Saturday, June 28, 2008

MALAY: THE SILENCED MAJORITY

I read with some excitement over a writing by Mr. Josh Hong in Malaysiakini. In his writing Josh mentioned about: 'It has been more than 100 days since the political tsunami of March 8. Other than the pervasive doubt as to whether Pakatan Rakyat could deliver results in states under its administration, the single most important issue uppermost in the minds of many voters is perhaps whether or not the Malay electorate has truly changed.'

My thinking is that as at this point of time i.e. after the GE 12, Malays are now a minority in a majority government. Just look at Selangor and Perak. This two Malays majority states are already under heavy influence of the non-malays minority with Malays are equally divided. No, the Malays are not the majority here, they are just the silenced majority. Even at the federal government to much emphasis is giving on addressing the issue of Sabah and Sarawak.

Questioning the on whether the Malays have changed politically would depend on the behaviors of the non-malays against what is very important to the Malays. Among what is important to the Malays are the sovereign of the Sultans, Islam and their traditional customs.

As the silenced majority, most Malays are keeping away from debating issues that are deem sensitive to the other races, like the social contract, participating in discussions over racially inclined debates, especially that touches on the Malay special rights as guaranteed under the constitution.

Other pertinent concerns of the Malays is the behaviors of the non-malays leaders, as well as their supporters, mostly the behaviors from the DAP and some non-malays PKR leaders. I think at this point of time, most of the Malays are tolerating those 'Malaysian for Chinese' behaviors from the DAP.

Will the Malays truly changed actually will very much depending on the behaviors of the non-malays. If the Malays feel that they are push to the wall by the non-malays leaders with their concerns about their dominance in Malaysian's customs, Sultan's sovereign and Islam as the Federal Religion are not address by the PR leadership, I am not surprise that they will switch back to UMNO. Even at this juncture, there has been rumors that there are informal discussions among PAS and UMNO for Malays unity.

In my opinion, there have not been enough politics on taking care the sensitivity or the concern of the Malays. The case in which DAP assemblymen refused to wear a songkok in Johor was really a bad publicity and have make the Malays thinking about DAP's Malaysian Malaysia ideology.

Most of the political leaders are busy taking care of the non-malays expectation that they seem to neglect on the concerns of the Malays.

Forum like one organized by Bar Malaysia, as reported by Malaysiakini, 'Bar Council's forum, ‘The Social Contract' fantasy to fiction certainly will not help in reducing the Malays anxiety against the non-malays.

I think the non-malays must understand the feelings of their Malays friend. Most Malays now are thinking that their rights, customs and the sovereign of their Sultans are being invaded.


9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are a racist brother. Bertaubatlah. Be a Malaysian for Bangsa Malaysia.

Anonymous said...

I agree that the non-Malays should be sensitive to the feelings of the Malays and vice-versa. The DAP MP was wrong not wanting to put on the songkok too as it is the official attire. We should all take care of each others feelings to be really Bangsa Malaysia.

The Way I See It said...

Dear Margeemar,

This is a frank opinion and a general understanding of the feeling of people on the ground.

I am telling the truth, so that we can work and live together, while understanding each other perspective.

Taubat is only to Allah. Not to a bangsa Malaysia, which is still fuzzy by definition.

sayadahbosan ULTRA said...

well what to do brother.. when it comes to malays giving out opinions concerning their own survival it's deemed as racists tone but it's not when the malays are being cornered by all sorts of heckling from the non malays.

it is indeed a strange time we are having right now but i'm proud to say that the malays have seen their true intentions now that their hidden agendas are all falling to pieces.

the next pru (13) will bear witness.

Anonymous said...

The way I see it.... it's o.k. to blame everything on the Malays. History will repeat itself. Those who does not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The non Malays have succeeded in making an apologist out of the Malays while they themselves are equally racist to the bone. Take Hindraf for example. Racist overtures all over but hailed as heroes to the Indian community. Please read their Statement of Claim. Don't take my word for it. Retort? Anyone?

Diversity Dude said...

Hi. I am non-Muslim. We are going to discuss Malaysia. In Malaysia it may be possible that most of the beneficiaries of public assistance are Malays. But most of the have-nots are also Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. I have no problems with this. We want a no Malaysian left behind Malaysia. Both Malays and non-Malays have to live in Malaysia. We should not take a tough stand. The art of compromising is just as important. So, read on.

Even a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. If I may add a right step, please read on.

There is a quest for equality by non-Malays on the one hand and there is a fear of losing their special status among Malays on the other hand. So we have to reach a happy medium.

Many decades ago, the Muslim Malays were mostly sarong-clad; and at that time, when any Muslim Malay broke ranks and wore long pants and shirt, he would be considered pro-Western and thus a traitor by the Muslim Malay community. If you used silver ware like forks and spoons to eat food, you risk being called a traitor too. Later on, even if you ate burgers and hot dogs, you risk being branded pro-Western and a traitor. Today, Malaysia, the country of my birth, is on the verge of becoming a developed nation. Unfortunately, the Malays do not credit the non-Malays adequately for their contribution to Malaysia’s growth and development. I, personally, have helped to build a hydro-electric dam in Perak, which will out live me. It was in the early 1980’s. The dam will continue to give out electricity to many generations to come. The photographs I took of the dam building continue to be my pride and joy. Like all construction industry, some workers died. Yes, I have served Malaysia in my own way. I am almost inclined to call the dam, my dam. Yes, it is my dam. It’s my gift to Malaysia. Despite that, I never asked for first class citizenship status. I only asked for religious equality. I only asked for changing faith is an inviolable human right. Some Malays feel that since they gave citizenship to non-Malays, the non-Malays must be willing to accept second-class status. My position is that, I am willing to accept second or whatever class status provided we separate Malay from Islam. We must be allowed to espouse secularism and liberalism. We have to recognize secularism and liberalism as another faith. Islam has no right to have a special status in Malaysia. No religion has the right to use political power and enforcement. Religions no longer have a monopoly over truth and knowledge. Changing faith is an inviolable human right.

It is pretty obvious that we have to increase the bi-racial population of Malaysia in order to stabilize the nation. Increasing the bi-racial population has nothing to do with political power. However, the politicians can remove obstacles to increase the bi-racial population. The obstacle is the special status for Islam in Malaysia. Currently, if Muslims and non-Muslims want to marry, then both have to convert to Islam or leave the country. This is the obstacle. If Muslim Malaysians are allowed to leave Islam, then there may be more marriages between Muslims and non-Muslims. Changing faith is an inviolable human right. If we support changing faith is an inviolable human right, then we are supporting Bangsa Malaysia.

In addition there is another matter to deal with. We do have, in Malaysia, a Department of Religious Affairs, but it is exclusively for Islam. Islam has no right to have a special status in Malaysia. To counterbalance the Department of Islamic Affairs, we now need a Department of non-Muslim Affairs. The Islamic issues can be taken care of by the Department of Religious (Islamic) Affairs, while the Department of non-Muslim Affairs will take care of issues regarding non-Muslims. Then, both Muslims and non-Muslims can co-exist. You see, I never asked for first class status. I only asked for religious equality.

We may need a constitutional amendment to create two kinds of Malays: Muslim Malays and non-Muslim Malays.

Step by step the non-Malays should claim full citizenship rights. In the mean time, most of the public assistance should continue to be given to the have-nots, who are mostly the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. This is the art of compromise.

By the way, there are advantages for being bi-racial. Many bi-racials have gotten ahead. In fact, Dr.Mahathir is bi-racial. Apparently his birth name is Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty. Please do go to website http://www.malaysianindian1.blogspot.com/ and read a posting entitled Mahathir s/o Iskandar Kutty @ Mahathir bin Mohamed. There is another posting in the same website to read entitled The Indian-Muslim opportunists in Umno

Yes, there are advantages for being bi-racial, and some of them have gotten ahead.

Anonymous said...

This should make all the self important Tuan here very stupid intellectually in this new age: DAILY EXPRESS NEWS 'Ketuanan Melayu' call may lead to BN's downfall: MP
13 May, 2008

Kota Kinabalu: Young leaders of Umno, particularly in Peninsula Malaysia, should stop provoking the feelings of non-Malays by insisting on the issue of "Ketuanan Melayu" (Malay supremacy) as it may lead to the downfall of the Barisan Nasional (BN) Government.

United Pasok Momogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) Vice President Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh said the persistence of these "young cowboys" in Umno is not the Malaysian way.

"This is not the way to lift the Malay race to a higher pedestal but a plain and blatant sign of arrogance that may lead to detestation by others.

"To me this is not the Malay culture that I know of. I never heard of this before," said the Putatan MP.

Speaking at the Kaamatan Festival in Kampung Duvanson in Putatan, near here, Saturday, Mojigoh said the Malays are known to be friendly and courteous but the action of certain leaders had spoilt this image.

Towards this end, he hoped Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is also Umno President would advise these leaders not to be carried away and to stop acting arrogantly.

In the context of Sabah, he said there were claims of "over a million newly created Malays" - a new product imported from the Philippines and Indonesia.

"Imagine (if) you have to address these illegals as tuan," he said, adding that the authorities need to address the problem of illegal immigrants gaining citizenship and acquiring this Malay status through the back door.

Unknown said...

Salam,

At least the truth has been spoken.

I'm one of the silenced majority.

It bothered me that since the GE, the non-Malay politicians arrogantly assume that the non-Malay are solely responsible for the change in Malaysia politics. So, they go on with this perception and push their agenda further.

What they didn't notice is majority of Malays have been watching the situation closely.

What the non-Malays did and acted during this period will be known at the next GE by the Malays.

p.s. I disagree with the comments that whoever support Malays is a racist. Recently, after the GE the new attitude has emerged that labeled anyone who support Malays agenda as being racist. It's just pathetic!

twocents said...

A must read by Yusof Ishak's niece - very revealing about Malays