As a Malay and a retired soldier, I must confess that I hate to talk about the May 13, 1969 racial riots that will long remain a 'dark spot' in the annals of this nation. I was then a 26 year old soldier serving in Tawau, Sabah, and I only knew about the riots from the mainstream media that reaches Tawau sometimes a day too late. There was no TV then, and my immediate concern was towards my parents and my siblings who were residing in Kg. Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur. Incidentally, May 13, 2010 is just a day away.
Making a call home from Tawau those days was extremely difficult and in fact, throughout the period of the rioting, I never got to call home, even from the Telecom office in Tawau. My only hope is that my parents and my siblings are all safe, and that nothing untoward will happen to them. I managed to returned home about a month after the riotings, and on the way to my parents home, I passed Kg. Baru and witnessed the destruction of some rows of shops caused by the rioting. There were a number of people killed during the riotings, and I was told that army units were deployed to Kg. Baru and Kg. Datuk Keramat to maintain the curfew. I personally do not know if the soldiers had shot and killed civilians to enforce the curfew, but if they did, I think what the soldiers did was wrong.
My parents must have lived in a state of fear in the days following the riots and food was in shortage. My father worked in the hospital, and the nature of his job requires that he be present for work everyday, and he therefore had to be escorted daily to his place of work, especially during the curfew hours. It was during his travel to work that he would stop to buy food for the family.
A few days ago we hear of a politician from Penang making reference to May 13 to the Penang Chief Minister, for reasons best known to him. Today, we read in the papers that some Malay NGOs will be holding a gathering in Kuala Trengganu tomorrow May 13, and the theme of the gathering is “Bangkit Melayu'. It was reported too that Tun Dr. Mahathir will be present at the gathering.
I do not know what is the purpose of the gathering and why the date chosen is May 13. The theme 'Bangkit Melayu' itself can give rise to lots speculation and interpretation. And it would not be wrong for one to speculate that the theme has racial under tones, and is a warning of sorts to the other races. If this is the reason for the gathering, than I think it is wrong for it will only create further mistrust and hatred of the Malays by all other races. This is a dangerous precedence, and I think it will not do any good for race relations and racial harmony among all races. My personal view of this gathering is one of lack of tolerance, insensitive and a show of arrogance to the other races. I despise such acts and my only hope is to see that the sponsors of this gathering return to their senses, and to accept that what they do will only create greater disharmony, intolerance and hatred among the various races of this country, and where the Malays will then be blamed.
I feel ashame too that Tun Dr. Mahathir; a person that I have my highest respect and regards is being dragged into this mess by an undesirable group of Malay NGOs. And this gathering too will distort and not do any good for PM Najib's 1 Malaysia.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Showing posts with label race relations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label race relations. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
AN APOLOGY TO MY MANY INDIANS FRIENDS
I have many non Malay friends, and I even had one Chinese friend from Kedah whom my parents have taken him to be their adopted son. This was because my father was the person who had circumcised him when he was a student in Kuala Lumpur many years ago. Our relationship with him and his family has always been one of an extended family and even during his moments of death, he would not fail to call to convinced us that he is alright.
Being older than me, I would call him brother and every time I get to Kedah, my itinerary includes a call on him and his family. My wife would normally prepare some cookies that he loved very much, and the moment we meet, his first words to me would be, “Macam mana Mak Chik”, referring it to my mother, and speaking in a heavy Kedah accent.
Now that he is gone and so is his loving wife, there is nobody else to fill the lost of my Chinese adopted brother and the only thing that can remind me of him is his phone number that is still listed in my hand phone.
Very early in my postings, I have also written about some of my Indian neighbours whom I had befriended during my formative years and are all within reach of me till today. Some had even brought their aging parents to visit me, and what an excitement I get when their parents would start to remimisce about my childhood days that I could hardly remember. I am fully aware of their 'taboo' when I comes to serving them food. Beef is strictly forbidden; just like pork to a Muslim. And even if I have Indian visitors to my home whom I am not too familiar with, I would tell them what to eat and what not to eat.
Having been raised in a multi racial environnment, I am extremely sensitive to the taboo of my non Malay friends. I feel that I will betray their trust if I were to play ignorant of their racial and religious sensitivities. Likewise, I do not expect them to be ignorant of my sensitivities too. And this has always been my strict observance of the sensitivities of my many non Malay friends.
But of late, we notice that there is a growing disregard for the sensitivity of one race by another, and a good illustration would be the recent Shah Alam 'Kepala Lembu' incident, where even Ministers and some 'rumble rousing' politicians have come forward to claim that what the protesters did was not wrong, and they did it without malice. My spontaneous reaction to this is that they are talking rubbish, and if only my father was alive, he would call them 'Gobblok'. That's been my father's way of venting his anger; though mild but it hurts one's ego.
Clearly, today's politicians have not contributed enough to strengthening racial harmony and tolerance that our founding fathers had hoped to inculcate in the people of this nation. Leaders of today would say one thing, but do otherwise, just out of fear of losing popular support, position and power. They do not care much about what will be the consequence of their words and action, but would say or do anything that will boost their popularity. I suppose what really matters to them is the financial gains that they will harvest by towing the line of their masters.
An incident like the Kepala Lembu must not be allowed to happen ever again, because it it does, the consequences would be beyond rapproach. And to my many Indian friends, the ugly incident at Shah Alam is viewed with utter disgust by the vast majority of Malays who profess that the Quran clearly forbids them from ridiculing people of other faith.
And in this holy month of Ramadan, my only hope is for my many Indians friends who have been grievously hurt by the incident, to forgive the protesters for their ignorance and stupidity, and to allow the law to take its course.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Being older than me, I would call him brother and every time I get to Kedah, my itinerary includes a call on him and his family. My wife would normally prepare some cookies that he loved very much, and the moment we meet, his first words to me would be, “Macam mana Mak Chik”, referring it to my mother, and speaking in a heavy Kedah accent.
Now that he is gone and so is his loving wife, there is nobody else to fill the lost of my Chinese adopted brother and the only thing that can remind me of him is his phone number that is still listed in my hand phone.
Very early in my postings, I have also written about some of my Indian neighbours whom I had befriended during my formative years and are all within reach of me till today. Some had even brought their aging parents to visit me, and what an excitement I get when their parents would start to remimisce about my childhood days that I could hardly remember. I am fully aware of their 'taboo' when I comes to serving them food. Beef is strictly forbidden; just like pork to a Muslim. And even if I have Indian visitors to my home whom I am not too familiar with, I would tell them what to eat and what not to eat.
Having been raised in a multi racial environnment, I am extremely sensitive to the taboo of my non Malay friends. I feel that I will betray their trust if I were to play ignorant of their racial and religious sensitivities. Likewise, I do not expect them to be ignorant of my sensitivities too. And this has always been my strict observance of the sensitivities of my many non Malay friends.
But of late, we notice that there is a growing disregard for the sensitivity of one race by another, and a good illustration would be the recent Shah Alam 'Kepala Lembu' incident, where even Ministers and some 'rumble rousing' politicians have come forward to claim that what the protesters did was not wrong, and they did it without malice. My spontaneous reaction to this is that they are talking rubbish, and if only my father was alive, he would call them 'Gobblok'. That's been my father's way of venting his anger; though mild but it hurts one's ego.
Clearly, today's politicians have not contributed enough to strengthening racial harmony and tolerance that our founding fathers had hoped to inculcate in the people of this nation. Leaders of today would say one thing, but do otherwise, just out of fear of losing popular support, position and power. They do not care much about what will be the consequence of their words and action, but would say or do anything that will boost their popularity. I suppose what really matters to them is the financial gains that they will harvest by towing the line of their masters.
An incident like the Kepala Lembu must not be allowed to happen ever again, because it it does, the consequences would be beyond rapproach. And to my many Indian friends, the ugly incident at Shah Alam is viewed with utter disgust by the vast majority of Malays who profess that the Quran clearly forbids them from ridiculing people of other faith.
And in this holy month of Ramadan, my only hope is for my many Indians friends who have been grievously hurt by the incident, to forgive the protesters for their ignorance and stupidity, and to allow the law to take its course.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Sunday, August 30, 2009
DISTASEFUL INCIDENT THAT CAN FORMENT RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS DISCORD
I am ashame that some people of my race and of my faith have become so insensitive, uncultured and disrespectful of the race and faith of other Malaysians, that I see them act contrary to the teachings of the great prophet of Islam, Mohammed, peace be upon him. In short, they have disgraced and hijacked Islam, being the religion of peace and tolerance.
I am referring to the ugly and disgraceful incident of about 50 odd Malay residence of Shah Alam recently, who took upon themselves to place a severed head of a cow at the gates of the Selangor State Secretariat building in protest against the proposed construction of Hindu Temple in a reportedly predominant Malay residential area, knowing that the cow is a sacred animal of the Hindu faith, and also a creature that is the creation of Almighty Allah swt. And what is even more distasteful is that the incident was being gleefully observed by a group of FRU policemen without any sense responsibility, that the incident can cause a racial discord between Malays and Indians. Here, I observe double standards at its worse.
So much have been said and written about this incident in both the mainstream media and the new media. And I sense that there is a general consensus among peace loving Malaysian of the Malay race that what the 50 odd Shah Alam Malays did was entirely wrong, and is in total breach of our national philosophy and aspiration of a united Malaysia that practices tolerance, understanding and respect among all races and religions. And if PM Najib is serious in fulfilling the One Malaysia concept that he propagates, then it can only be achieved if Malaysians fully adhere to the aforesaid national philosophy and aspiration. Otherwise the One Malaysia will only remain a slogan, like many other slogans in the past.
If one of the many purposes of the One Malaysia concept is indeed about attaining unity among Malaysians of different races and religion, then I have no qualm about agreeing and supporting what Najib preaches. I recognise that Malaysians have no choice but to support the concept because the Malaysian society will remain in this form i.e. racially and religiously divided for many generations to come. And the key to a united Malaysia is tolerance, understanding and respect among all races and religions in this blessed country of ours. And it is for this very reason that I beg to disagree with the Ketuanan Melayu rhethoric that UMNO ardently preaches................and certainly not by the founder of UMNO Dato Onn Jaafar. Honestly, I do not know what it means and pardon me for my ignorance.
I had in my previous postings referred to my formative years and the multi-racial friends that I grew up with, that had influence me to view Malaysians of other races and religion as people that are no different from me. Being born a Malay and a Muslim, does not make me different from my Chinese and Indian friends. I abhor the talk that Malays are a preferred race, and I certainly grew up without the 'tongkat' under my armpit. I must say that I am not as fortunate as other Malays, and I am not denying that there are many Malays who by virtue of having born among distinguished families are more fortunate than most Malays. We have seen many of such Malays, and with some reaching top positions in society and have gotten rich at a very early age simply because they have distinguished parents or parent-in-laws.
Now back to the 'cow head' incident in Shah Alam. This has to be treaded well by both the Federal and State governments and to not let a similar incident occur in future. Let not have another May 13, 1969 tragedy ever happened again. And I believe most of the 50 odd Shah Alam Malay protesters were not even born or were mere kids in 1969 to fully understand the social and security impact of the May 13 tragedy. I certainly do not wish to see the country go through the racial turmoil once again and to suffer the way my parents did in kampung Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur.
PM Najib have ordered a full investigation into the incident and appropriate action taken against those who fomented racial and religious hatred and the utterance of highly seditious remarks. Such people deserve to be placed under the infamous ISA, and let us wait and see what will be the outcome of the investigations of this unfortunate incident.
Or is the incident a way of discrediting and embarrassing the PR state government as some people have reckoned?
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
I am referring to the ugly and disgraceful incident of about 50 odd Malay residence of Shah Alam recently, who took upon themselves to place a severed head of a cow at the gates of the Selangor State Secretariat building in protest against the proposed construction of Hindu Temple in a reportedly predominant Malay residential area, knowing that the cow is a sacred animal of the Hindu faith, and also a creature that is the creation of Almighty Allah swt. And what is even more distasteful is that the incident was being gleefully observed by a group of FRU policemen without any sense responsibility, that the incident can cause a racial discord between Malays and Indians. Here, I observe double standards at its worse.
So much have been said and written about this incident in both the mainstream media and the new media. And I sense that there is a general consensus among peace loving Malaysian of the Malay race that what the 50 odd Shah Alam Malays did was entirely wrong, and is in total breach of our national philosophy and aspiration of a united Malaysia that practices tolerance, understanding and respect among all races and religions. And if PM Najib is serious in fulfilling the One Malaysia concept that he propagates, then it can only be achieved if Malaysians fully adhere to the aforesaid national philosophy and aspiration. Otherwise the One Malaysia will only remain a slogan, like many other slogans in the past.
If one of the many purposes of the One Malaysia concept is indeed about attaining unity among Malaysians of different races and religion, then I have no qualm about agreeing and supporting what Najib preaches. I recognise that Malaysians have no choice but to support the concept because the Malaysian society will remain in this form i.e. racially and religiously divided for many generations to come. And the key to a united Malaysia is tolerance, understanding and respect among all races and religions in this blessed country of ours. And it is for this very reason that I beg to disagree with the Ketuanan Melayu rhethoric that UMNO ardently preaches................and certainly not by the founder of UMNO Dato Onn Jaafar. Honestly, I do not know what it means and pardon me for my ignorance.
I had in my previous postings referred to my formative years and the multi-racial friends that I grew up with, that had influence me to view Malaysians of other races and religion as people that are no different from me. Being born a Malay and a Muslim, does not make me different from my Chinese and Indian friends. I abhor the talk that Malays are a preferred race, and I certainly grew up without the 'tongkat' under my armpit. I must say that I am not as fortunate as other Malays, and I am not denying that there are many Malays who by virtue of having born among distinguished families are more fortunate than most Malays. We have seen many of such Malays, and with some reaching top positions in society and have gotten rich at a very early age simply because they have distinguished parents or parent-in-laws.
Now back to the 'cow head' incident in Shah Alam. This has to be treaded well by both the Federal and State governments and to not let a similar incident occur in future. Let not have another May 13, 1969 tragedy ever happened again. And I believe most of the 50 odd Shah Alam Malay protesters were not even born or were mere kids in 1969 to fully understand the social and security impact of the May 13 tragedy. I certainly do not wish to see the country go through the racial turmoil once again and to suffer the way my parents did in kampung Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur.
PM Najib have ordered a full investigation into the incident and appropriate action taken against those who fomented racial and religious hatred and the utterance of highly seditious remarks. Such people deserve to be placed under the infamous ISA, and let us wait and see what will be the outcome of the investigations of this unfortunate incident.
Or is the incident a way of discrediting and embarrassing the PR state government as some people have reckoned?
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Saturday, October 4, 2008
RACE RELATIONS – WHERE ARE WE HEADING?
Upon viewing NST online this morning (Oct 4th 2008), I came across an article titled 'Racial harmony has to begin with the young' in the column by Johan Jaafar. The more I read, the more I believe in what he has written. It is truly the best, honest and sincere article that I have ever read on race relations, and at once, my thoughts takes me back to my wonderful childhood days.
From Johan's article, I somewhat have a similar experience as a child. If Johan had the Chinese families and their children as his friends, I had Indian families and their children as my neighbours and intimate friends throughout my schooling days.
I started school prior to independence, and I was enrolled in an english school in Kuala Lumpur. In that sense, I was more urban than Johan. The class had no more than 30 pupils, and I can recall that there were more Chinese students than Malays and Indians added together. I certainly don't remember anyone taking about race and religion in school. We played, ate and walked home after school together.
My house was about 4 kilometers from school, and walking home in the afternoon after school those days in groups, was a wonderful experience. It wasn't hot like it is today. There were lots of trees that lined the street, and that provided us the shade as we walked home.
I remembered having to punch a punjabi student after school, not because of his race or religion, but because he bullied my younger brother. Honestly, I wasn't the hero type, but somehow having to come to the defence of my younger brother, I was compelled to develop enough courage to ward off the bullying of my brother.
On another occasion, I almost fought with an Indian student because of an argument that I had with him earlier. Although I waited for him outside the school, I somehow did not have the courage to punch him because he was much larger than me. I only managed to threatened him, and fortunately he walked away. Had he accepted a fight, I know I would have been trashed to smithereens.
The Indian friends that I had as my neighbours, are still today my close friends. In fact, they all treat my aged mother as their mother as well. This is because as kids, they would frequent my house and ate together with us. Likewise, I would just go to their house and walk into their kitchen and eat whatever I could find. They all have never failed to call me and wish me during Hari Raya, despite them being all over the country. Some have even migrated overseas.
Although I have lost contact with my Chinese classmates, I have somehow been in close contact with some of my juniors who had known me, because I was a prefect in school. And each time we meet at the yearly Old Boys Association dinner, it is truly a heart warming experience. Jokes and laughter will fill the room, and nobody talks about politics, let alone touch upon the issue of race and religion.
When I joined the Armed Forces, my intake had a number of Chinese and Indian cadets. They all are in touch with me till today, and I have a complete dossier of their whereabouts, of those who are still alive. I would be their reference, should they want to know the addresses of so-and-so. And certainly we don't talk about race and religion. And I could proudly say that the Armed Forces is the most racially integrated organisation in this country; a reflection of what a truly Malaysian society should be, and seriously something that the politicians can learn from.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
From Johan's article, I somewhat have a similar experience as a child. If Johan had the Chinese families and their children as his friends, I had Indian families and their children as my neighbours and intimate friends throughout my schooling days.
I started school prior to independence, and I was enrolled in an english school in Kuala Lumpur. In that sense, I was more urban than Johan. The class had no more than 30 pupils, and I can recall that there were more Chinese students than Malays and Indians added together. I certainly don't remember anyone taking about race and religion in school. We played, ate and walked home after school together.
My house was about 4 kilometers from school, and walking home in the afternoon after school those days in groups, was a wonderful experience. It wasn't hot like it is today. There were lots of trees that lined the street, and that provided us the shade as we walked home.
I remembered having to punch a punjabi student after school, not because of his race or religion, but because he bullied my younger brother. Honestly, I wasn't the hero type, but somehow having to come to the defence of my younger brother, I was compelled to develop enough courage to ward off the bullying of my brother.
On another occasion, I almost fought with an Indian student because of an argument that I had with him earlier. Although I waited for him outside the school, I somehow did not have the courage to punch him because he was much larger than me. I only managed to threatened him, and fortunately he walked away. Had he accepted a fight, I know I would have been trashed to smithereens.
The Indian friends that I had as my neighbours, are still today my close friends. In fact, they all treat my aged mother as their mother as well. This is because as kids, they would frequent my house and ate together with us. Likewise, I would just go to their house and walk into their kitchen and eat whatever I could find. They all have never failed to call me and wish me during Hari Raya, despite them being all over the country. Some have even migrated overseas.
Although I have lost contact with my Chinese classmates, I have somehow been in close contact with some of my juniors who had known me, because I was a prefect in school. And each time we meet at the yearly Old Boys Association dinner, it is truly a heart warming experience. Jokes and laughter will fill the room, and nobody talks about politics, let alone touch upon the issue of race and religion.
When I joined the Armed Forces, my intake had a number of Chinese and Indian cadets. They all are in touch with me till today, and I have a complete dossier of their whereabouts, of those who are still alive. I would be their reference, should they want to know the addresses of so-and-so. And certainly we don't talk about race and religion. And I could proudly say that the Armed Forces is the most racially integrated organisation in this country; a reflection of what a truly Malaysian society should be, and seriously something that the politicians can learn from.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
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