By Multatuli Murtadi
Mirror mirror on the wall
I’m not blame-free after all
Let’s get straight to the point.
The Chinese and Indians must take their share of responsibility for the pickle they are in now. It’s so easy to blame the Malays for the situation they are in and play the innoccent victim; but you are not going to get away with it so easily.
Even at the Independence negotiations, rumour has it that within the MCA ranks were running dogs who did not, to put it mildly, properly represent the interests of the Chinese Community.
In the years when MCA and MIC shared power with UMNO in the Alliance Government and later in the Barisan National Government, at which time Gerakan which represented mainly a mixed Non-Malay constituency, were key components of the BN Government, your leaders lacked the courage to stand up to UMNO. Many of them were also compromised by self interests. They were as corrupt as the UMNO leaders. They did not fight for the Chinese and Indians even as their rights were eroded year after year. They even saved Mahathir when UMNO wanted rid of him.
Ask yourself who put these Chinese and Indian leaders there? It is their own communities; despite the fact that they broke their promises election after election.Despite the fact that those who held ministerial posts performed poorly.
Basically MCA was a towkay party and MIC no better. Both did little to help the Ah Kows and Muthus of the B40.
Despite the fact that your leaders caved in to UMNO on almost all issues – education, granting of licences, Petronas, government service intake and promotions etc.
So blame yourself and not heap all the blame on the Malays for the state you are in. Get out of your comfort zone of blaming someone else. Take responsibility for your leaders’ failings because you put them there.
DAP’s embrace of the very person who has caused so much misery to the Chinese and Indians was an act of betrayal in GE14 to all their supporters who believed in the Malaysian Malaysia cause they fought for over 30 years. Still the Chinese and Indians supported DAP – many because there is no other credible choice or they accepted DAP leaders’ naïve belief that Mahathir has changed.
So I don’t think the Chinese and Indians should belly ache now when we have an ALL Malay Government. You voted for leaders who lack moral courage and honesty. When the chance for a seat at the top table was offered, your leaders had no qualms about jettisoning the cause of Bangsa Malaysia – yes they had it on the manifesto but as Mahathir admitted there was no intention of carrying out their election promises.
But leaving the politicians to one side for a moment, what about the ordinary Ah Kows and Muthus? You are an apathetic and pathetic lot.
You don’t take an interest in politics – except for a handful of you (still the same handful today). Political activism is discouraged because it is “too dangerous”.
The Non-Malays are too busy cari makan that they have no time to play their part for change. They moan about this and that but do little to help bring about the change they want.
Young Nons are advised to stay away from politics, keep their noses clean and to concentrate on their studies and after that to look for a job. And if they are able, to leave the country pronto.
Of course you will protest that many of you marched on Bersih 2 and actively canvassed at GE14. Hurrah!
But what about the decades before that? What about now – all I hear is “I am fed up”, “there is no use . . . they are all the same”, “change will never happen” “better ask your children studying abroad not to come back”, “Malaysia is a terminal case”. Negative, negative, negative.
And now when the going gets tougher (as the Malay ultras take absolute power) many are rushing for the exit gate. Parents are pushing their children to leave while they resigned themselves to live out their days reminiscing about the good old Malaya.
Since 1957 nearly 3 million Nons have left the country. The racial haemorrphaging is still going on.
The decline in your numbers make it harder for you to fight for your rights. Whispers of the Non’s lack of loyalty and commitment to their tanah air is loud – that you leave when you hear the thunder and are not ready to face the storm.
Oh, there will be a chorus of protests from the oldies who have given their blood and sweat to build this country. Thank you uncle! But I am talking about now – the present generation of nons, the millenniels. Do they have your spirit? But even so how many oldies have left when they were younger and now complain about how bad Malaysia is from the safety of distance.
Of course the excuse is that the country is beyond saving. That the Malay conservatives and religionists have total control of the country and the situation is hopeless.
It is hopeless because you make it hopeless with your apathy and defeatism. It is your collective silence which has allowed the Malay extremists to have their way.It will get beyond hopeless if you don’t start playing an active part in exercising your rights. No, I don’t expect you to spend all your time on political activism. You have to make a living, I know. But for a start stop being so negative, stop saying nothing can be done, that the Malays have it all sewn up.
I ask my Non-Malay brothers and sisters to stand with us to confront the racists and religious extremists that is pulling our country down. These people give the Malays a bad name by their corruption and abuse of power; by their incompetence and hypocrisy.
Decent Malays also want to get rid of them and we invite you to join us – as MALAYSIANS and not as Chinese, Indians or Malays.
Malays and Non-Malays have more in common than they realise.
We all want a prosperous nation, we want jobs so we can feed our family. We want good education for our children. We want better healthcare and better infrastructure so that villages do not go without pipe water and electricity. We want a clean and efficient government so that our money is not siphoned into the pockets of corrupt politicians and government officers – money which should be spent on us.
We want peace and harmony – our children to mix freely (as we once did), to respect each other’s culture and religion. We want Bangsa Malaysia with a government which governs for ALL MALAYSIANS FAIRLY WITH NO RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
All this we had only two generations ago – which is a very short time in any country’s history. How we were, we can be again.
The seed of muhibah is not dead. It just needs watering for it to germinate. We need to cut down the weeds to allow it to grow.
I believe Bangsa Malaysia is inevitable but the sooner the better before this lot turn us into a failed state – some say we already are.
My dear Chinese and Indian brothers and sisters, when you blame the Malays for the present mess, ask yourself what part you played in it. Take a long hard look in the mirror. Don’t wait for someone else to bell the cat.
Tell me you will stay and fight. “We Are Better together” as the Astro slogan goes.
(The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rebuilding Malaysia.)
14 September 2021
Multatuli Murtadi,
Kelantan