A Racist Start to Ramadhan

By Farish A. Noor

It is not often that I sermonise in my articles, and it has been a month since the OtherMalaysia.org research project was brought to a close. Yet despite everything the tone and tenor of Malaysia’s convoluted politics and the country’s slide into decline forces us to take stock of how far Malaysia has travelled over the past 50 years of its independence, or hasnt.

With the feeble administration of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi teetering on the verge of implosion and collapse, Malaysians are preparing themselves for the worst to come. Since 2004 Malaysia has in fact been running on autopilot, a point made clear to me by a European diplomat who once asked me ‘Is anyone running this country and does Badawi even know what is going on?” Coccooned from the realities of a society that has experienced large scale and even traumatic changes, the Badawi government proved itself to be totally dislocated and clueless over what was happening.

In time, historians like myself will have to take up our pens and write the political obituary of Prime Minister Badawi. The portrait will not be a pretty one: While this ‘man of the people’ was surrounded by a closed circle of relatives and family friends who were his confidants, Badawi seemed totally oblivious to the fate of millions of ordinary Malaysians who had to endure five years of his lacklustre non-leadership. Badawi claimed to be the ‘Prime Minister of all Malaysians’, but showed scant concern for the plight of dozens of Hindu temples that were being demolished in the country. And when Malaysia’s Hindu community begged and pleaded for his intervention to save their cherished places of worship, this ‘leader of all Malaysians’ chose to look the other way and was cowed into submission by the more vocal, communitarian and sectarian bigots of his own right-wing ethno-nationalist party.

Time and again Badawi could and should have done the right thing, to control the extremists in the ranks of his own party. But he chose instead to let them play to the gallery to shore up his own flaccid personality and lagging popularity. On two occassions – at his UMNO party’s general assembly – the leader of the Youth Wing of UMNO brandished a weapon in public while professing that the Malays were the community that deserved a special position and privileges in Malaysia. Such hot-headed right-wing rantings are befit for a demagogue of a fascist party, but once again Badawi did nothing to curb the excesses of the extremists of his own party UMNO.

The most recent outrage came when yet another UMNO leader – Ahmad Ismail – caused a ruckus in the state of Penang when he and his followers openly threatened and insulted Malaysians of non-Malay origin at a press conference. In a statement calculated to inflame tempers, the UMNO members called on the Malays to unite and warned the Malaysian Chinese community not to behave like American Jews. A photo of a Malaysian Chinese politician was torn and tempers flared as expected.

Again the Malaysian public is asking: What is Badawi going to do?

For decades Malaysians of all walks of life have had to live by the propaganda of the UMNO party and the coalition it has led. Malaysians have been warned about the dangers of communism, socialism, class-based workers and student movements; and even taught to fear a free and independent media. Yet the vile and poisonous racist outbursts that have emanated and echoed across the corridors of power in the country have by and large come from UMNO and its band of vociferous sabre-rattling leaders, whose only recourse to an intelligent argument has been vile racist remarks, sexist jokes and abuse. How many times must Malaysians have to tolerate this party whose leaders and members remain the most brazen and vocally racist in the country? And how much longer do Malaysians have to wait before the present Prime Minister, whose impotence and inability to act and speak decisively has been one of the root causes of Malaysia’s social fragmentation?

It is doubly ironic that Ahmad Ismail’s racist remarks came just as the fasting month of Ramadhan was beginning. This, being a holy month where patience and forebearance are lauded above all, made the timing of his press conference and abusive remarks all the more pointed and bitter. At the rate things are going in Malaysia – and Malaysia’s Central Bank has reported a capital flight of 1.1 Billion US dollars in August alone – the fall of Badawi and the UMNO-led government may come sooner than later. Historians will no doubt have ample time to write and ruminate about the manifold failings of Badawi, but his fall will serve as a benchmark in the country’s history as it signifies the moment when Malaysians have had enough of the most ineffective governance the country has had for five decades, and were willing to accept anything else instead, whatever the cost.

CategoriesUncategorized

22 Replies to “A Racist Start to Ramadhan”

  1. Ahmad Ismail’s remarks may be racist, and Pak Lah’s leadership may flip flop and be weak but both are playing a vital role in presenting Malaysia the test of the truth or otherwise of Pakatan Rakyat’s central theme – that the time and idea has come for mainstream Malaysia, taking an aggregate of all races, to discard the old order of communal politics in preference to the new order based on the multiracial one.

    Though admittedly the country is heading along a dangerous course – to be eschewed – yet events are unfolding in a way that is logically only to be expected, given the backdrop of our communal political culture of last 30-40 years.

    Sin Chew Daily’s highlighting of Ahmad Ismail’s “pendatang” statement is mere catalyst to open the pandora box of this incontrovertible fact – that UMNO’s politics has always been based on Malay political hegemony and the acquiescence of its junior partners – MCA, Gerakan, PPP, Parti Bersatu Sabah, UPKO – with it.

    Ahmad Ismail’s racist statement is by no means exceptional. He is archetype of many wmbeded within UMNO who have taken his stance and had arisen the party’s heirarchy with assistance of such rhetorics.

    Ahmad Ismail’s defence of his stance not to apologise is therefore a defence of what UMNO has always stood for with tacit connivance of the cheiftains of its Non Malay BN component parties for a share of the crumbs of the gravy train and largese dispensed by their senior partner. The whole BN political arrangment of each party hypocritically representing its communal interest (for a share of the gravy train) is the political order of the day.

    The platform of what Pakatan Rakyat (PR) took to the 12th Malaysian General election represents the alternative based on need than communal interest. This is supposed to be the new order of politics to come if PR forms the government.

  2. The success of PR in the last election has been attributed (rightly or wrongly) to shift in Malay’s attitude (especially but not exclusively amongst the young, urban and educated voters exposed to Internet) away from the traditional order of BN’s politics based on race towqards the new order of politics espoused by PR.

    Accordingly, Non Malay BN component parties – especially Gerakan, MCA and MIC – have identified and blamed their rejection by their respective constituencies in the 8th March on the irrelevance of this old order of communal politics being superseded by the new order of which Pak Lah is but a catalyst,unintentionally or otherwise.

    There are those who take a different view. Ahmad Ismail’s intransigent refusal to apologise represents a reassertion of the relevance of the old order. Ex premier Tun Dr Mahathir (TDM) is returning to UMNO to prove Ahmad’s point – that the old order of communal politics based on UMNO/Malay hegemony is still very much relevant; that UMNO constituency, the Malays more than ever hold dear the precepts of ‘Ketuanan’ within the old order and that BN’s dismal performance on 8th March is attributed more to an isolated phenomenon of Pak Lah’s weak leadership rather than irrelevance of communal politics based on old order.

    So it is a clash and contestation between those in BN componet parties who believe in PR’s argument of the new order and those like Ahmad Ismail and TDM who hold on to the traditional order – with Ahmad Ismail in the centre as the flash point of this issue.

    The former group comprise of MCA, Gerakan, PPP, Parti Bersatu Sabah, UPKO and others component parties, who being spooked by Anwar’s much touted September 16 deadline, have passed the message in yesterday’s BN supreme Council’s meeting to UMNO that Ahmad (as epitome of old order politics) should be disciplined. (In this sense Anwar’s Sept 16 threat has the desired psychological result on his poltical opponents).

  3. Correctly it is left to senior partner UMNO the final call of what to do with Ahmad. The action or inaction that Umno takes against Ahmad Ismail will have consequences far beyond that one man.

    It signals whether UMNO shares the same perception of its Non Malay component junior partners that the time has come for it to reinvent towards more multiracial stance than clinging on to the old order of Malay hegemony, believing in its continued relevance as if all of UMNO’s woes will be resolved the moment its numero ono is removed from premiership.

    Who is correct – the Old Order or New Order ??? – is something all Malaysians will want to know as well, not just the parties within BN.

    There is nothing much PR, that presents the new vision and causes all of BN’s present woes, could do more except to reconfirm its stance against the politics of Ahmad Ismail in the last joint communique issued signed by Anwar for PKR, Husam for PAS and Kit for DAP, now sit back and enjoy the spectacle whether UMNO will hold on to its traditional stand, and Non Malay component junior partners will get disillusioned and leave.

    My sense is UMNO will likely compromise and as usual hedge its bets by disciplining Ahmad to satisfy its component parties and yet meet out a mild punishment in deference of the many within UMNO who still holds on to the old order.

    Events are unfolding as they logically ought to – to present Malaysian the test case of which vision and political order is relevant.

  4. And there are those – the detractors of Anwar – who will say what is that man doing : his rise within UMNO was based on TDM’s old order of politics. Due to his single minded pursuit of personal ambition to be a PM, he melds disparate parties like PAS and DAP together and talk cock of new order of politics (reformasi), knowing fully well (1) when PR comes to power, there’s no change in feudal corruption, race & religious play and (2) willing to hazard bringing Malaysia to precipice of racial tension/conflict in his purusit of ambition knowing well as those with vested interests in old order like Ahmad Ismailand his ilk will do exacty what has been done.

    However say what you like (1) is hypothetical, and even if corruption were to continue,it may assume another face and be a notch less blatant; as regards (2) whether his focus is solely based on personal ambition or a greater national interest, fact is he does present Malaysians hope of an alternative to the old order that has been proven inimical to national interest in the face of international competitiveness in this new millenium of Globalism,ICT and Human Rights.

  5. After decades of bad leadeship and gross mismanagement of the country, what could the the present PM or anybody in this position do to improve the country in a short period of time – there is no quick fix.

    There is no capable, competent and responsible leader/s to draw from UMNO BN to ensure the best interests of the country are in safe hands………..but there are many racists, bigots, bullies and ” yes ” man/woman politicians who achieved their political ambition through politics of race and religion with threat, intimidation and aggression damaging to the country.

  6. Usually when the little boss made the mistake, the big boss should resign (harakiri). So who should die for the mistakes Ahmad made? This was not just Ahmad alone, but UMNO over the whole Penang. What was wrong. The guy who torn the photo, the guy who suggested to kill the reporters,…. they should all be punished by UMNO laws.

  7. The return of TDM means the ‘the good Old” ways.
    The manner and timing of his return signifies 2 things.
    1. Its unplanned, therefore haphazard hence, has absolutely
    nothing to do with the well-being of the country other than race related issues (Old and outdated issues)
    2. Straight forward, BN has dug its own grave and now
    does not matter where new ideas can come from, it’s ok
    even if it means – forgetting their differences after all, both
    face the same opponent.

    It may a blessing in disguist. If at all the new Goment should
    formed, history will be written as “Totally New Minus Totally Old”
    Its convenient, cheap, easy to understand, ‘Sekali gus! The old includes the roots as well.
    All in 1 packaged. End It.
    Jeff, what do ya think?

  8. Who is this guy who utter all this racist remark. Is it true that he representing the majority UMNO grassroot view? Should the leadership of UMNO select not to take stern action agaianst such racist remark that means UMNO is agreeing with it. Well we just have to see what kind of discipline action to be taken by UMNO and the reaction within the UMNO also from BN component parties on decision taken by UMNO leadership.

  9. Racism has been the stumbling block in the country’s development.

    Decades ago Malaysia was the second most developed nation in Asia after Japan. Today we are nowhere. Countries that were once behind us, such as South Korea and Taiwan, are now far ahead of us – at least in terms of Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. We cannot deny that some of the best brains in these countries actually come from Malaysia. In attempts to flee racism, it is sad to see Malaysian professionals emigrate to other countries as that represents a big loss to the nation. The government must not take it for granted that race-based requirements or quota will not have detrimental effects on local and foreign investments.

    It is time to purge this evil of racism from the country’s administration or the country risks being superseded by China, Vietnam and Thailand in the not so distant future.

  10. Its not coincidence that Dr. Noor write this article at this time. Ahmad Ismail has become more than about racism. He is now a symbol of all that is wrong with UMNO-led BN – unaccountable, out of control and resistant to progress. Even yesterday when its clear things are not in his favor, he loudly insist a flimsy excuse that the whole issue was blowned up by Gerakan.

    While its clear that UMNO MT will have to act on Ahmad Ismail, how hard and how soft they come down on him is very crucial. Too soft and the whole thing will hurt BN and Badawi even worst. But too hard and Badawi-Najib will find themselves a real threat of a Razaleigh-Muhiyiddin-Dr. M alliance in Dec that could rip the party apart.

    Its possible but it does take a deft touch which Badawi has not shown he is capable of. This is all on him to make it happen and he is more likley than not to fall short. He is very likely to just fall slightly short so that uncertainty prevails and no one wins and no one lose in BN but us Malaysian public suffer for the indecisiveness.

  11. Dear YB LKS

    Sorry for off topics, but I believe many would want to know what does Pakatan Rakyat coalition has in plan upon the succesful take over on 916. It is one of the agenda that has been drumming in my mind and as good as giving me “the-reason-to-continue-living”.

    Basically, it would be great to tackle the big question posed by the WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, HOW and WHICH. For this purpose, I intentionally leave out the “WHO” question as it matters more to know the rest rather than the “WHO” at current.

    Some examples of the want-to-knows are as follow:

    Cabinet:
    – How many ministers in the cabinet
    – How are they selected

    PDRM:
    – Whether any revamp is required and if yes, what and how
    – When is the revamp going to happen
    – What is the factors used to gauge the ability/capability of the PDRM
    – How to ensure independence of the PDRM

    Judiciary:
    – How to ensure an independent judiciary system
    – What action taken to bring the unjust appointees to face the music

    Corruption:
    – What measures to take to ensure fair competition
    – How to prevent crooks from leaving the country
    – Measures to serve the corruptors w their just desserts
    – How to ensure that corruptions are kept to a minimum

    There are a lot more at hand, but the idea is I am concerned (hopefully seconded by someone) on the future of Malaysia comes 916. Area of tax evasion, prevalent gang activities, vices, black market for 4D (which have enriched many!), APs, land scams, etc etc

    Hopefully YB LKS will have a thread on this matter.

  12. When such harsh words were said, picture of your leader was torn in such provocative manner, challenges were thrown and ultimatum were issued, it is only NATURAL for the receiving party to fight back.

    A tit-for-tat.

    All these are the ingredients of May 13 in-the-making. How sad.

  13. What to do? Umno’s armor shield has always been ‘racial’ and ‘racist’. Umno’s platform has always been ‘racial’ and ‘racist’.

    Take away ‘Malay’, ‘Chinese’, ‘Indian’, ‘Iban’, ‘Kadazan’, etc. and replace them with ‘Malaysian’, Umno will be stripped of its armor shield and platform. Umno will have no reason to be in existence. Umno will have no pretence to continue to devour the nation’s riches in the name of economically disadvantaged Malays for self enrichment and glorification.

    51 years after Merdeka of Malaya and 45 years after the formation of Malaysia, we still have Ahmad Ahmad Ismail and his gang of racist Penang Umnoputras telling non-Malay Malaysians that they are pendatang and must not be greedy to grab political power!

    What nonsense! We are all Malaysians and we should all contribute economically and politically to the growth and welfare of all Malaysians. Think Malaysians and act Malaysians.

    Ahmad Ahmad Ismail and his gang of racist Penang Umnoputras want to be the master race or the pigs in the Animal Farm! Before they can claim that dubious honour, they better spend some time and carefully study the history of Malaya and Malaysia, the Constitutions, and Rukun Negara!

  14. While Ahmad’s fate will be decided later today, it has been rumoured that he would be kicked out of UMNO.

    Frankly, by suspending Ahmad Ismail from Umno is the EASY WAY OUT for Umno.

    It is crisp, harsh and action-speaks-louder kind of a thing. Everyone’s happy.

    But it also spares Umno the headache and torn that was piercing the flesh.
    In a way, it benefit Umno as well.

    Still, there are other humiliating and deterrent ways like:
    1. un-Datuk him,
    2. strip him of all post and reduce him to a common member instead of suspending him,
    3. send in the ACA,(like what happened to the SAPP president)
    4. or send to a two week moral and civic class for rehabilitation.

    AND DON’T FORGET ALSO HIS DOWNLINE GANGSTERS THAT APPEARED LIVE ON NATIONAL TV in that despicable act.

  15. Wow, great artical here…

    Its Vital Cancerous Tomour that must be removed, the acidic blood are the main cause, Nation must start intake mass alkaline food instead.

    BeEnd are Acidic!! theres only 5 types of Alkaline food in the world.

    MUST CONSUME ANTIDOTE!
    * MALAYSIA HAD TOP ALKALINE PARTY AS DSAI LKS LGE A.H.AWANG NIK AZIZ and Many More Leaders! HIDUP PAKATAN! HIDUP MALAYSIA!

  16. Aiyah, ahmad is just a means to an end la, if he didn’t have the correct political backing, do you think he would not only make the statement, but also refuse to apologise after najib apologised in public? ahmad is just a puppet being controlled by someone much more powerful than he is, steering from behind the scene, and this person is slowly surfacing, by being “persuaded” to rejoin UMNO. soon he will use badawi’s inaction as an excuse and take over control of the country again. can PR stop this? Pls tell us you can.

  17. We can conduct analysis after analysis on what Malaysia was, is and will be.

    We can dish out infinite number of hypotheses, theories, and dissertations of what Malaysia was and could become.

    We can produce charts, graphs and extrapolations of what the nation could be.

    We can go on arguing and debating until the cows come home.

    HOWEVER, there are limits to the usefulness and relevance of any particular ideology, policy, practice, suggestion, pursuit, man-concocted principles ( as opposed to universal and fundamental natural principles ), etc., etc.

    Of basic and fundamental importance are sense and sensibility.
    If these elements are absent and not given the rightful space and consideration, even the best of ideas and intentions would fail to achieve the desired results.

    Intrinsic to sense and sensibility are integrity, impartiality, and accountability. The firmness and steadfastness to base all actions and thoughts on these prerequisite will stand the test of time and space, no matter what one aspires to accomplish.

    Guided by these values, all charters, ideologies, plans, desires, intentions, wishes, programs, theories, etc., etc., would fall into place to fulfil whatever the hearts wished for.

    Perhaps, our people have been too engrossed in polemics, too caught up in sundry politics, too distracted by social mind games, too egoistic, too individualistic, etc. etc., that reality and sensibility have been totally and utterly neglected. The consequences of which Malaysia and Malaysian are experiencing at the moment.

    Too often, wrong responses to situations have been given. Too often, the authorities mandated to carry out their duties have neglected their very roles and responsibilities. Too often, corruption have been allowed to rear its ugly head with impunity. Too often, rules are regulations have been flouted. Too often, prejudice and discrimination have been allowed to unchecked. Too often, there are abuses of power and positions. Too often, accountability was not accounted for. Too often, the rich and influential had been allowed to act according to their whim and fancy. Too often, too often, too often.

    The nation would, could and should be able to tread the path to “excellence, glory, and distinction” if it had the benefit of accessing those basic and fundamental principles and values, which are so sorely lacking, but which seem to have been harped on in efforts to gain support and publicity.

    Let’s just hope that sense and sensibility will prevail.

  18. Ahmad Ismail still in his wet dream trying to paint picture of him ‘fighting’ for his own race but he has failed miserably trying to fool the general public. Rakyat are getting smarter now. Rakyat rejects race based policies politicized by the ruling parties ie UMNO, MCA and MIC. We know the ruling party ie BN trying to break the unity of nation by pretending to ‘defend’ own race. Come on lah, in this era of globalised society, BN still living in its own cocoon taking about race and right! GET THE H**L OUT OF YOU COCONUT SHELL and open your eyes. So what you have all the special rights and privilege, you cant even compete in the world when you step out of this country!

    Why can’t the whole nation irrespective of race work together to counter globalisation and make the country success in global terms. Time to stop the corrupted politicians that make use of these policies to enrich they own while the poor rakyat continue to suffer generation after generation.

    Following pls find a mail written by a brother who received ‘enlightenment’:-

    Malay rights
    By Shaik Rizal Sulaiman

    The Malays are ‘technically’ in power governing the country but it is also this same controlling group that demands the right to correct economic imbalances and disparities for its own race.

    What does this say about the ‘majority governing’ Malay race for the last 50 years?
    I dare say that most Malaysians (regardless of race) below the age of 40 would like to
    see all opportunities be spread amongst those who deserve it on meritocracy.

    We do not need the keris anymore to tell others to be careful of what they say and do
    because in the survival of the fittest, the keris is of very little relevance!

    If we continue to hide under the ‘bumiputera’ tempurung as most Malays have been in the last 50 years or more, the catch-up game will just get harder and the gap wider.

    If we continue to expect without earning it, we will never learn how to be a race that succeeds on merit. There is NO substitute for merit. The Malay politicians continue to shout about Malay rights and bumiputera rights because the very nature of our local politics is sadly racially biased.

    In this day and age, a great nation is built upon joint success stories, meritocracy and the
    combined hard work of its people WITHOUT any fear or favour of racial biased politics governing our daily policies.

    I am below 40 and as much as I love the ‘idea’ that Malaysia is tanah tumpahnya darah orang Melayu, I can’t help but also feel that this country is for ALL Malaysians alike including the Chongs, the Kumars, the Xaviers, the Sings & Kaurs etc who were born on the same day in the same hospital as me here in Malaysia.

    If we feel that WE (the Malays) deserve this country more than THEM , then WE (the Malays) should have shown them a long time ago that we deserve the ‘control all’ status.

    We have to earn it. The policies FAILED because the very concept of Malay rights or the NEP/DEB is like a double-edged sword. On one hand, it aims to eradicate wealth disparity but on the other, it has made the Malays oblivious of what reality is. Our (Malays) success is only reflected in the ‘perceived’ political power which today can collapse in a matter of minutes. I would also like to see my children succeed in their country, Malaysia, for reasons that true success should be based upon, which are merit and hard work and NOT because they are Malays or bumiputeras. For as long as the Malays don’t see this, there is very little point in fighting for Malay rights.

    It just makes us look more ridiculous. We have taken this notion of being privileged a bit too literally in that it now simply means we want this country and its fruits all for ourselves without accepting the responsibilities that come with it. I blame the MALAY politicians for this because we want to only fight the cause without strategising for the true substance and need of the cause. We have been given fish all the while without being taught how to fish.

    It’s funny how two different generations can be so diverse in their thinking and the recent elections proved
    just that. We are no longer concerned with racial problems but more so the never-ending Malay agenda issues. The rakyat has spoken and the landscape has drastically changed. Is this change welcomed? Is it good?

    The answer is ‘NO’. Because we,the Malays, have been caught with our pants down – we are
    not ready to compete on any level playing field (we can’t even compete on advantageous grounds!). Even with three or five more continuing policies for Malay rights or bumiputera privileges over the next 50 years, we will still be in exactly the same position as we are in today.

    The truth hurts and the truth will always prevail. And the truth of what’s to come will NOT go away. I am cynical perhaps because I feel that Malay rights is NOT relevant anymore.
    The right to be safe, to be treated fairly, to have a world-class healthcare and education, to enjoy equal prosperity, to have good governance, to live in a clean environment and to be war-free is what I want for my Malaysia. NOT for MY race to be artificially powerful.

    If we want the Malays to fail, then by all means continue the fight for Malay rights. Go and polish your keris.

    Shaik Rizal Sulaiman
    Posted by Malaysian
    Unplug @ Link to This Post

    ps
    In recent months we have seen the Syariah Courts allowing quite a few Malays to exercise their rights to a third or fourth wife. Fair, the guy may be able to provide for the financial & conjugal needs of his wives. However, question here is when he has a dozen kids, will he be able to provide a decent education and life to his kids or will he demand for his ‘Rights’ for subsidy and aid and be a burden to the govt and society.

  19. I fail to understand about all these “fighting”! Since Malays enjoyed special rights in Malaysia, why must UMNO keep “fighting” for Malay rights? It sounds absurd! You only “fight” for something if you are not “given” but for the Malays, even something that has already been given to them since birth need to be “fought”! We always hear of UMNO calling out “PERJUANGAN”, just who are they “juanging” against?

    Next comes MCA “fighting” for Chinese rights! Since MCA is a component party in BN, it shares governmental powers and as it claims to represent the Chinese and shares power at par with the other component racial based parties, rights of the Chinese should not have been a question at all. So why “fight” for such rights? It’s simply a disgrace for MCA to use the word “fight”. This is a word patented to the OPPOSITION only!

Leave a Reply