The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, who will be speaking at the Australian National University on the 7th of December, 2011, stated that the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) is not a racist political party. In the same news report, he was quoted as saying:
“Can the Malays depend on PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat/People’s Justice Party), can they expect something from Anwar Ibrahim? Can they defend the principles in the Constitution, Malay rights, Malay rulers, Malay language, Malay economy?
The Deputy Prime Minister is no stranger to controversy. He has been singled out as the proxy for the vested interests in UMNO that is stalling and reversing Prime Minister Najib Razak’s reform initiatives.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s greatest claim to fame, however, is ofcourse his statement, “I am a Malay first, then only Malaysian.”
The Deputy Prime Minister says that he is not a racist or to use a more academic term, ethnocentric and neither is UMNO. Academia thinks otherwise.
What do you think?
I am not interested in personal attacks on his racist beliefs or rhetoric. What deeply concerns me is the anti-constitutional misnamed Peaceful Assembly Bill his government just pushed through yesterday in Parliament in slightly over 4 hours. Under 5 hours, the right to peaceful assembly that Malaysians have enjoyed (whether they exercised it or not before in the past) enshrined in the Constitution has been destroyed. Just like that. Not only does it contravene the rights of children to assemble and organise and participate in such fundamental liberties, it also wipes out any legal possibility for foreign workers, asylum seekers and non-citizens to stage street protests if they want to express their discontent about the violation of their human rights and exploitative labour practices. How have we arrived at this stage of uncivility even as the Prime Minister announced with much pomp and circumstance in September that he would dismantle the draconian Internal Security Act? Can the DPM respond?
We are not blind, deaf and dumb. Even if some lawmakers are blind and deaf. Such a punitive and repressive law is the sign of powerlessness and fear on the part of the Prime Minister and the current ruling government. Thus we as the people live in hope under tyranny in the belief that at the end of the day, we will triumph.
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I think he is a comedian. Good that ANU allows comedians to do public lectures. Very entertaining for students.
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The National Feedlot Corporation project was given out under his watch as the Minister for Agriculture, no less than to the husband and children of another “backdoor” minister who also happens to be the UMNO Wanita chief. Now why was this project handed over the relatives of this backdoor Minister when they have no past experience nor any qualification to run this project. There were more qualified people (an Australian company in a joint venture) who had a good plan for which were highjacked by by these relatives.
Now why were this project handed over is the pertinent question? The real reason is that the Wanita Chief’s support was crucial for a high position within UMNO (Deputy President no less). Why has he not answered any questions regarding this and choose to divert it to the current Agriculture Minister who is doing an incompetent job of covering up. The Auditor General has been very clear to state that the project was in a mess and there appears to be a case of criminal breach of trust when they used money given to this project to buy two expensive condominiums.
This was quoted as his comment:
“Can the Malays depend on PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat/People’s Justice Party), can they expect something from Anwar Ibrahim? Can they defend the principles in the Constitution, Malay rights, Malay rulers, Malay language, Malay economy?
I like to know where in the Malaysian Constitution that says special Malay rights”? There is the special position of the Malay Rulers and Bumiputras (include the indigenous of Sabah and Sarawak). If there were special rights then why only the UMNOputras benefited and the majority of the bumiputras in the Malayan peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak still living in abject poverty?
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The difficulties I have with Muhyiddin are many. In the matter of racism, I’d like an exposition of his ‘logic’ in saying he’s not a racist through exploring the following:
1. What, in his opinion, constitutes racism?
2. Are there good and bad forms of racism? How so?
3. Where has racism occurred, is occurring and will continue?
4. Who is a Malay? Is Mahathir? Are Indonesians?
5. What race are the indigenous peoples of Malaya, Sabah & Sarawak?
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For more details of the scandal, please go to this link on an article written by John Berthelsen, Asia Sentinel, a renown and credible journalist.
http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/45361-malaysias-umno-scandals
It is high time Muhyiddin is brought to task and made accountable.
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For full report go here
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3992&Itemid=178
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The Prime Minister answer questions from young Malaysians.
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The issue of how inclusive a party is considered to be, is determined not by the racial make-up of the party but by their ideology and the policies they develop and implement for the purpose of propagating that ideology. In short, what do they practice. In that context the only basis for drawing any comparison between the BN and the DAP is to look at their record of governance. BN for the last 54 years and DAP in Penang for the last three. Therein lies the evidence of who can be considered inclusive, the party who implements meritocracy and needs based policies or the party who in the name of affirmativeness practices racism, cronyism and nepotism. Need one say more.
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Ramanathan : Indonesians are not malays bro.. the studpid definition of malays here in malaysia doesn’t feet at all. Ther are javanese, balinese, bugis, papuan, etc. and culturally distinct to each other. Their ways of thinking and life are also different.
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For a government that claims it cares for the people (1Malaysia, People First Performance Now), it is utterly shocking that the ‘Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011′ was rushed through Parliament without any public consultation whilst it was being drafted. The bill in its current form severely restricts the freedom of assembly whereby consent has to be granted before any assembly can be held. The bill also provides for disproportional police power and the right to appeal police decisions on assemblies lies with the Minister of Home Affairs.
Why are street rallies prohibited?
We have had a long history of successful, peaceful and non disruptive street rallies since before 1946. How about marathons and the many different events that seek permission from the police to close the streets and offer assistance in peacekeeping, how is a ‘street rally/protest different?
At what point can one seek judicial review?
How can an administration claiming to aspire towards being the ‘best democracy in the world’ fall short in upholding the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary.
This bill that has far reaching consequences was tabled for the first reading on 22 November, 2nd Reading on the 24th of November by no less than the Prime Minister himself and was read for the 3rd time on 29 November. Why such haste in passing this bill?
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The Peaceful Asembly Bill prohibits non-citizens from participating in an assembly.
If the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 is really to ‘international standards’ as the UMNO government claims it is, imagine if it was law in Australia. That would mean that it would be impossible for Malaysians to attend a gathering like this forum to listen to their own Deputy Prime Minister. How the UMNO led government shamelessly claims to champion democracy is beyond me.
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15 Jan 2009, Anwar Ibrahim: Acapkali saya tekankan betapa mereka yang bertindak meneruskan hatta menyokong PPSMI adalah kalangan yang khianat kepada perjuangan Melayu.
27 Nov 2011, Jui Meng: Hak orang Melayu akan tetap dipertahankan seperti yang termaktub dalam perlembagaan, kata Pengerusi Majlis Pimpinan KEADILAN Johor
Why is the microscope always on every word the BN leaders say? Bias articles that are consistently discrediting the Government leaders while suspiciously backing the Opposition whose words are conveniently overlooked.
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Goh: on Anwar and PPSMI it has been his consistent stand to have those subjects taught in Malay. I personally have no issue with that, as that is his stand on the matter. Ie I absolutely admire ASamad Said who has been campaigning for the use of BM but he is far from being racist and a real pleasure to be around with. His daughter was my primary school teacher.
On what Jui Meng said, I wish more people would make it clear and I echo his sentiment. We should all defend what is written in the constitution as it stands until such time a 2/3rds Parliamentary majority changes it. If Article 153 were to be read as it is, and not how it is intepreted, that would be okay. The issue is the amount of abuse in the name of Malay rights that has become the norm.
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In these hot months before the 13th general elections – when Najib’s govt is hoping to cheat and deficit-spend his way to victory, and a multi-million ringgit ‘cybertroopers’ unit has been set up – there’s a lot of anti-Anwar/opposition smear campaigns around online. The mainstream media is already ramping up their anti-opposition campaigns, so no surprises there.
So whether Anwar said this, or chua JM said that, or the lembu head at shah alam mosque said something else, really doesn’t matter – what matters is what is policy, and what is being carried out as governing actions. As Jordan says above, what is actually being implemented as policy?
Because Najib is already infamous for his spin, saying one thing while doing another; ie, claiming political liberalisation on Sept 15 in a slick speech, yet passing a new law this week that clamps down on freedoms even more than the old one! Or criticising the ISA yet using it now to lock up without trial a dozen people in east malaysia… and the list of cakap-tak-serupa-bikin goes on, and on with Najib.
So… it’s quite easy to compare which party is implementing and advocating and carrying out racist and racialist policies – and which is not. Just compare the record of Najib’s govt and the many examples of race-based corruption, with the open-tender, incomes-tested approach used in the pakatan-run states of Penang, Selangor and even Kelantan.
Najib, Muhyiddin and their cronies know their record doesn’t stand up to scrutiny – so they have to rely on propagandists to claim otherwise, and to distract from the issue at hand. After all, as has been suggested recently in an UMNO context, using Hitler’s tactics against your opponents can work – and when you cheat your way back to government, you can change the laws again.
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Goh WL #12.
Thanks for alerting NM readers to what Anwar Ibrahim and Chua Jui Meng allegedly said.
Would appreciate if you could provide the source (i.e. a hyperlink) so that we can appreciate who reported it and within which context.
Heaven forbid if Pakatan Rakyat is a mirror image of Barisan Nasional.
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Does he realise that what he is representing is in total contrast to what he is trying to deny? If he is not playing the racial card and trying to divide and conquer, then why does he keep bringing the different races up?
Has he forgotten that neither the Malays, Chinese nor Indians own Malaysia. We are all ‘guests’ of this beautiful and abundant country which is lawfully owned by the Orang Asli. In a sad twist of fate, the rightful owner of the land are the ones who are treated the worst and most worst off of all the races in Malaysia. So please come down from your high horse and display some humanity and humility.
BTW if BN and UMNO cannot rule the country in an appropriate manner and start generating wealth, business advancement and job opportunities for its rakyat, then change will have to be expected. When a country keeps going backward compared to its peers in the region, then something is definitely VERY WRONG. Wake up DPM and take your blind fold off.
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I had asked Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) to clarify Goh WL #12 comments.
The following responses were received from YB Nurul Izzah and Rafizi Ramli.
From YB Nurul Izzah, Member of Parliament, PKR.
From Rafizi Ramli, Director of Strategies, PKR.
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I think he’s an evil man. Bent on keeping his job rather than doing it.
NEVER Trust anyone whose first priority is self perpetuation. And dont ever expect them to be fair.
Lo class person.
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He’s a politician, like many, will talk like a politician on what you want to hear.
But the people are not that dumb-folded as before as we chose what we want to believe.
Whatever it is, “Malay first, Malaysian second” will best describe DPM.
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Of course the Malaysian constitution is racist , yet it also says all Malaysians have equal rights . The politicians of today and those before , have manipulated the constitution and laws in a bid to stay in power by giving the Bumiputra special privileges to gain votes .
Malaysia and its politicians should be condemmed by the international community , and should be removed from the UNHRC , its a disgrace they are there .
Sorry to say that there is no country in South East Asia with a good reputation in human rights and equality , even Singapore , or even with a transparent government .
All countries in SE Asia have a long way to go in government , civil service
efficiency and transparancy
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Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, a Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and exco member of PROHAM, a human rights advocacy group established by former Suhakam members, in a polite article asks why Najib Razak, despite his 1Malaysia and leader of the global movement of moderates rhetoric, and Malaysia being a member on the UN’s Human Rights Council, has not ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination?
A rhetorical question, I would say, as many already know the answer.
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When DPM says such things, articles like “we’re no racists” pop up. BN is a multiracial coalition too, please tell Nurul Izzah. When BN upholds Constitutional rights of the Malays, it is wrong. When Anwar was caught saying this with words like “sokong PPSMI mengkhianati perjuangan Melayu”, it is ok. When Jui Meng upholds Constitutional rights of Malays, it is ok. Everything is ok. BN semua salah. When a Msian Chinese like me support BN, people call me names like dogs, betray my community, some even question why credibility based on my university qualifications. Yang suci itu Pakatan, yang hina itu Barisan. Let’s not hide behind veils anymore, Pakatan supporters must overcome their hypocrisy.
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Maybe Goh WL was an advisor to Perkasa on their Chinese New Year “white envelope” fiasco. OR maybe Goh thinks its OK to hand out “white envelope” to old folks during CNY.
“why be so sensitive” I do not know.. The fairy tale of “no proof of corruption” in the BN govet is really wearing thin, but it does not seem to bother people like Goh. A beneficiary perhaps?
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