Standing On Cracks

As a post-independence-born Malaysian, I would like to offer my thoughts on Article 153 of the federal constitution which mentions the special position of the malays. Please note that there is no mention of the words 'special rights' or 'special privileges' in the constitution.

For too long, there has been a lack of understanding of what our forefathers had in mind when they included this clause in our much talked about social contract. To gain a better understanding, let us take a trip back in time to 1957 to actually visualise the scene then.

In a scenario where the immigrant Chinese and Indians were seeking citizenship rights in Malaysia, it is reasonable to presume that they would have had to understand and acknowledge the difficulties faced by the majority malays.

And this is where the meaning of the words 'special position' comes into focus. What did our forefathers mean by the special position of the malays? Did they mean that the malays would enjoy a higher status than all the other races? Did they mean that the malays would have special rights and privileges in perpetuity?

If this is what our forefathers had intended, then our constitution would have mentioned this specifically. However, the constitution or social contract does not say so.

What then, could the words 'special position' mean? It is reasonable to infer that our forefathers were concerned first by the fact that the malays were left behind economically despite being the indigenous majority in the country.

Secondly, they were concerned by the fact that, despite being immigrants, the Chinese and a small segment of the Indian community were relatively much better off.

The clause was therefore more so of an acknowledgment by the non-malays of the disadvantageous economic situation of the malays. The consideration given by the former to the latter when entering into the social contract for citizenship rights was to agree to provide some measure of support for the malays to improve their economic standing.

If our forefathers had meant for these preferences to last in perpetuity, then there would not have been a request for a review in 15 years.

When I see the compulsory requirement for non-malay companies to hand over a certain portion of their equity to the malays for no input at all, I am tempted to ask: Is this what our forefathers had in mind? I can go on listing the abuses forever because there are plenty of them.

It is intriguing to hear senior BN and Umno leaders repeatedly asking the people to adhere to the social contract. What contract they are referring to? It cannot be the federal constitution. It is most probably some contract that they have entered into unilaterally without the agreement of the non-malays.

So it seems to be incorrect to firstly equate the words 'special position' with 'special rights and privileges'. Secondly, it also seems incorrect to suggest that the malays have special rights and privileges in perpetuity and therefore, that they have a higher status than everyone else.

The non-malays only agreed to allow them preferences over the others for a finite period of time. It has now been almost 50 years since independent but has such a meaningful review of those preferences taken place at all? Absolutely not.

In fact what has happened is that successive BN governments, dominated by Umno, and especially after the 1969 tragedy, have taken the liberty to very liberally interpret Article 153. This has led to the wholesale abuse of the consideration provided by the non-malays in 1957 for their citizenship rights.

It seems to me that the real social contract of 1957 was torn up long ago by the BN government with the way in which the NEP was implemented from the 1970s onwards.

To me, the real social contract of 1957 has long been dead. I hope the day will come when the people of Malaysia in the true independent spirit will make it live again.

Then perhaps, we would not have to spend hundreds of millions ringgit on nonsensical projects like the National Service to inculcate unity amongst the races.
 

With all complains about the brain drain etc. Sometimes you just get the impression that the Malaysia government just doesn't bother to make any effort to retain those really bright ones.

To build a mosque is extremely simple. To build another religion place of worship requires applications which may be delayed up to 20 years and even beyond.

What is up with all the hypocrisy?

Malays in Singapore are given special privileges. This is because the government is conscious that they are minority citizens. The special privileges include financial, education and even political representation.

I scored straight As in every single exam I took in Malaysia. I topped my school year after year in every examination. I am active in extra curricular activities etc……….

But because I am non-malay, I have not been appreciated. Another country has recognized my talents and has offered me a generous scholarship. It has been almost 9 years in this foreign country - and it has nurtured me very well. I got all my first choices. I am considering converting my citizenship. I feel very appreciated for my talents here.

Malaysia did not help me when I needed scholarship, funding etc. The other country did and they did it generously. I can proudly say that because of the other country, I am now a very successful researcher in the life sciences field.

I have got all As in my SPM yet I could not enter local university but one the only malay of my school was given scholarship to Japan for further studies!

I studied STPM and not managed to enter local university to study science and surprised to find that the 'hot' courses like medicine, law and engineering were taken up by many so-so result malay and lazy malay students!

No wonder patients mistreated, houses collapse, criminals on the street!

Thanks to Lee Kuan Yew for me to work in Singapore. It is equal opportunity here. People work hard and get rewarded and not based on race.

Singapore has almost no nature resources vs. Malaysia, yet it has strived to become a better country in many aspects. Malaysia's nature resources have been wasted by the lazy malays. When other people getting achievement, you ugly malays marginalised the rests.
 

The leaders of Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, the Malaysian Chinese Association, the Malaysian Indian Congress, Peoples Progressive Party, will talk strongly on peripheral matters, but not on issues that affect the people they represent.

It is wrong to assume that Malaysians would remain quiet for all time.

No government GLCs are not successful any more. None are headed by a non-malay. They would rather employ a white man than a non-malay. Some like Bank Bumi, has been revamped four times, each time the government putting in millions ringgit, if not billions, to keep it afloat. Yet no official has been penalised for running the GLCs to ground.

The latest is MAS, but there are others. In one GLC, a malay is threatening to sue. Rather than face him in court, the GLC would rather give him one of its companies than face him in court. The malay culture of 'tidak apa' continues to dominate.

But who should stop this go along? The non-malay political parties in government will not lift their arm. Their leaders are more interested in being in the cabinet, and if that means stepping on the people they represent, then so be it.

They do not service their constituencies - a singular exception is Samy Vellu - but the people vote them in every time. They hear nothing, see nothing, speak nothing. That is their defensive mechanism to stay in the cabinet.

But politics in this country has reached the stage where the racial groups do not support their leaders, but unite among themselves to oppose them.

It will be a while, perhaps 2020 year, before they are a force. But the policies initiated in the early 1970s has brought this about.

"While other areas in Malaysia are considered as middle-income economy, many parts of Sabah are equivalent to Africa as they are categorised as low-income economy."

But, if we have all been unhappy with BN, why do we keep on electing them, time after time. Yes, I know, there isn't a viable alternative. But now, there is a ghost of a chance for an alternative party, and I think we should try that chance.

The non-malays, or other second and third class citizens have nothing to lose by voting in non-BN parties. After all what can be worse for these classes of citizens than the present situation. I say, give non-BN parties a chance.

Enough is enough.
 

The history books are full of lies. Not only on the contributions of other races but their content on other religions also has to be thoroughly examined.

Many a time my relatives have to de-learn their kids on the rubbish they are taught in schools. This same rubbish is then used at government seminars to belittle other religions. That is a fact. Under Pak Lah (who supports death for apostasy) - it has increased.

Anyway, Malaysia history books have always been like that - a damn joke. Academicians are too comfy in their ivory towers to butt with the racist politicians who lobbied for such appalling history re-writing.

Then again, how many academicians in Malaysia actually have that much integrity?

Like this is new! The malays are so eager to achieve their 'ketuanan' status they can do anything! Lying and falsehood is no problem as they have developed such a thick face over the years. Just living on lies and falsehood is a way of life now!

The sad part of it all is that - this latest development is part of the many developments currently being practised to deny the important roles of the Indians and Chinese in the development of this country to what it is today.

It is not a coincidence that the state of development of countries around in this region is directly proportional to the percentage of Chinese populations - Thailand, Philippine, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia.

Fortunately, the non-malays here are essentially non confrontational and let it be. Only grumble here and there so long as everybody can still earn a decent living.

The bad thing is, Malaysia is not using its full potential especially in this global environment and will lose out in the future. The meritocracy is a real joke. Already as far as I know, the local Malaysian Chinese are far behind Chinese from Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and now China. Very soon the malays won't have someone to rely on……….when the oil runs out.

I know because I was there when Chinese in these countries were equal in capabilities in the 70s and 80s in ICT etc. Continue neglecting the non-malays in areas of trade, education etc, will have profound implications in the years to come.

As far as I am concerned, I am already looking for overseas opportunities not local. If my money grows overseas - it is in line with the NEP. My money won't be counted so NEP can be achieved. Good for all. NEP is about percentage, not the quantum.

When globalisation comes about, I do predict that many local businesses will go global and not be limited by stupid local politics. That is when the effects of NEP will be telling on those who depended on it. Only the fittest survives.

After all why waste time here. Everything so difficult without delays and bribes. As far as I am concerned I don't give a damn about what they taught in the history books - It is not my history. I teach my children my version.

We, Chinaman come to Malaysia to make living. We work hard, work in the construction, toil in the sunlight, growing vegetables and fruits, to supply to all of Malaysians regardless of race.

Before we Chinaman come, malays don't even know how to eat vegetables. So we Chinaman have contributed so much to Malaysia. And we are here to defend this country from rotting. Rotting because the malays are not doing anything about it, except for asking money from government.

They vote the malay government in, so that they can get job from government. Their job in government is very simple. Traveling from one state hotel to another state hotel, talk cock, smoke, sit down, enjoy hotel food, don't do anything, basically being very unproductive. And still, they are very proud of themselves.

I think the history books should dedicate 1 chapter to Yap Ah Loy, for his vision in developing Kuala Lumpur. Malays just come in to Kuala Lumpur. They didn't build Kuala Lumpur.

You malays are very insecure……….very insecure.

Where is malays came from originally, could anyone remember? Correct me if I am wrong. Old malays are originally came from south China, the province now called Yunan in China. Also spread from Sumatra, Jawa, Aceh, etc.

They are not bumis of Malaysia but immigrants like the others, only difference they came earlier. True bumis of the land are the Orang Asli.

Anyway you malays can't deny that others beside your "people" contributed to the development of this country. Calling others to stop complain also denied their rights as Malaysian citizens.

Or are you thinking that you are far more superior that this type of treatment is fair to us? The real fact is we never wished to be born here, it is unfortunate living in Malaysia and having people like you telling us that we are immigrants and have no rights in this country.

Now the question is why we need to defend this country if it is not our own? You think we are your slaves? Defend a country which we are treated as second class citizens? Is that what you are implying? Does that ring your bell why non-malays preferred not to join the armed forces?

The Portuguese, the Malays, the Japanese, the Indians, the Chinese, the British, the Arabs, had come and some had gone.

Don't blame others if you want to remain sleeping in the jungle. If not for these immigrants, Malaysia would still remain in the era of the cavemen. Cry your heart out, man!

I have no quarrel with one in this round. I agree with wholeheartedly that the history on Chin Peng is not only scanty but biased and one-sided.

For all his faults, Chin Peng was a true nationalist. He thought Malayan rather than Malay, Indian or Chinese, or in my case, Eurasian.

However he used the wrong approach, i.e. communism in his attempt to unite the country. The British were able to foil his fight for independence for the country by playing the divide and rule card, showing his move as a Chinese one and against the malays.

Umno copied the British tactic of divide and rule which has continued to this day and is the basis of the BN power structure.

But as I explained in the posting, what the retarded fellows are doing is futile, as no one can really distort history and remain credible for long.

If the overwhelming might of the western media cannot hide their past massive slaughter of third world peoples, what can these pathetic morons do? Especially with the birth of the Internet and the increasing ability of people to reason out things?

Indeed, any student who takes a peep into such "history" will no doubt laugh his head off, and I am not talking about five years old. You might ask, then why did the minister says the book is based on facts? Answer: what else can he say?

I am certain that the moment the book was written, the writers themselves already knew they were lying. Such is the insistent power of truth.

It is pretty disheartening to see contributions from the non-malays belittled. Look at the sports, economics, arts etc - non-malays contributions are often neglected. See Tan Sri Robert Kuok, Sir Jimmy Choo, Datuk Michelle Yeoh, etc - the world recognise them.

Patriotism comes form a sense of identity and belonging to the country. Their fundamental role in achieving the independence, the development of Malaysia today, are often overlooked. Furthermore, they are disadvantaged in everything which requires government intervention. Ethno schools, education grants, buying of houses, businesses, etc.

We have more Indonesians receiving PR status as oppose to other races. The world golf champion Vijay Singh ironically was denied PR status.

Malaysia has only a population of above 23 million people. Shanghai in itself is almost equivalent to the whole of Malaysia inhabitants. Are we to focus on which race is the "Jaguh Kampung" to the detriment of the whole of Malaysia while other nations are competing against nations?

Rules, policies, laws etc - to hamper the progress of other races for the benefit of one cannot be applied internationally.

People say the "history is written by those who win the war" in this case Malaysia history - kids today are not stupid as we think, there is this funny thing called the Internet, just type "malay" - you will be able to find out where the malay people came from and how there are related to other races in the world which includes Indian and Chinese civilization.

Indians were here long before any malays were in this land, for a fact - Candi in Kedah was build by Indian civilisation, no in-depth researches was ever done on this place, on the site - I wonder why?

Malay, Indian or Chinese, what we need to focus is how to be come like other develop country. Peace……….
 

The facts:

(1) Orang Asli Negritos are the first inhabitants in this land

(2) Proto malays came from Yunan in China

(3) Deutro malays came from Indonesia

(4) Malays are Hindus/Buddhists for 2000 years

(5) Harun and Razak plot the 1969 riot

(6) Social contract rewriting after 1969 riot

(7) Bumis term never exist before 1969 riot

(8) lie - Blame Chinese control economic 70%

(9) lie - Blame Chinese/Tamil schools for national disunity

(10) lie - Blame Singapore government suppress malays

(Many more.)
 

While major nations in the world build their future with successful education systems, Malaysia still cannot make up its mind up on whether schools are about nation-building or brain-building.

Our political leaders are without question, completely hopeless on this matter. And they are probably less bothered because their children are not to suffer. Plus, it helps them that most Malaysians have no opinion on education except on the teaching of mother tongues.

Vernacular schools in Malaysia are better than national schools in general, but in a general world they are still both lagging far behind.

Malaysians want to earn more and more and have more and more Indonesian maids in their homes and condominiums. But their children are slowly getting more and more dysfunctional in challenging the world.

So Malaysians do what Malaysians do best - pretend like there is no problem and repeat this senselessly in our media, till all of the constituents are convinced there is no problem.

Standards have to appear from the bottom to the top, without fear or favour. And when these teachers are in the schools, their promotion system has to be based on teaching skills, not politics. Ethnic-based promotions have to stop.

This is about political will. Politicians have to act more as national leaders and less as leaders of racial zealousness. It is paradoxical when the minister in charge is actually the leader of his party's youth wing which prides in being racist over the years.

No one sees the need of a national educational structure when no one believes that this is possible. Perhaps it is the politicians who will be need the schooling.
 

The damage has been done. As long as the culprit still has the power to rule the Malaysia country, there are no second thoughts of returning back here. For vacations maybe, but even that will be full with hesitations.

To be honest, if dissatisfied people in this country have sufficient financial terms and non heavy commitments, I can bet every single one of them would have left this cursed land long time ago.

I just wonder if all the non-malays are financially independent and just stayed at home enjoying life. The country under the 'supreme' ruling of the malays and the outdated worthless NEP system, will crush itself like a 500 pound bitch humping on a dying 100 years old guy.



Soon, the globe will be spread with Chinese!
They will be the ones who contribute to the progress of the host country.

They will be accepted,
rewarded
and
thanked
by their host country.



WHILE



the malay politicians will still be using:

Race
Religion
Special rights

to tie their own countrymen down just to continue voting for them.

Some malay intellectuals will probably follow the footsteps of the Chinese.

The recalcitrants will be left behind to continue being (had) by the malay politicians.
 

The writer shows a serious lack of knowledge and understanding of the role of MCA in the pre-independence era. Not only was MCA was a political tool of the British colonial power, other Alliance parties like MIC and Umno were also political tools of the British.

The British made use of MCA, MIC and Umno to fight the Malay Left and the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) in order to protect its economic interests in the then Malaya.

The Chinese were confined to various Chinese new villages under the Briggs' plan to curb the influence of the communist party. MCA was then granted a licence to run the Million Dollar lottery scheme by the British authority to make easy money from the Chinese community. In return, the MCA had to use part of the profit to win the hearts of the Chinese in the new villages. This strategy worked well to serve the interests of the British master during the pre-independence days.

When the time has come to give independence to Malaya, the British kept its promise by working only with Umno, MCA and MIC. On the other hand, the real independence fighters, including some prominent Malay Left leaders, were arrested and locked up in prisons. And the war against the MCP continued with greater intensity.

But true leader like Tan Cheng Lock were sidelined by other MCA and Umno leaders in the run up to the independence negotiations. Cheng Lock had promised the Chinese community to present the general demands of the Chinese community to the British. But he was barred from attending the final round of talks in London. The MCA was represented by HS Lee and Tan Tong Hai.

According to the late Tunku Abdul Rahman (in one of his writings), Tan Tong Hai threw the entire general demands document into a wastepaper basket in a London hotel room instead of bringing it up at the negotiation table. That is the reason why I often tell the young people that the betrayal of MCA could be traced back to its inception. As a result of this unforgivable sell-out, Chinese Malaysians were treated like second-class citizens in our land. The Chinese were stuck with the 'non-bumis' label thanks to MCA.

It is people like Leong Yew Koh who instigated Tunku to strip the citizenship and teaching licence of foremost Chinese education pioneer Lim Lian Geok. Check with Loot Ting Yee. He is one of the mother tongue education pioneers who can verify my story.

The entire history of MCA is filled with betrayals, crimes and sins. They have failed to preserve and protect the interests and rights of the Chinese community which they have claimed to represent.

Take a closer look at these scandals - the deposit-taking-cooperative scandal, the Aik Hua Holdings scandal, the Chang Min Thien Fund scandal, the MCA JE Fund scandal, it is a never-ending list. And guess what? Most of the victims of these scandals were MCA members and supporters.

Mind you, it was MCA leaders that instigated the closure of the original Bai Xiao (SJKC Damansara) in Petaling Jaya. It was also the efforts of SOS Damansara Action Committee and the pressure mounted by DAP, DongJiaoZong and the entire Chinese community that brought about the unprecedented speedy construction of the new SJKC Damansara in Tropicana.

It is a great shame that MCA leaders do not even bother to get accreditation for the certificates, diplomas and degrees courses offered by TAR College (TARC). Recently, a young Malaysian Chinese boy's application was rejected by the Royal Malaysian Police simply because the academic qualifications he obtained from the MCA sponsored TARC were not recognised by both National Accreditation Board and Public Service Department.

Under the current MCA leadership, the Chinese community can only request for a new Chinese primary school when one is 'dead'. And all these years, the allocation of funds for Chinese primary schools remains unfair and unjust; only about 2.4% of the total budget is given to the Chinese stream and about 1% given to the Tamil stream. The rest was all given to the malay (national type) primary schools. None of the MCA 'tai kohs' (mainly Chinese educated) dare to make noise on this subject.

Yes, Lee Kuan Yew was not totally wrong. The Umno-led BN government has been systematically marginalising the Chinese and other non-malay communities. And what did MCA leaders like Chan Kong Choy and Ong Ka Ting do about it? And why were they keeping so timidly quiet when Umno ultras like Hisham and Khairy make all sorts of racist remarks and even waved a keris time and again shamelessly?

MCA is indefensible. That is why none of the MCA leaders dare to show up for the debate in Machap. And for the same reason, none of them have the courage to rebut me on all the historical facts I raised in my book entitled 'Accomplice? Coward? Culprit? The role of MCA in the Chinese community'.
 

The Barisan government has achieved 0% in reversing the trend of racism.

While South Africa has disbanded racism through the government's initiative after the global news onslaught, our Malaysia government leaders are propagating RACISM and FACISM in every way.

In term of racism, we are the most uncivilised country in the world. Look into our neighbouring countries of Asia, they are advancing economically on a straight forward objective, for their citizens.

Whereas we are moving in deviationist path, widely off the international economic theory for the sole objective, of propelling the well being of a supreme race.

Mahathir era is over, here we have Badawi. Is he changing the trend? Not a single sign of it! How about the future under Nazib?

Sad, sad. They have more camouflage in readiness.
 

I am a former Malaysian who has lived half my life in Australia. I feel that it is incumbent on me to lay bare the cupboard as it were so that people can gain an accurate insight of what real life is like for an Asian migrant in a country like Australia.

Like the many tens of thousands who saw no future for our children in the land of our birth that we deeply loved, we came to Australia with heavy and trepidation hearts in the days following the dismantling of the odious and shameful race-discriminating White Australia policy.

Apart from free speech and the right to express one's views without fear of any backlash, one of the first things we found was that race and religion have no place whatsoever in Australian society.

After determining for ourselves in real life that there was no racial group that was regarded as being superior to any other group and that we had precisely the same rights as any other Australian, we determined to be even more productive citizens.

The rewards soon arrived. Owing to their comparatively good results in the Higher School Certificate examinations, our children were in the envious position of choosing and picking the courses and the universities they wished to attend - and all for free.

In return, Australia has benefited greatly from the high income taxes that our children are now paying in their chosen professions.

In this regard, will be disappointed to learn that I do not own a business, let alone a prosperous one to hand down to my children. My children have to make their way in mainstream Australian life like everyone else - and so they should.

It would be comforting for most people to know that in Australia it is unlawful to discriminate against anyone on color, race, religion or sex. Equal rights for all means precisely that - no buts, no ifs about it. Hence it is possible for anyone of any faith who so desires and is good enough to become prime minister of Australia.

A large amount of the high taxes we pay goes towards the upkeep of the unemployed, the disabled, the needy and the pensioners. There are no freebies or special concessions for anyone else.

As freedom of speech is recognised as a basic right of every citizen, migrants have no problems expressing their complaints or views of corrupt or incompetent or self-serving bureaucrats or politicians in the open media. An impartial judicial system exists for all to take matters further.

Citizens have the right to preserve whatever cultural heritage, customs and language they are comfortable with and there are organisations set up to address whatever complaints and problems they may encounter in the pursuit of their traditional way of life.

Pensions and other forms of welfare payment are issued strictly on a means-tested basis. If anything, the system has been accused of being far too fair and generous. Malaysian retirees and others who have not paid any taxes or worked in Australia have been known to receive pensions in Australia after satisfying the mean and residential criteria.

As race is such a non-issue in this country, nobody cares or bothers to pay any attention to the financial success or failure of any particular race in the community. To do so is to invite scorn and ridicule. After all, we are all Australians together.

The same benchmark that is set with respect to asset acquisitions, educational and professional standards, job promotions, opportunities and so forth applies to everyone bar none.

Given the special privileges accorded, apparently in perpetuity, malays in Malaysia will clearly find Australia a turn-off. On the other hand, minority non-malays who are not as fortunate may have a different viewpoint.