate ourselves:
“Fighting is prescribed for you, and you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you love a thing which is bad for you. But God knows, and you know not” (Quran: 2.216)
Confused apprehension of 1Malaysia coupled with engineered ignorance
As I expected, there were sections of the Malay community that were anxious that 1Malaysia will erode their special position that are enshrined in the Constitution. Not surprisingly, NGOs like Perkasa came into being to act as some sort of a pressure group to “remind” the Government not to “sideline the Malays”. While I respect the democratic rights of these NGOs to freely express their concerns, I must state that their “fears” are actually unfounded. I presume that their unfounded fears arose because of several factors, including confusion, ignorance of the Constitution and ignorance of the demographic facts. I shall explain below:
It is a fact that many UMNO members are also part of Perkasa. There has been an unhappy feeling among UMNO members since Tun Abdullah Badawi was UMNO President. There seems to be a perception that he has weakened UMNO and the unprecedented loss by BN in the 2008 general elections seems to have lent credence to that perception. Further, the unhappiness of UMNO with Abdullah Badawi resulted in him relinquishing both the offices of the Prime Minster and UMNO President. To be fair to Abdullah, he did introduce several liberal reforms or at least did give space for various “sensitive issues” to be publicly discussed. However, this liberalism was seen as his weakness rather than a result of his policy. This public discussion of “sensitive issues” were also seen by many UMNO leaders as UMNO becoming weak. This is a scenario which they have never seen before especially since some of the participants airing the issues were educated and young Malays! It was becoming a Malay-Malay dialogue on the reality of the multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic Malaysia. You now have Malays championing not only Malay rights but also non-Malay rights – very Malaysian in perspective.
Further, the loss of 5 states to the opposition also seemed to have ‘embarrassed’ UMNO leaders/members. Malays, who are not UMNO members but UMNO sympathizers, also seemed to lose confidence in UMNO’s ability to look after Malay interest. Barisan Nasional’s (seen as UMNO’s) erosion of political power is confused with “erosion of Malay rights”.
All the above factors I believe caused confusion in the mind of some Malays. The confusion being between rapid phase of political changes, weak leadership, a bigger than usual opposition, and legitimate Malay interests. It is this confusion that led some people to wrongly saying that Malay political power has eroded when in actual fact, we have the biggest Malay representation in Parliament since merdeka!
It is also this confusion that led to some people wrongly saying that “Malay rights” in the Constitution are being challenged when in actual fact (a) the Constitution has always spoken about “Malay and natives special positions” and (b) there has never been any legal or Parliamentary challenge to Article 153. I have written about this in three parts here. http://jahaberdeen.blogspot.com/2010/02/hak-melayu-terhakis-bhg-satu.html)
It is noteworthy that these self-styled “champions of the Malays” have conveniently never taken the initiative to educate their Malay audience on the entrenched provisions in the Constitution. It is as if they want to perpetuate the ignorance of their audience on the said provisions so that they can “pump up the emotions” without putting the “brain in gear”.
Of course, as in any political community, there will always be vested interests who will take advantage of the existing confusion to promote their selfish interests at the expense of the majority. These are people who will pretend to care for the community but in actual fact, they do not care beyond the perpetuation of their own wealth, power and influence. Such a hypocritical behaviour has been pointed out in principle in the Quran:
“Ah! you are those who love them, but they love you not,- though you believe in the whole of the Book. When they meet you, they say, "We believe": But when they are alone, they bite off the very tips of their fingers at you in their rage. Say: "Perish in you rage; God knows well all the secrets of the heart." (Quran 3:119)
Inclusive or exclusive vision for the Nation?
Race based politics may have been relevant pre-Merdeka when possibly the diverse ethnic groups were unable to communicate with each other and lived in their own respective villages with very little inter-mingling. Race-based politics is certainly exclusive. It only promotes the well-being of one race to the exclusion of others. Such a political approach is bound to create conflicts and tension in the long run.
Today, the situation in Malaysia is completely different. People from diverse ethnic backgrounds inter-mingle freely on a daily basis – schools, places of work, neighbourhood, festivals, businesses, etc. Inter marriages are common. Bahasa Malaysia and English has enabled them to communicate with each other and allowed them to understand that they have common fears and hopes. Malaysia is the only home that most common Malaysians have though the elitists may have alternative homes in other countries.
There is a real bond between common Malaysians with the “soil of Malaysia”. In this sense, all Malaysians are “sons of the soil” or “bumiputra”. The term actually is unimportant compared to what it entails to be a Malaysian in reality. In the final analysis, it is they who have to collectively defend Malaysia if it is under attack from external or internal enemies of the Nation. It is they who have to collectively develop this Nation. Malaysians know and realize that if any Malaysian in suffering it will subsequently affect the well being of the others.
You cannot have what you want for yourselves and yet deny the very same for others. Such an approach is primitive, unjust and is a recipe for long term social conflict, strife and disaster. Denying others the equal and legitimate right to available resources is oppressive. I believe the right to God’s resources cannot legitimately be denied by man made laws.
“We have honored (karamna) the children of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of Our creation.” (Quran: Al-Israa 17:70)
We are all children of Adam and as siblings we are required to share the resources that God has given us. We are required to care for each other regardless of ethnic, cultural or religious differences. By now, we should have evolved into thinking beings who know that one of the biggest myth is that tribalism is security for the members of the tribe. Good and bad people are sprinkled into every tribe.Our diversity is not a weakness but a strength that we should collectively draw upon. The Quran lucidly refers to the strength of diversity as such:
“O humanity! We have created you from a single male and female and have made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another (not that you have pride over one another). Verily, the most honorable (أَكْرَمَكُمْ ) of you in the God’s Sight is the one most righteous. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” (Quran: Al-Hujraat”, 49:13)
The mark of a civilized society is that which takes an inclusive attitude towards each other. I believe 1Malaysia contains this very important ingredient of inclusiveness. As Najib himself has frequently pointed out, 1Malaysia is not a new phenomenon in Malaysia. We have been living peacefully developing this Nation together. 1Malaysia policy however puts into motion a vision for us to focus and to work out tangible reforms that will entrench this idea into the system.
Incidentally, last week I met Bassam Abu Ali, a Palestinian who is residing in Athens. He is here on a short trip and we exchanged notes. He strongly expressed his view that he is proud of the 1Malaysia concept being put forward by a Muslim majority country. He felt that Malaysia is an outstanding example of a Muslim majority country that lives peacefully with others. He also felt that this concept should be brought to other Muslim countries so that they can learn.
Anyway, back to us, I believe each of us should give meaning to this 1Malaysia concept and make it the foundation of our Nation. Any attempts by vested groups to thwart this vision should be opposed.
This book seems to destroy the myth that it is the morally corrupt western sex tourists that led to the development of the sex trade in Asia. While they certainly have played a vital part in the growth of the sex industry, Louise Brown puts forward evidence to show that the primary customers of sex workers are essentially Asian men. She also persuasively argues that the "Asian hypocrisy" towards moral values, the fact of a male dominated Asian society, repressive attitudes towards women by Asian men and such have actually encouraged and developed the sex trade in Asian countries.
She records many of the real instances of young girls and women who have been cheated into prostitution or worse sold off by their parents to brothels or "sex agents" who traffic "sex products" across borders. These are disturbing and heart wrenching accounts to read.
Her research covers, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore,Vietnam, Philippines, etc.
This is a good book to read by almost everyone who is concerned about girls and women who are caught up in sexual slavery. I would particularly recommend this book to be read by all social workers, activists, and the religious clergy whether they are called priests, rabbis, fathers or ulamak. As they say, with knowledge of the facts, remedial actions may be taken.
Be prepared to cry or to be angry or to be sad when you read the book...but be prepared also to something or anything you can.
[Book is published by Virago Press, London]
Peace.
Matthias Chang, the former political secretary to the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad jailed for contempt of Court. You may read further in the Malay Mail, the Star and ANotherBrickInTheWall.
