First voice is courtesy of The Star Online:
Thursday September 3, 2009
Let’s stamp out racism
BRAVE NEW WORLD
By AZMI SHAROM
Not only must we condemn the cow-head protest in Shah Alam last week but we must look into ourselves and make sure we don’t think and speak like racists.
THE cow-head protest in Shah Alam last week left me feeling utterly disgusted. The men who organised and participated in that foul act are nothing but rank racists, and by cloaking their activities in a veil of piousness they show themselves to be even more despicable.
Yes, I was furious, but sadly I was not surprised. How can I be and how can anyone else be? We have allowed racists to have their way for so many years now.
Their appalling words and actions get progressively bolder and it just builds and builds until we have these men feeling they have the right to insult another religion in the most vile and brutal manner.
In the light of how Malay and Islamic supremacist thinking and expression have caught hold in the last few years, this sickening behaviour is simply a natural progression.
It happened because we allowed it to happen. Those bigoted thugs did what they did because we did not stamp down on the racists among us hard.
We allowed racist politicians to spout their garbage about “immigrant races”; we allowed them to tell our brothers and sisters to “go back to where you belong”; we allowed them to wave weapons of war; and we allowed them to ask for the weapons to be bathed in blood.
It’s too late for any politician to condemn something now when all the other acts of bigotry that have been brewing in the past few years were not even protested against because they suited their political needs.
It is too late to be making pleas of unity on National Day when not enough has been done before.
Let’s look at something recent. Two books that attacked the Mentri Besar of Selangor and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim are blatantly racist.
They claim that Selangor is for Malays only. They claim that the Pakatan Rakyat state government threatens Malays because they hire non-Malay staff.
In other words, the government must only hire Malays so that only Malays get benefits from the government. This is racism pure and simple. But because it suits the ruling party, as these books attack Pakatan, nothing is said.
Racism is racism, be it some vile words published in some cheap self-published drivel, or a bleeding cow head stomped and spat upon. Racism is racism and it must be fought.
When it is not fought, when it is not faced down every single time, then those without the courage to fight it are merely accomplices who, through their cowardice or selfishness, support it.
And how should we fight it? The law that should be used is the Penal Code. The Sedition Act is a blunderbuss of a law and could be used against genuine dissent as well. Let us not look to that archaic leaving of the British.
Use the provisions in the Penal Code that make incitement an offence. Charge these people under the Penal Code and lock them away.
But that is for the authorities to do, if they so choose to. We, the people, must look into ourselves and make sure we don’t think and speak like racists. We must be even more careful that we do not infect our children.
We should speak out against racism and we should tell our political leaders that if they do not fight racism then they are supporting racism and we will not support them.
We must make sure that what happened in Shah Alam faces utter and complete public contempt. Only in that way can we ensure it is not repeated.
+++Dr Azmi Sharom is a law teacher. The views expressed here are entirely his own.
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Malaysia and Singapore Are Close Neighbours.
In fact, Malaysians and Singaporeans were once in the same family, though for a short term of four short years. Each country has a "good" mix of Malays and Chinese, who predominate in numbers in Singapore, and while Malays outnumber Chinese 55% to about 25% in Malaysia. But a common issue of "racism" often rears its ugly head. Today I've picked up two articles featurng what I believe are two "sane" voices speaking up from which we, Singaporean or Malaysian, can learn from.:):) I also heard a DISCORDANT NOTE -- you hear for thyself!:(
Proud to be a Malay Singaporean — Khartini Khalid
SEPT 3 — I am a Malay Singaporean and I am proud of it — though the label “Malay Singaporean” often seems to make little sense to people outside of South-east Asia.
In my travels to other countries and in my current place of residence in the United States, I am often quizzed as to the meaning of this label. “You mean, you are Malaysian?” I am asked. Or: “I thought Malays are Malaysians?”
My answer, each time, is “no”. Regardless of how often I have to repeat myself, I try, each time, to explain the differences between Malay Singaporeans and Malay Malaysians. I say that history had united us and then separated us. Political leaderships and national policies have made us very distinct from one another.
This was not always the case. For many years after Separation, the racial and religious identities of Malay Muslims in Malaysia and Singapore took precedence over their national identities.
However, things have changed drastically over the past few decades and much of that has to do with how politics shaped the two communities.
I first realised how different I am from Malay Malaysians when I stayed in a kampung in Negri Sembilan for a week. I was there for a mini research project with some students — a mix of Chinese, Malay and Indian Singaporeans, plus a few foreigners. We stayed with host families in a Malay village.
After the first four days in the village, I felt something was amiss. I could not put a finger on what it was. It was only when I was hanging out at a roadside stall and saw a Chinese man that it dawned on me what I was missing: I had not seen a single non-Malay person (outside of my student group) for four whole days!
The Chinese in the area lived in a separate village across the street while the Indians lived in yet another village near some plantations. In Seremban, I saw a building for a Chinese leisure club and another for Malay games or social activities.
Singapore was once like that. But over the decades, it changed. Every day now, when we step out of our flats, we see our Chinese, Indian and perhaps Eurasian neighbours. We share the same lifts, corridors, void decks, community parks and common spaces. We go to the same schools and workplaces. Our parliamentary representatives are multiracial. Malay Singaporeans are as much a part of the everyday realities of Chinese, Indian and Eurasian Singaporeans as they are of ours. This cannot be said of Malay and non-Malay Malaysians. In short, Malay Malaysians and Malay Singaporeans live in different political and social realities.
In a recent column published in Utusan Malaysia, former Malaysian information minister Zainuddin Maidin said that Malaysia’s current racial controversies mirror the issues that surfaced in the country during the May 1969 riots. He also said that Malaysia was right to remove Singapore as it had been a thorn in Malaysia’s flesh. The “poison...spilled by Kuan Yew more than 40 years ago,” he suggested, is the reason race relations remain fraught in Malaysia.
I wonder how wanting a system that promises equality for all, as compared to one that is biased and discriminating, can be “poison”. Well, perhaps one man’s meat is another man’s “poison”. Thanks to the “meat”, Singapore has become a city state where different races co-exist peacefully and all benefit from a meritocratic system.
Should Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew have ruled Singapore using the Malaysian “model”, with discriminatory policies favouring one racial group over others, people like me might have failed to enter university though our grades are good while people of another race are admitted though their grades are poor. We would then, understandably, have felt aggrieved and over time this would have manifested itself in unpleasant social tensions.
This brings me to Datuk Seri Zainuddin’s comment that “Singapore sticks to a Third World democracy despite having a developed world mentality while Malaysia has a Third World mentality but a developed world democracy”.
I accept his point that Singapore has a developed world mentality and do not deny that Singapore’s democracy is not like that of other First World countries’. Whether we will be better off having such a democracy is another debate altogether. However, I think Singapore has greater political, economic and social democracy than Malaysia. There is no money politics here, and our system of equity based on merit pervades almost all sectors of our society.
Singapore has changed phenomenally since its separation from Malaysia. There are still challenges to overcome in the different communities, including among Malay Singaporeans, but we are at least at peace with one another.
History teaches great lessons – but only to those who want to learn from it. — The Straits Times
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Hisham defends cow-head protestors
Hishammuddin ... why would we want to penalise anybody?
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 2 – The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.
“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part. There was no intention on their part to cause racial divide. They, the organisers, who are sitting left and right of me, didn’t even know that somebody was going to bring the head of the cow during that demonstration.” he said.
He added that the residents only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative because it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”
A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat last Friday, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the gaze of the riot police.
The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming the area is mainly occupied by Malay-Muslims.
The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the police allowed the demonstrators to proceed because the numbers of protestors were small.
“They said that they were very conscious and all that they wanted to do was to voice their unhappiness about the willingness of the state government to listen to their requests. I was told that even the Hindus there are not so passionate that it is built there (section 23),” he said.
Hishammuddin refuted claims that the protest was organised by Umno and said that the location allocated by the state government is not suitable because Section 23 is predominantly Malay.
However, a check last week showed the neighbourhood was multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.
“If I wanted to use the issue to create chaos in Selangor, I can but we didn’t take such actions,” Hishammuddin said.
He tried to play down the cow-head incident by pointing out that there were previous incidents where a pig-head was used.
“I have it in my records to show there were cases where a pig-head was used by irresponsible parties including leaving the head in front of an Umno building covered by an Umno flag,” he said, but offered no details of such an act.
The Umno vice-president warned irresponsible parties not to provoke racial sentiments because it goes against the concept of 1 Malaysia.
Hishammuddin told reporters that the residents had met with Hindu Sangam two days ago and both parties will be releasing a media statement tomorrow.
“If it can be resolved quickly and can be done with both sides understanding each other ... why would we want to penalise anybody?” he said, suggesting he was not in favour of legal action to be taken against any of the protestors.
DESIDERATA: Desi as a newshound using name of YL Chong, wishes to give the Other Side of the story, at the same time I believe I am allowed to add that here's a DISCORDANT NOTE... Coming from a most understanding Home Minister -- was he so kind to candlelight vigilers engaged in peaceful protests against the ISA? -- he in previous Education portfolio famous/notorious for keris-wielding at the PWTC Stage, remember?
Related Articles at www.themalaysianinsider.com:
Pakatan wants Hishammuddin sacked
Hishammuddin needs a reality check – The Malaysian Insider
PM says only police and AG can decide on cow-head protestors
AG to decide tomorrow on cow-head protestors
Selangor moves to calm temple row
Split with Singapore cited as a ‘lesson’
Malaysia’s ethnic relations at critical point – Nurul Izzah Anwar and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad
Perkasa wants ISA detention for questioning Islam, Malays and BM
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UPDATEd @12.33PM -- see how Desi renders yee national service!
First Dr Ling Liong Sik made headlines with his "Gostan" decision after vacationing in Perth, WA, to remain as Transport Minister. HIs rationale was he listened to party members, Chinese community leaders' exhortations for him to remain in the Cabinet to render his national service, what grandious patriotic fervour. That happened during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's reign eon years ago.
Of course, later Pak Lah as PM was famous for his flip-flop decisions, BUT NEVER "a-gostan" within a short period.
Now Hishamuddin HUssein established a new record, doing a Go-stan within 24 to 2X24?
Maybe there's some saving grace after much admonishment. As most discipline masters in school would do with errant pupils: Let's give the naughty boy Hisham a chance to repent his wrongdoing. Just stand in that Temiang Korner for two hours 2 minutes and 2 seconds, then write 222 linesala "I must think before I speak!" -- YL Chong, who aspires to become a Discipline Master at the Home ministry -- do I have to wear a piece of white cloth?
Courtesy of The NST Online:)
Cow head action 'a serious issue'
2009/09/04
PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry views seriously all issues that can adversely affect the peace, harmony, security and stability of the country and its people of various races.
Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said as such, he could not accept the actions of some who bore religious symbols, like the head of a cow, that clearly offended the feelings and religious beliefs of certain groups.
Bernama quoted him as saying this in a statement on his meeting on Wednesday with the association and representatives of residents of Section 23, Shah Alam, to find a resolution to the opposition towards the relocation of a Hindu temple there.
The residents of the area last week held a protest and in the incident, some persons had brought the decapitated head of a cow and placed it in front of the Selangor State Secretariat building.
"I consider such an action as very serious and it should not have been done, as I have stated many times before," he said yesterday.
"As such, I have ordered the police to continue their investigation and take firm action against anyone responsible, especially those who had marred the protest by the residents by bringing the cow's head that led to a highly sensitive situation."
He said the police had identified those involved and would bring them to justice.
Mazlinda Mahmood reports from Shah Alam that the Section 23 Residents Association action committee chairman Ahmad Mahayuddin Abdul Manaf hoped that two meetings to be held would allay and ultimately end the misunderstanding.
They are the state government-organised dialogue with the residents, to be held tomorrow, and a meeting with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam today.
He hoped that the dialogue would produce positive results, especially with the assistance and advice of a third party, which he refused to name, to find an amicable solution.
"We hope the Indian community would be able to accept our explanation on our intentions," he said when contacted yesterday.
Today, about 20 action committee members and residents are expected to attend a meeting with the Malaysia Hindu Sangam at the Section 23 hall.
Tomorrow, about 800 people are expected at the dialogue, co-organised by the Shah Alam City Council and Selangor State Development Corporation, at the council's banquet hall.
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