Time and time again we have been told that the last 50 years have seen unprecedented growth and development for Malaysia – more development and material progress then at any time of our history. Our technical and scientific skill has increased to allow our country to be a developed country in the global context. Yes - unprecedented growth as compared to what? Compared to the last 500 years of our history? If it has been so why not work towards the development and growth of our country for the next 50 years? Why does the Government of Barisan Nasional instead concern itself with the control of our society in which we live in and in ways and means of ensuring itself a lengthy stay in Government?
Is it not now than at any other moment of our history that we should concern ourselves with morality and ethics? That statesmanship and government must be for the well being of our people?
But instead our people live in fear. Fear of the ISA, fear of PDRM. Fear of the Judiciary and its inability to dispense justice to one all without fear or favor. Fear and loathing of the constant politicizing of all things that would have any monetary value to those in Barisan. It is this fear that divides rather then unites the people. It is this fear that could cause our people to act foolishly in a common determination to preserve their freedom against economic control; intellectual control and physical control by a small but determine Barisan group within our country. It is this fear that will drive our nation to its knees.
But I know that it is also this fear that will drive our people to act to preserve their sense of justice and fairness in their life. We detest racialism. And yet the very existence of UMNO is dependent on the principal of divide and rule. Divide the Chinese, the Indians, the Malays and the others and rule the country.
We want peace and stability within our Nation and require that those who are sworn to protect and preserve us will do their duty. And yet these very instruments of state are used by a determined and evil government to subdue its own people to its political will.
For now the people are united by more important things that those that are being used to rule and divide us. We are united by a common determination to live with honor and justice in our own country. We are united by a common desire that our diversity will unite rather then divide our people. We are united by our resolve to end greed, deceit and self-interest that now pervade all levels of that party UMNO that now leads the coalition of Barisan Nasional that now govern our country. I am certain that that which unites us will surely see the end of that which attempts to divide us for their own purpose. This unity amongst the people will remain because they are the ones with the most to lose if they fail.
With each successive Prime Minister we are told to Look East, Work with me, not for me and now 1Malaysia which is suppose to preserve and enhance this unity in diversity. We are often told that we are all Malaysian but give the Bumiputra some leeway to catch up with the others. Well as a Malay I now want to announce that we Malays have caught up with the others. The UMNO Malays have not only caught up with the others but they have also raced ahead busy with their looting and pillaging of the nations treasure. Let us no longer be deceived by the ranting of these UMNO politicians who says that the Malays still need the NEP. The Malays do not need the NEP. UMNO does. The Malays do not need the ‘privileges ‘ that the government have carved up for them. UMNO does. The Malays no longer need Bumiputra status. UMNO does. I say to you that we Malays can stand shoulder to shoulder with the others in our country and take care of ourselves. Equal opportunity for all. Equal opportunity for the Malays. That is all that we ask. That is all that the others will ask too.
There is a potential for our country to descend into chaos and turmoil in this struggle between them and us. But I think not. The costs to us all for a descend into the madness of the May 13th Racial Riots is too heavy for any of us to shoulder. But do not let that fear paralysis us into cowering to the bullying of UMNO /Barisan. For surely they too are not keen to unleash what unknown terror the people can inflict upon them at the next GE, if not sooner, if they push us over the brink. In this practice and rehearsal that we are now in between Pakatan Rakyat and Barisan all of us fear and dread what this threat to our people could do to our country. The question now is whether common sense will prevail.
Today more so then in the recent past, the stakes are much too high for us to risk an outbreak of violence and riot that would threaten the very foundation of our country – but then what choice do we have in the face of those that even now are planning our demise through any means at their disposal? Conventionally the politicians should go to the polls to gain legitimacy for their rule - now days the unconventional has become conventional. All instruments of state are used in their misguided and diabolical attempts to continue their plague upon us
No task in more urgent now then that of ensuring the preservation of peace in our country by injecting the voice of reason into the affairs of our government. Let us mobilize all our resources of spiritual, moral and political strength to come to our side and demonstrate to Barisan/UMNO that we are for justice, we are for decency and we are for equal opportunity for all our people. – that whatever strength we have will be used for that purpose and that purpose only. Do not seek to test our resolve on this issue.
Towards this end we have started our journey at the 2004 elections. We recognized that Pakatan Rakyat has an important role to play with us in this matter. We choose to work with them for their ideals are our ideals. Their goals our goals. Their leaders our leaders.
We will now raise our voices and you will listen. We would prefer that there is no ultimatum that we need to act upon, no rattling of sabers to make your point, no need to embark on a game of brinkmanship. That you will come to your senses and let the next GE be the basis for a settlement that our country needs. Do not allow a bad situation to get worse. Do not seek an unfair advantage for we will be vigilant. We have hoped that we all have but one interest – what is best for our country and our children in the times ahead. Unity in diversity. Let each and every one of us live our own life and let others live theirs, in their own way, in peace and allow them a means of earning a decent wages in a country we all love.
We must succeed in this endeavor. To fail is unthinkable.
A 1974 edition of The Encyclopedia of World Geography, for example, eulogized Lebanon for its "political stability, in its culturally mixed yet largely harmonious society."
ReplyDeleteA year later it had sunk into a bloody and long-running civil war.
Of course I am not suggesting that the same thing will happen to Malaysia.
The point is that encouraging people to define themselves by their religion and then balancing the power of the different groups produces only an illusion of stability.
Genuine stability requires that every person have an equal stake in the success of the whole country, rather than a stake in defending the portion of power which has been allotted to their particular religious or ethnic group.
Therefore, politicians, with media support, should revise their approach and begin to promote religious tolerance rather than religion.
They could, for example, change the marriage law and stop coercing people into changing religion in order to get married.
They could stop forcing people to constantly declare a religious affiliation, on identity cards, in educational enrolment, in job applications,