Prelude to Viewing Malaysia's Political Landscape

In the past 1-1/2 years of Blog's journey, I have met some Young&Articulate, chiefest among them a 16- 0r 17-year-old johnleemk, whose precocious thoughts are available @http://www.iroatm.cjb.net.

I'm titling this as a Prelude to what would amount to a Series of discussions of the Malaysian Political Landscape.

I just extracted something worthy of our reflection, and if there are more johnleemks among the present -- IMHO, mostly The G3 Generation*! -- I am hopeful yet for NegaraKu. This may cheer up many of my ER who have indeed told Desi in no uncertain terms: "It's a hopeless situation in the Malaysian state of affairs we are in, politically. I don't share your optimism, Desi. But of course, we must remain positive." (My definition *3G gadgets encompassing Handphone with videocam; Gucci (branded) goods; and Gratification Now! Arbitrary no doubt, but good summary for Desi-lah)


What does it mean to be Malaysian?

Written by johnleemk on 12:54:22 pm Apr 6, 2006.

This is a copy of my post at Malaysia Today. Please refer there for context.


"The government represents the will of the people. Say what you like, but even the fairest election would not have swept the opposition into power. Furthermore, most of us view ourselves as Malays, Chinese, or Indians, instead of Malaysians. Remember all that whining about the survey not too long ago? That debate was long on noise, short on reasoning. Not a shred of evidence was produced to refute the survey.

"It's clear: only a minority of us perceive ourselves as Malaysians. And frankly, I am not very interested in a country where it's every race for themselves. I see myself as a Malaysian, but if the majority won't be turned to my way of thinking, what is the point of pretending I am a Malaysian when the very people who ought to be my brothers and sisters are rejecting me as a Malaysian, and instead prioritise their race? I am tired of ketuanan Melayu. I am tired of segregated schools. I am tired of defending "our" culture and "our" rights, where "us" happens to be the race whose culture or rights are threatened.

"I don't see the point in a Malaysia where I can't be a Malaysian."

DESIDERATA: John's views show someone NegaraKu should be proud of for the future well-being of this nation's building. Like me, I have continually stressed that the process of nation-building has not even started because the Government we have had for 49 years since Independence has been pursuing RACE-BASED POLICIES.

As long as the Barisan Naasional is in power in its present form, I submit that it's perpetuating the concept of each ethnic group thinking of their race interests first and foremost. It serves the concept of Ketuanan Melayu that the chief player amnong the 15-member coalition government -- UMNO, wishes to perpetuate unto eternity. So government's policies are NOT made in consulation with the lesser component parties like MCA and MIC, what more Sarawak- and Sabah-based parties whose names we find hard to name off-hand! The major ones are decided at the UMNO Supreme Council -- e.g. the extension of the NEP at the last UMNO Youth Assembly with its chief wielding the "keris" to demonstrate the power of "Ketuanan Melayu" as if he and his ilk have not moved from 15th/16th centutry Melaka.

When I first exchanged views with johnleemk, I was not really interested about how young he was. I do not really care what race, colour or creed, age or gender my ER come from. I was interacting with johnleemk as a Malaysian who keeps informed, who shares his views in an articulately and supremely rational and critical manner. No, he's unlike many visitors to various Blogs, speaking generally, who drop by -- worse yet, ANONYMOUSLY! -- some less-than-welcome with frivolous one-liners, even taking potshots at third parties. I've often advised: Give me your rationale, even mousey ones; otherwise, it doesn't contribute to our learning process. I managed to cut down the frequency of such "fly-by-night visitors" by first issuing a warning, then I use the DELETE key judiciously. Taking ungrounded swipes, especially with racial undertones -- a point Mave also observed in an extract that follows -- at third parties demeans a discussion, but it demeans the speaker the most. Demeaned&Damned.

I was later "surprised" to learn that johnleemk is one below the age of consent; at a Bloggers' G7 meet in Petaling Jaya, he was demanded of his identity card to confirm where he was coming from. But just judging by his looks, I know he's at that age; it was just a teaser that we "bullied" him to showing us seniors his IC! I would be glad to have him among my class if I were conducting a class on Politics and Nation-Building in Malaysia. And this introduction with a Young Mind is apt because as the cliched saying goes: The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow.

Again, I must state that it's not 100% altruism that motivated Desi in flagging off with johnleemk's short extract. It was the closest I could discern and identify in a Y&A who fulfills the qualities I was looking for to play a significant role in helping Desi move a project, still in gestation, called THE 3-EYE PROJECT.Patience, okay? Most likely to mark Merdeka Day 2006.

If you peep into his Blogsite, you would notice -- yes, procociously -- the host giving very strong views, but well grounded, on what the state of the main Opposition parties is like in Malaysia, especially his conclusions about the Democratic Action Party (DAP). He even delved into THE SOCIAL CONTRACT which coincidentally was re-visited by Mave SM just recently, a subject I had essayed on in connection with some Malacca politics, but more on that later.

I had informed my Esteemed Readers that I would respond to a major part of Mave's Comment this weekend, so here goes:

"...I agree that your reference to mourners are those who pours tirade without essence and lacks intellectual discourse. It include those who pours racial disparaging remarks with absolute disregard to the evil of social disintegration and tantamounts to an attack on civilization. It includes the ppl of various races. It's important we see the need to co-exist and have sentiments to those who are in destitute conditions and needs assistance. The center of discourse is the imbalance and disappropriate implementation of the rent-seeking system. It's what we call bad laws and bad laws are not laws in the philosophy of jurisprudence and should be disregarded and disobeyed. However, the community we are in seems 50 years left behind the technological and industrial age where globalization and liberalisation have entered into the second era of change; yet, we have not adapted the globalization of the first era into the Malaysian system of governance. Worst still, the political masters are still hybernating within the age of agricultural revolution.

The saying goes: those who go to sleep on their claim should not be assisted by the system to recover their beneficial interests."

By Maverick SM, at 12:24 AM

DESIDERATA:

Mave's points are succinct and reflect well the reality of the Malaysian political state of affairs we now face. It's no more "The Malay Dilemma" as espouced by former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad; it shouldn't even be dubbed -- as done by another personality -- as "THe New Malay Dilemma". I believe Mave and I, and even Y&A like johnleemk, are totally disillussioned with such "racist" approach to overcoming the nation's challenges.

THE NEW MALAYSIAN CONUNDRUM

Maverick and Desi share a lot of common territory in our travels, not together but separately; yet not totally true we are in distinctly separate space because in the field of mindtravel and mapping, the fields of energy do meet and confront, sometimes resulting in combustion when two minds stand in diametrically opposite corners, but when they synchronise, the results are enhanced positivity. It exhilarates me when I can garner support to give rise to an amplified Voice. Yes, enhanced strength stemming from " Acting in unision, acting in concert."This explains partly my teasing of some EsteemedReaders asking if they were "acting in concert". It's not a bad thing at all, as long as you have no "bad faith" (mala fide, the Latin term). WE MUST IN BLOGSWORLD ACT ALWAYS IN "GOOD FAITH". OTHERWISE, WHY BOTHER, MY THINKING ALOUD.

In blogosphere, it's heartening to find several blogsites dedicated to moving NegaraKu forward, guided by the universally accepted Vision 2020 to attain Developed Nation status. And in my Civic Society promotion as the primary objective when I started Desiderata2000 on the Ides of March 2005, I am trying to muster like-minded Malaysians to seek a Reformation to the present Establishment status quo. Yes, a challenge to promote a Mental Evolution, but via well-defined parameters, and working hand-in-hand with fellow Malaysians (even hand-in-glove to overthrow the present Government if that's what is required, but through legitimate means allowed under the Federal Constitution).

To be continued later today, God willing~~~

Yeah, continuing at 4.30pm, with a few amendments made to the preceding text, Desi ascribed our situation as the NEW MALAYSIAN CONUNDRUM. I would advocate we need to instill an awareness and consciousness among our Malaysian public to get involved in the politics of the day. Failure to do so -- at least up to the "best of one's ability!" -- would forefeit your rights to those who may seize, or usurp your rights, in the name of being your representative.

A question to ask now:

Do you want the likes of Shut-One-Eye Mohd Said YUsof to represent your consituency?

Or do you prefer the likes of Sharir Samad to represnt you in Parliament?

NOTE I have deliberately selected two MPs from UMNO -- to show that even among the pool of sharks and crocodiles you may get some noble whale to serve the needs of the common man more than their self-interests.

You want the latest model of Mercedes Benz at 20% the price, Mr Member of Parliment?
Oh, get an AP too as another fringe benefit.
Better still, get 500,000 of those Special Bumi shares at 50% discounted price (off current market value)...
The litany of wants -- not needs -- goes on under the present scheme of things.
UMNO gets the biggest share of the cake, being Big Brother, MCA receives the second largest maybe, followed in obedient succession by MIC, Gerakan, Sarawak's and Sabah's minority parties. Oh, I almost dforgot, throw some kacang putih to PPP-lah, it still has its President in Parliament, deputy minister too. Very vocal sometimes -- Necessity is the mother of invention, No?

You now see, we have a neat, pretty conundrium in front of us when the UMNO regime is in shaky transition, even after about three years. Political stability is threatened -- the economy is showing signs of decline or stagnating, those who are rich get richer -- obviously, with the crony Poltician-Corporate Nexus (I almost used Copulate, but never mind, I remember brother Mave's advice...); the unemployment among graduates is in the thousands, no more hundreds, and yes, prices of basic essentials are rising by the day. Fuel and electricity rates are raised, and the minister in charge, remember Lim Keng Yaik's line? -- is telling the rakyat to the effect that:The electricity rate increase won't affect the bottom-60% of consumers; only the bigger consumers accounting for 40% will be affected.

This guy has been around the Cabinet for two decades and he does not know there is such a thing called the SPIRALLING or CHAIN EFFECT! Amazing, no wonder we have such a neat, pretty conundrum. For some who still ask what's the meaning of this word CON.......; the short answer lies in ex-PM Dr Mahathir's revolutionary book, once banned, The Malay Dilemma.


PS: The discussion will continue tomorrow ...Sunday is NOT a day of R&R for Desi, but I'm rewarding myself with a CON BF, maybe double portions since I exercised a lot of my grey cells the past few days. Anyone with an AP paying? ~~ Please meet Desi at Min Kee Hawker Centre, from 9.00-9.30AM; Anak Merdeka?