PM launched the “National Unity Policy”, but Yin argues that Muhyiddin spent most of his life playing racial politics and now claims he is the one who will unify us.

By Yin, Letters from Ward 5, T.R.

Yin wants to know if Muhyiddin Yassin, who once declared “I am a Malay first”, is serious about national unity, or is it another “manipulation by politicians”  before GE-15?

In his call for national unity (Feb.15 – NST) Muyhiddin talked about the unity of the people in battling Covid 19.

Except for the racial chauvinists and religious extremists, there has never been any doubt about the underlying goodwill among the races even if it took a pandemic to bring it to the surface.

I know, I see it daily in Tanjong Rambutan in and out of Ward 5.

So what is Muyhiddin on about?

It’s because the prime minister and his ilk have been playing racial politics for so long he believes  his own propaganda that the rakyat are at each other’s throats; so acts of kindness shown to our fellow citizens of all races and the muhibah of Malaysians have surprised him.

He will be even more surprised when Malaysians vote across race and religion in GE15. The race card is losing currency despite the extremists.

Over the years UMNO leaders have done everything from raising the kris and swearing to drink Chinese blood, to tacit encouragement of their rent-a-mob bullying or open threats of May 13 by party hacks. The latest  ‘endorsement” is the honouring of a well known UMNO goon with a state title.

And now Muyhiddin wants to play the “Great Unifier” – the big man who will bring the people together.

Pigs will fly !

But fair’s fair; let’s hear him out.

So what has someone who has spent his life playing racial politics got to tell us about national unity? And can we believe him?

 “We must be cautious of racial sentiment manipulation by politicians”  Muyhiddin Yassin (Prime Minister Malaysia).

Is it April 1 already?

Rich isn’t it coming from a prime minister who declares  “I am a Malay first!”.

Is this not  manipulating racial sentiments?

By his declaration he is telling the Malays to do the same – consider themselves Malays first.  By his logic Indians must think Indian first and Chinese, Chinese first, Kadazans likewise and so on.

What about  Malaysian First?

Leaders like himself and Mahathir Mohamed, Najib Abdul Razak, Zahid Hamidi and Anwar Ibrahim have manipulated Malay sentiments against the other races during their long political careers.

In all the governments beginning with Mahathir, government policies have been based on race (and religion) – in business, in education and government jobs.

Departments like Biro Tata Negara (BTN) insult the other races by playing down their role in nation building. Historical facts supported by a wide body of evidence (by international historians) are suppressed or played down if they do not fit in with the Malay narrative.

Every trick in the book has been used to divide and rule! It’s laughable that he should now warn us against being manipulated by politicians.

The True Meaning of Bhinekka Tunggal Ika

“Unity In Diversity”  is Indonesia’s official motto. The Pancasila is their foundational philosophy for governing the country. Among the five principles are “Social Justice for the whole of the people of Indonesia”   “ A just and civilised humanity” and the “Unity of Indonesia”.

It is interesting that  Muyhiddin has themed his National Unity Policy “Unity in Diversity”.

But how serious is he or is it another “manipulation by politicians”  before GE15?

While Indonesia calls for National Unity. Our leaders call for Malay Unity. Every single Malay leader talk about Malay Unity or else the Nons will threaten both race and religion.  In the NST 18/2/21 Mahathir was reported as saying that his jihad is  “fighting for race, country and religion.”

What does Muyhiddin say to this?

Indonesia calls for social justice for all Indonesians. All Indonesians are treated as equals.

In Malaysia we have institutional racism where one race is favoured over the others. In Malaysia race inequality is promoted by the government.

What about a “just and civilised Society based on humanity”?

Where is the economic justice for the B40? Surely affordable housing for the B40 and better healthcare and education should be our focus and not pandering to an already bloated bourgeoisie. 

Where is the humanity when many Malaysians still don’t have drinking water and electricity and other basic infrastructures taken for granted by some. What about roads so that Longhouses are not cut off from healthcare, schools and markets for their produce. Yet without meeting such most basic needs, prime ministers and ministers embark on grandiose projects  – monuments to their egos and the alleged non olfactory money under the table.

If Muyhiddin is serious about National Unity then show it.  Don’t just talk about it.

1.    End the racial discrimination that has plagued our country for decades. How can the country unite if one part of it is Bumiputra with special privileges and the other part is Non Bumiputra with no privileges. How can the country be united if there are two classes of citizenship?

      2.   Make affirmative action colour blind. Let needs be the criteria for government assistance or  “special privileges” and not race. Scholarships should be based on both scholastic merits as well as passing a “means test”

The same goes for housing discounts. I don’t see why a rich person should get discount on housing or his children get scholarships. One scholarship given to a rich kid means one less for a kid from a poor family.

   3.   There might have been historical reasons why we had communal parties at the inception of Merdeka.

What is the reason for “Malays or Chinese or Indian” parties now? We have moved on from 1957 when we negotiated for independence as three communities. Sixty years on the racial divisions have become even more stark with the increase in the number of exclusively “Malays-Only” parties.  Single race parties are focused on serving one particular race (just as PAS is focused on Muslims and no one else).

If Muyhiddin is serious about ending racial manipulation by politicians he should ban racially exclusive political parties.

In Indonesia they are serous about Unity in Diversity. There are no racial or religious barriers to government posts. Joko Widodo’s cabinet comprises people he deems capable and qualified irrespective of race. In Malaysia the appointment of a Non Malay as the Attorney General has the rabid Malay ultras foaming in the mouth.

In Indonesia entry to higher institutions of learning is based on merit not race. There are no institutions exclusive to one race – barring all others from entry – like MARA.

Platitudes and nice words are not enough to bring about national unity. As long as race and religion remain the factors that divide the population; as long as you have Bumiputras and Nons there can be no real unity.

We were cheated of Bangsa Malaysia by Mahathir after GE14 – aided by the acquiescence of the spineless DAP. Are we going to be fooled by Muyhiddin and his call for unity?

For a start Muyhiddin should retract his “I am Malay first” clarion call.

Otherwise it is just another political manouvere by a dyed-in the wool racist prior to GE15.

If Muyhiddin Yassin thinks he can have national unity while maintaining an apartheid system then he is delusional.

This is one cake he cannot have and eat it at the same time.

The prime minister wants public feedback; this one is from T.R.

(The views expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rebuilding Malaysia.)