New Mandala

5 responses so far ↓

• 1 Daus // Aug 31, 2009 at 3:05 pm

  New Mandala,

  I think some of the claim as why the religious and racial tension arise is true. Najib might be seen as the ‘next best thing’ after pak lah but what we now witness seems like the ’same worst thing’. Perhaps he is over ambious and attempt to show to the ‘Rakyat’ he is better than his predecessor. For instance, he exercises power unconstitutionally to help the ‘hooper’ to champion UMNO cause. Another new policy 1Malaysia as a new approach for national unity. Apparently we see some racial inequality between the Malay, Chinese and Indian well fine. But Among the bumiputra themselve there is double-standard treatment by the Malay. Yes, Najib knows how to play the card, by appointing some of the minister from Sabah to hold a high portfolio to keep our mouth shuts. When ask about the influx of illegal immigrant his cabinet says we should give them PR, well again this is also part of 1Malaysia fairness to illegal immigrant who become the phantom voter. The illegal immigrants have occupied approxiamately 1.3million of the population in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. If Najib does not act then Sabahan will become another Palestine.

• 2 Kamal // Aug 31, 2009 at 11:56 pm

  New Mandela,

  Personally I feel BN lost its plot a long time ago. The problem with Sabah as Daus suggests is not new. BN being a strong and large coalition inevitably has influenced much of both the ruling and opposition coalition. For example, many in PR are formerly from BN including the PKR advisor and the Selangor Chief Minister. Recently Chua Ju Ming a former Minister has joined their ranks. People are crossing over on both sides.

  Signs of BN unravelling as the author suggests is abundantly clear; the Perak fiasco over the rightful Chief Minister and the Speaker; the way the authorities have handled various deaths in custodies; the unresolved or perhaps, the lack of a satisfactory respond to several ‘body-snatchings’ alleged converts to Islam whose families did not know about their conversions who were taken by the authorities and buried as Muslims; the conversion of minors after one spouse converted to Islam; the deafening silence from the authorities over overtly racist remarks in the Malay vernacular newspapers and the insensitive transgression by Al-Islam journalists going undercover in a catholic church, receiving holy communion and the spitting out the content to photograph the wafer; and the most recent of course, the protests by about 50 Malay individuals against the construction of a temple in their middle-class neighborhood. As if to drive home their point, someone brought along the severed head of a Cow that was later abused. Although there were the authorities at the scene of the protest no one was arrested. This of course was in contrary to the other peaceful protests where people wearing black or even as in one case, a few lawyers who claimed to be on duty were arrested.

  But I would suggest that this is not new. Acts of provocation to drive home the point that multi-ethnic Malaysia as a powder keg waiting to ignite and that multi-religions only add to the fragility or sensitivity of society and requires firm control have been around for some years now. BN has been able to prolong their rule since at least the late 1990’s where bigmen regimes in the region had come to an end. Ten years on, BN is still in power. In 2004, not only did BN win the elections, they won it with such a resounding victory. The question today of course is how did they end up with such a small margin of victory in the 2008 general elections and how come they have lost all but one by-election in the last one year?

  As the latest incident shows however, there is so much that needs to be done in Malaysia despite whoever wins. The decades of bigoted politics is finally showing what persistent political will can produce. If the opposition succeeds as the ruling government in the next general assembly, they will need to introduce major reforms that address the fractures that seem to not only affect the fundamental core of Malaysian society, but also those of her institutions. A good place to start will be the debate on the wisdom of a burgeoning Syariah system that appears to promote different rights for Malaysian Muslims in society.

• 3 Siaan Ansori // Sep 2, 2009 at 6:38 pm

  Kamal et al,

  I broadly agree with the comments raised above. However, as an outside observer, I would argue that Kamal’s observation that “multi-ethnic Malaysia as a powder keg waiting to ignite and that multi-religions only add to the fragility or sensitivity of society” is less about government rhetoric and more about how society responds – or allows itself to respond – to this ‘threat’.

  The fear of a repeat of May 13 is alive and intimidating. But is this fear genuine? Will Malaysia honestly break into racial disorder? I argue that Malaysian people (of all races) would never allow a repeat of May 13. So why so much concern about it?

  The question as I see it is not why Barisan Nasional is losing the plot. Rather, the question is why are Malaysians continuing to buy into Barisan Nasional’s vision of Malaysia? A nation shouldn’t have one narrator with one plot. A nation should have many narrators and many plots. What new story could Malaysians create if they moved outside the Barisan Nasional narration?

• 4 Kamal // Sep 3, 2009 at 3:30 am

  What I meant by “multi-ethnic Malaysia as a powder keg waiting to ignite and that multi-religions only add to the fragility or sensitivity of society” is that this is the story that some would have people believe. And since the government does control a large part of public representation, it is a pervasive idea. You read about it in school, you hear about it being discuss only during the general elections and only by certain people, you are told from a young age that this is a sensitive topic. The authorities have a law to refrain you if you discuss these ’sensitive’ topics, and so on. These topics are not just labeled sensitive but they are treated as dangerous.

  And perhaps, from this, it has for a long time been the conventional believe that BN represented security and stability. That is of course all unravelling now.

  Following closer current issues in Malaysia, the question is not over a repeat of May 13, even if some quarters play that up during the election rounds, but the fear that any small dispute can quickly escalate. Violence in general is seen as dangerous-and a threat to public order (what ever that means). Even just two individuals taking a swing at each other can be read to mean many things.
  It is an irrational fear perhaps, but one as I mentioned above that has been impressed into the minds of Malaysians from a very young age.

  Many Malaysians today are post 1969. A lot of Malaysians grew up on the fear rhetoric generated from the events rather than living through the events. And it has hardly been discuss about except through the official versions. It is still very much a taboo subject, though I suspect what prevents people from speaking about it has very little to do with the events themselves or any inter-ethnic suspicions and fear. Very rarely do we hear of versions about May 13 other than the official version-and this includes the personal views about the May 13 riots by the first Prime Minister. The official version became the arguement for NEP and the rest of it.

  It is or at least was until the Anwar crisis in the late 1990’s something that was taken seriously-at least among the older people I interacted with.

  However, to be fair, there are many factors that have contributed to the success and longevity of BN-not just the fear of instability. In some parts it is due to the promise of development, in others, the guarantee of good business.It is a model that absorbs class and retains distinctions. And yet, for a long time the BN narrative was not monolithic; that is or was part of their strenght. They are a bit like the mini-bus of the 1980’s that use to dominate KL streets-everyone was ushered on board, even if you ended up hanging-out of the door with just a toe-hold and an arm holding the door railing for dear life! But the last elections and subsequent by-elections has shown that Malaysians of all walks of life and across class, ethnic and religious lines are rooting for change. Perhaps unfolding as Sian suggests, people moving away from BN are setting the stage for new stories to emerge and alternative narratives to present themselves on being Malaysian. At least in the alternative art scene, this is already growing particularly through individual innitiatives that are visible not only on the internet but also in public art galleries, in public forums by academicians and many others. The politics in Malaysia is opening up, slowly being represented now by non-mainstream politician. It is slow but growing.

  Kamal

• 5 Greg Lopez // Sep 4, 2009 at 2:48 am

  Why do Malaysians keep putting BN (UMNO) back in power? That’s the million dollar question?

  For many, it is obvious that UMNO/BN is a corrupt political animal that has no qualms of using race and religion or any means to stay in power but it seems for the moment, it is not the majority.

  Since before independence, different groups have been trying to provide a narrative for Malaysia. The Malayan Communist Party, The Islamic Party, The Socialist Front, The Democratic Action Party..many more. However, the narrative provided by UMNO led BN seems to have been most potent. Malaysians seem to behave like the abused wife hoping that the abusive husband will change – remembering the good times they once had.

  As example, it is mind-boggling that resource rich but poorest states of Sabah and Sarawak voted lock, stock and barrel for UMNO/BN. Hence, kicking BN out will not be so easy. It does rule with both a big stick and lots of carrots. A firm resolve is needed from Malaysians not too give in unless BN reforms substantively.

  I am of the opinion that UMNO is now at its weakest and has reached its historical end as it is no longer able to command the loyalty of the Malay-Muslim community, hence the determined show of force in race and religion.

  It is therefore critical that the opposition parties reach out to as many Malaysians as possible and provide a narrative of a better Malaysia and concretely deliver in states where they govern.

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