The
politicians are wrong. It's not about racial harmony because Malaysians
just want a free makan and to recoup a little of their taxes. Six
decades after Merdeka, we are still not united. Our Malay leaders think
in terms of "Malay first, minorities second" and squander our riches.
Singapore,
with no natural resources, is now a world leader. Some people will
argue that Singapore's success is because it is small and easier to
manage. These cynics fail to explain how the People's Republic of China
(PRC) managed to achieve massive social and economic reconstruction
within a few decades.
Today, we are still scrabbling around in the kampung dirt, content with life under a tempurung.
Perikatan Nasional's majority-Malay cabinet with
its lack of diversity has no shame in advancing Malay interests and
ignoring minorities. Some of them claim to be the master race but fail
to criticise corruption, injustice, and crime. Many non-Malays who
excel can never head a government department. They have to be content
with the second position. Why should any Malaysian accept this?
We
are denying our best people, especially those who are non-Malays and
non-Muslims, the chance to lead in politics, in the economy, in the
armed forces, in civil service, in academia, in GLCs, and in the
community.
Some of the deserving ones are denied scholarships and top jobs. Foreign countries snap up these individuals, or they emigrate and make their adopted country proud. Why do we mistreat our high-achieving non-Malays?
Don't
blame our weak opposition, because 63 years of conditioning have made
them like putty. Before any of them dare to ask probing questions, their
brains are programmed to go through a checklist, much like the
pre-flight checklist that pilots make before take-off.
Opposition
politicians may have come up with the best policy, but their automated
checklist kicks in and they ask; will it offend the Malays, will it be
anti-Islam, and of increasing dominance lately, will it displease
royalty?
The three Rs hang like millstones around the necks of the
opposition politicians. On the other hand, the ruling party simply uses
these three Rs to spearhead their actions and also as a threat, to
punish opposition politicians.
If our opposition is handicapped, then let's get the ball rolling with some probing questions for our leaders.
The
wealth gap between poor Malays and the uber-rich Malays is much wider
than in other communities. Malays with minimal schooling can gain
important positions and be paid handsomely. Are the uber-rich Malays
smarter, more industrious, or are they better politically connected?
When Muhyiddin Yassin was our education minister, he said Malaysia had the best education
in the world. The children of wealthy Malays receive government
scholarships, and each place that is taken will reduce the number of
university places for the best non-Malay students.
Increasing numbers of Malay parents send their children to vernacular schools, international schools, or educate their children at home. Why?
The
Malays are told they are lazy and need to work harder. Nevertheless,
they are given more handouts. Affirmative action policies are supposed
to help the poor Malays. Muhyiddin's Budget 2021 is very pro-Malay. Each
year, more handouts are given to the Malays, but the number of poor
Malays increases without respite. Why?
Malay nationalists warn us that the DAP and the Chinese will take over the country and make it Christian. Non-halal products like alcohol
will soon be banned from sale in small shops. The Oktoberfest,
Valentine's day, and accidents caused by 'drunk drivers' are used to
justify the ban on the sale of alcohol.
Nationalists do not condemn the PRC's big business investment and purchase of properties
in Malaysia. Local Chinese are the mainstay of our small and
medium-sized industries and provide jobs for many Malays. Why do we
treat our own home-grown Chinese with such animosity?
Some Malays are abandoning their own culture, forms of speech, and fashion to become pseudo-Arabs.
After 63 years and billions of ringgit pumped into the Islamic
Development Department (Jakim), some Muslims in Malaysia fear the sign of the cross, pictures of pigs, dogs, carol singing, sharing cutlery with non-Muslims, and speaking English.
Why can't Jakim work the same magic on Malay leaders and stop them from stealing the taxpayers' money?
If
we do our best, we can rise to the top in whatever field we choose. If
our leaders bring out the best in all of us, we can become a leading
nation and change the world.
Malaysia cannot afford another generation of weak leaders. Successive Malay leaders have failed us.
When
will the majority of Malaysians stop being in denial, and allow a
non-Malay leader, with our interests at heart, to lead us?
MARIAM
MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green
Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.
