By Farish A. Noor
Studying Malaysian politics is a chore in itself, but rewarding for the simple reason that it is one of the most plural, complex and complicated countries in the world. Among all the countries that I have worked on, it is Malaysia that continues to challenge my capacity to think (and relax) for the simple reason that its communitarian mode of sectarian politics is an odd blend of modernity and primordialism that is seldom equalled anywhere else.
At present the opposition coalition known as the Peoples Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) is once again in a state a crisis – or rather manifold crises – as the component parties bicker over the mode of governance in the states that they won after the elections of March 2008. Bringing together the predominantly Chinese-Malaysian Left-leaning DAP, the multiracial PKR and the overwhelmingly Malay-Muslim Islamists of PAS was never an easy task; and it was said from the outset that the coalition was an instrumental one.
Today however the coalition is once again at breaking point after the DAP threatened to leave the coalition over a dispute over the destruction of a pig abattoir in the state of Kedah, disputes over contracts awarded to development projects in Penang and Selangor, and the lingering fear that the Islamists of PAS will push their Islamisation agenda in the states that have come under their control. Seemingly trivial matters such as the sale of pork and alcohol have forced all three parties to the defensive, with each party holding steadfast to its stand.
Now for political scientists such as myself, situations such as these – which are by no means unique to Malaysia – are worthy of further study as they raise the question of how a mode of representative politics can be developed and institutionalised in the context of plural societies with ethnic, religious and linguistic differences enshrined in the constitution as well as the institutions of state. For this reason what happens in Malaysia is of interest to others in countries like India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, South Africa et al.
The root of the problem seems to be this: Despite the introduction and imposition of modern tools of statecraft such as the Parliament, the Constitution, the Judiciary etc. the operative mode of politics in Malaysia – like in many other post-colonial societies – is anything but modern. Feudal, essentialist and primordial loyalties to race, religion and culture predominate and determine the norms of political praxis, and are still being used by all political parties to maintain the support of their respective sectarian constituencies. Hence the Islamist party’s preponderance to defend and foreground causes deemed relevant to Muslims; while other ethnic-based parties continue to foreground the interests of their respective ethnic communities.
Despite decades of rhetoric about building a united plural Malaysia, none of the political parties and political elite of Malaysia have done much in terms of bridging the cultural, religious and ethno-linguistic gulfs between them. Hence the predominance of a mode of absolutist politics where no single party or leader can even begin to accept the idea of genuine difference and alterity in their midst.
It is for this reason that trivial matters like the sale of pork and alcohol have become so contentious in states like Selangor, and why even the simplest of things like linguistic differences can make or break the fragile coalitions we see in the country.
The question that has to be raised is this: how long will it take for the leaders of Malaysia’s political parties to realise that difference and alterity are living realities in a complex world, and that successful politics arises when parties can accept these differences and transcend them? At present, it is clear that some of the parties in the country have yet to learn the lesson. The Islamists of Selangor, for instance, are still bent on pursuing their mode of religiously-inspired politics with all its attendant dangers of moral policing. While all the parties of the country talk on and on about the much-lauded image of Malaysia being a diverse and plural nation, we see little respect for pluralism on the ground level. Religious minorities such as the Shias and Ahmadis are routinely described as deviants and deprived of their status as Muslims, moral policing is still the norm; and now even the sale of pork for non-Muslims has become an issue.
What holds true for the conservatives among the Islamists also holds true for the representatives and leaders of other parties as well, and as long as this situation pertains then there can be little hope for a genuinely plural and democratic politics in Malaysia.
Plural societies on the other hand are not the best place to play out a politics of absolutism, with its maximalist ambitions. In so many developing countries today, the hope of creating a singular national vision with a singular narrative has been eclipsed by the very real fact that these societies are too complex to be simplified and essentialised. There can be no singular image or identity to Malaysian society today any more than there can be a singular Indian, Pakistani, Indonesian or even American nation, for the simple reason that the processes of social differentiation have grown so far advanced that the appeal of a singular unifying narrative is lost.
So perhaps a healthy dose of relativism – tempered by the awareness that relativism per se cannot be a licence for all sorts of cultural particularism of the Taliban variety – is required to get us out of the present impasse that stands before most plural societies. In the Malaysian context this may be more difficult for those political parties that use religion as the basis of their ideology, and who think of themselves as God’s politicians on earth who are here to gain control over the Parliament of Heaven. But sooner than later all politicians who claim to be representative – rather than authoritarian – will have to accept the fact that not all communities live and believe as their own, and that dealing with difference is part and parcel of modern constitutional politics today.
Farish ,
you do not understand Malaysian multicultural background….yet u claimed yourself as the new political scientist…..perhap u understand Swine Flu…
Yes ChengHo … that’s the way man, insult Farish. Whooppeeeeee! No need to read what is written and digest, just support PR only because we hate BN right?
Games are being played, there are so many issues that shows PR is cracking, not 1Malaysia ok. PAS Youth wants to have intellectual talks with UMNO Youth, DAP wants to pull out of Kedah, PKR hits out at LGE in Penang, HINDRAF v. LGE, HINDRAF v. HINDRAF and many more ok. This shows how pathetic things are. Fight fight fight … argue argue argue …
All behind this, DSAI is quiet, playing Tok Dalang. You think LKS or Karpal does not know? They tahan only. Soon it will blow!
Najib played a superb card, he did away with 30% Bumi allocation for listings. Why? So PAS and PKR and DAP will be at odds. He knows what PAS (Melayu) will say ad what DAP (Chinaman) response will be.
Najib already told the BN component parties the game plan. With the new investment arm, money still flows out to the right pockets.
Think Najib is NAJIS? Think again … PAS already taken the bait and a response from DAP has been shot against it! Game is on schedule. Create dissent and it will crack!
DSAI is playing everyone, look at the rally held this week. Independant news which are all anti BN says it was a great BN bash. Bash what? Only 4,000 turned out compared to last time when you get a lot more. People are sick already. Go to read Malaysia Today where the people are totally anti BN, they are sick of PR. Read carefully … that is reality.
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23833/84/
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23838/84/#jc_writeComment
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23841/84/#jc_writeComment
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23848/84/#jc_writeComment
I remember when I used to say this will happen and I was called an UMNO Goon …
PR … wake up … a solid opportunity has been given and you all are throwing it away!
//….Malaysia – like in many other post-colonial societies – is anything but modern. Feudal, essentialist and primordial loyalties to race, religion and culture predominate and determine the norms of political praxis, and are still being used by all political parties to maintain the support of their respective sectarian constituencies.//
I disagree with you that it is ALL political parties that resort to feudalism, race and religion to gain support as stated by you. In Malaysia, it is only UMNO and PAS who think their race and religion are more superior than others and should be give pre-eminence. Let’s not be hypocrite about it: in Malaysia, it is only the non Malays and non Muslims who are fighting for a multiracial and multi-religious Malaysia. As far as I can see, UMNO is fighting for Malay Malaysia and PAS – Islamic Malaysia. Both parties essentially feel that non Malays and non Muslim have no leadership roles no matter what. The Malays, Islam and Muslims must take centre stage in everything. Until and unless this is achieved, we shall have no peace.
//There can be no singular image or identity to Malaysian society today any more than there can be a singular Indian, Pakistani, Indonesian or even American nation, for the simple reason that the processes of social differentiation have grown so far advanced that the appeal of a singular unifying narrative is lost.//
Well, tell this to UMNO and PAS.
The complexity of Malaysian Politics is well illustrated by choice of words for Swine Flu…. the Power of Words.
The Malaysian public is generally highly sensitive to matters connected with race and religion. This is of course widely reflected in the language issues as mentioned in my previous post in my blog (http://bumisohology.wordpress.com). This is rightly so, as Heidegger did say that “Language is the House of Being”.
It is therefore not surprising that the “inappropriate” choice of words could cause wide-spread uneasiness in the Malaysian society, particularly in the current fight against the global spread of Influenza A H1N1 (officially designated by the WHO) or Selesema Babi (Pig or Swine Flu in Malay) officially designated by the Malaysian Information Ministry (so-called official version).
As the official religion in Malaysia is Islam, the word “Babi” (Pig or Swine) is therefore highly sensitive. Frequent utterance of the word, especially in the so-called official channels such as government TV stations etc., is certainly beyond logics or common sense.
Let us use the same principle of Bumi-Soho-Logy (employed in my previous post in my blog carrying the same title) to analyze the issue at hand: the use of local / global / cosmic or universal perspectives.
To use the term “Selesema Babi” is certainly adopting a local perspective … too local in the context of the global spread of the disease. The global and officially sanctioned term is “Influenza A H1N1”. That is the global perspective rightly.
Employing the cosmic / universal perspective (as required in the Bumi-Soho-Logy approach), one would have to wonder what is the interconnectedness involved, unless one could bring in the Theory of Conspiracy (not necessarily true). Heaven forbids!? And what about Heidegger’s famous quote “Language is the House of Being”? The interpretation and implication of that would be sacrilegious, wouldn’t it?
That is the complexity of Malaysian politics! The Bumi-Soho-Logy approach could be one of the ways out of these “word puzzles”!
“The Malays, Islam and Muslims must take centre stage in everything. Until and unless this is achieved, we shall have no peace.” limkamputt
… and you shall forever hold your piece??
Why is it that PAS is so sensitive to anything which it considers un-islamic ? Do they ever think that what’s food for them is poision to others especially to the non-muslim.Although Islam is an official religion of the country but that does not give them the blatant right to do anything without considering the sensitivity of all non-muslim in the country.PAS and Umno,should they want peace and harmony in the country must learn to understand the sensitivity of non muslim citizens to earn our respect just as we have understood their sensitivity and earned their respect. It’s all a two ways traffic and there’s no way,PAS and Umno can solve our multi racial and multi religious society on it’s only terms.Let me put it more simple…The PAS/UMNO’s only way is not conducive to a peaceful and harmonious society.On the contrary ,it will create more racial and religious problems.Subsequently it will create divide and disunity among the raykat.
Plurality… my eyes are bleeding. I thought we’d left this sort of thing behind with the Victorians. Boxes for everything. This is this and that is that. Everything divided into its proper number of compartments. Watching Malaysians attempt to enjoy their plurality is like watching my 1 year old son trying to shove his older sister’s Barbie (it’s not genuine, maybe it’s a Babi doll?) doll through the star-shaped hole in his match-the-shape-to-the-hole toy. The only reason you believe you’re in a plural society is because you invented a number of categories you want everything to fit into, or keep out of, whatever the intention was.
‘A Malaysian identity’ reminds me of that scene in The Life of Brian when Brian tells the enormous crowd that they’re all individuals and they chorus “Yes! We’re all individuals!” as one. My ‘British identity’ is my passport. I identify with other British people because they have the same passport. Otherwise, I’m just not the same, and it doesn’t matter one bit. What do I need an all-encompassing ‘British identity’ for? So I can shoot people with beards in Afghanistan? So I can toast the success of another arms deal that leaves some palm oil republic’s most vulnerable people even worse off? Nationalism… sell it somewhere else.
I don’t agree with the ‘there can be no singular image or identity’ bit. People just have to squint a bit. Of course we’re not all going to wake up tomorrow looking exactly the same, eating the same salty fried snacks, smoking the same brand of fags, while thumbing an SMS on the same brand of handphone, while driving the same brand of SUV, all with the same large number of children standing on the dashboard. Malaysians just need to set the bar a bit lower as to what constitutes a Malaysian. “Holding a MyKad” or “calls Malaysia ‘Home'” should be enough.
Heh. I didn’t realise until the last paragraph that I agree with Farish. I thought he was making the opposite argument. OK ignore me.
Farish Noor is correct in some sense.
Malaysian’s have JUST only taken the first small steps towards non racial politics. We still have a long way to go.
It’s not just PAS and UMNO constantly harping about race.
We also see many PKR/DAP Indians harping about ‘not enough Indian representation’ etc.
There are many narrow minded DAP members that also focus only on things such as Chinese schools, chinese temples and chinese signboards etc.
Malaysians have been raised for the past 30 years under racist policies. It will take a long time before Malaysians will be able to change their communal mindset.
I want change Malaysians communal mindset.
Not difficult, it can be done in about 5 years, you need to come out a policy Malaysians will be fine if anyone refer him as Malay, Chinese, indian or etc except Malaysian.
So anyone do it.
You want change Malaysians communal mindset.
Not difficult, it can be done in about 5 years, you need to come out a policy Malaysians will be fine if anyone refer him as Malay, Chinese, indian or etc except Malaysian.
So anyone do it.
“The Malays, Islam and Muslims must take centre stage in everything. Until …” limkamputt
fanning the flames of racism, aren’t you??
And might i add, i think the recent ‘pullout’ by DAP from Kedah over pigs is just more political showmanship by DAP in order to defend its chinese racial voter base.
If an issue such as pigs is so important that warrants pulling out from the coalition, why was LKS wasting time harping about a pathetic 1 million allocation for Tourism Ambassador Jean Todt? Instead of working tirelessly to obtain a suitable location for a new pig abattoir? I mean, wasn’t the entire fate of the coalition resting on this tiny issue?
When you spend more time harping about the Tourism Ministry instead of focusing your limited resources on the issues at hand, then of course people will start questioning whether it really is true that DAP is stuck with the ‘opposition mentality’.
It worries me when all i hear about DAP in the news is just the constant railing about the misdeeds of UMNO-BN. Those are fine, but we need to see more constructive things from DAP.
For example, i liked one DAP reps idea about linking the entire Penang Island with one huge cycling path. Something that will not be likely possible in the near future, but still a good idea nevertheless and one i would like to one day see succeed. However, i loathed the Penang Tiger park idea.
My point: PR has got a lot of work on its hands.
A- Don’t lose focus on what is important and what is trivial nonsense.
B- Don’t focus peoples attention on your trivial politics as people are really (i really mean it!) getting tired of it. Instead, attempt to focus peoples attention on constructive positive aspects of PR.
///The root of the problem seems to be this: Despite the introduction and imposition of modern tools of statecraft such as the Parliament, the Constitution, the Judiciary etc. the operative mode of politics in Malaysia – like in many other post-colonial societies – is anything but modern. Feudal, essentialist and primordial loyalties to race, religion and culture predominate and determine the norms of political praxis, and are still being used by all political parties to maintain the support of their respective sectarian constituencies. Hence the Islamist party’s preponderance to defend and foreground causes deemed relevant to Muslims; while other ethnic-based parties continue to foreground the interests of their respective ethnic communities.///–Farish A, Noor
The different communities were never so segregated before Malaya became independence, and the formation of race-based parties which together constituted the Alliance party was a winning formula for negotiation with the British. Since then the Alliance stuck to its race-based formulae, while the people did not bother to think that there were any meaningful implication about the economic, cultural or religious interests taken collectively as a race.
Life in Malaysia went through a dramatic change with May 13, and Tun Razak had to rationalize why the riots took place. He started adding things up by race, thus we hear about ownership of corporate equity capital by race, as if the rich Chinese tycoons had ever allowed their coffers to be shared by their extended families, let alone other Chinese. That started the polarisation of races where people start to consider everything in terms of race, on a collective basis.
Loyalty to the Sultans by Malays is an interesting speculation. Mahathir as Indian Mamak was able to strip the Rulers of the immunity to prosecution in 1992, and yet the Malays supported him. So either the Malays were loyal to the Sultans, or the Malays co-opted by Article 160 of the constitution have outnumbered those who were the pure Malays.
The Muslims in the days of Tunku were modern Muslims by today’s standard. They accepted that religious belief is a personal thing, and they were happy to dine with non-Malays on the same able, though not partaking in the non-halal meals the others were having. This was what happened when PM AAB was a student in the residential college at the University of Malaya. That was then. Now, Malay students overseas would do the same when having meals with their non-Muslims classmates. Why can’t they do it at home what they did overseas?
The closing of pig abattoir in Kedah became the headline news. Malays are free not to eat pork, and in fact there are more food items than pork that are non-halal. When they could freely view food that they are prohibited from consuming, what make it offensive that pork should be in Muslims full view? There was no such problem during Tunku’s reign. That is religious sensitivity, a fake one that is. They have the numerical strength to ‘be precious’
The Chinese had only wanted to be allowed to live in peace with the descendents knowledgeable about their language and practice their culture. All citizens are free to practice their religions as provided in the constitution, and the people are free to learn their mother tongues in written language, as provided by the UNHR convention. The Chinese only wanted those safeguards, and as citizens, law abiding and contributing to national taxation, they are entitled to enjoy education facilities at government expense; they indicate their preference in pursuance of the norm of a democratic country. There is no proof that people educated in Chinese were communists, and that Chinese education made them anti-Malays. If some Chinese choose not to be sociable that does not imply that they are threat to national unity. But we hear UMNO racist championing to close down vernacular school. These Malay politicians are aware that the parents of 60,000 Malays in Chinese school would not agree with their antics, but they were looking for the support of those they can fool.
The so-called racial and religious problems has only one source, the fight for political power in Malay based party so that they can avail the wealth and excess through legalised corruption protected by racial and religious politics. The PM would not want to forgo his power. One ex-PM is still working on his dream of political dynasty for his son. Scholars can continue to research, and yet find no equivalent elsewhere.
“Not difficult, it can be done in about 5 years” -a2a Says
Unfortunately i don’t share the same optimism as you. I have spent too long living among racially biased Malaysians that i find it hard to believe that the Malaysian people can change their mindset so easily.
Personally, i live and work in an environment consisting predominantly of chinese and sometimes i am saddened by the racism i observe coming from these chinese.
We ask for equal treatment yet i wonder sometimes, do we treat and respect others equally as of today?
if u live in malaysia,u wanna have a peace of mind accepting all these nonsense of racism,gansterism,religioius crazy,political jokers, come my friends,take a deep breath(make sure u avoid H1N1,haze,smoke..)
then think,and think,and think…..
bring down your ambitious and vision and dreams towards your beloved country to just..
-u make sure u got job or business to find money to feed your family,
-u make sure your children go to your disinated school,
-u make sure your eyes are always half close half open,
ok,now u will get better..
do u remember rukun negara?
repeat it now,if u can’t remember make sure u ask your child,i hope they know..
Dear mr lim kit siang,
do u know that u have been ‘fighting’ for the chinese for your last 40 or more years but u never win?
Dear all MCA leaders,
do u know that u have been sleeping with the enemy for the last 40 years or more but u couldn’t find your dreams?
THE VERY SAD THINGS ABOUT MALAYSIA IS,
THE MALAYS NEVER GET ENOUGH,THEY BLAMED U CHINESE.
THE CHINESE NEVER SATISFIED,THEY BLAMED THE GOVERNMENT.
THE INDIAN NEVER COME UP AND LEFT FAR BEHIND,THEY BLAMED SAMY..
AND NOW,
DAP BLAME PAS IN KEDAH,
PKR BLAME DAP IN PENANG,
PAS BLAME PKR IN SELANGOR,
UMNO BLAME MCA FOR 08MARCH,
MCA BLAME UMNO FOR SWORD,
MIC BLAME PPP FOR SPOIL VOTE,
PPP BLAME UMNO FOR CONQUARE,
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON……
anyway my salute to you mr lim,
you r the kind of fighter that will fight till your last breath..
without u i believe the malaysia’s chinese are long ago been put out of what they are having today,gradually..
thank you..
Farish Noor tries so hard to hide his pro UMNO attitude.
His usual agree to disagree…subtle insults to PR..especially to DAP….is so clear.
He writes…. Malaysia is “complex and complicated”.. reveals his true self…supporting what Malaysia is today…no faults put to UMNO or BN…at all.
27 million population is so simple…so easy to unite ..30 years ago…when Malaysians have prove to be almost all are educated and can think…and will accept changes for true unity.
The devil reincarnated made sure …it should not happen.
Who made in complex and complicated……Farish Nor?
You are so smart….give us your conclusion o that.
Yes….Farish Noor …you got it right…in one point. Malaysians are forced to think more than other countries.
Maybe Farish is comparing Malaysia with S’pore population?
How about China…USA…Indonesia.
Does he know..there are many more races with different cultures …in China…yet is successfully united within 30 years?
What is China now…Farish?
Why can’t Farish focus on how other countries are uniting ……master it…..and advise Mlaysians……how to unite.
Do Farish agrees to a Malaysian Malaysia?
Farish Nor is a writer to promote and support UMNO….to govern forever. That’s what he is paid to do.
He should study the commentators remarks here.
hi Farish…there is a thing …call ..”follow up”.. to complete your …”thesis’…….but UMNO Malays are good in talking kok…no follows..ignore and start all over again..their so call grand master agenda.to fool Malaysians.
This is a political writer…..favoring UMNO.
Historically, religious issue had been proven to be an easy ignition for religious warfare. I believe most Malaysian people do not like to see the war of Byzantine-Ottoman to happen again in Malaysia.
Therefore, no one should play around with the fire — stop politicizing on sensitive religious issues or racist issues should be the only panacea to the racial conflict and religious conflict in Malaysia.
Katdog,you must understand the malays and muslims in the country have everything to their needs.And it’s only fair that the non-malays ask for some of their needs too,such as like you mentioned more chinese school,more temple to accomodate the inncreasing demand. The non malays are not questioning the malay’s right to have more of their needs.On the same breath,malays too must not question the other’s right as we are all equal citizens of this country.The malays and muslims must not lord over us.Just look at any civil department, be it PDRM,Income tax,Customs,Immigration,Land & Servey etc etc,you find the racial composition of workers are vast majority who are muslim/malays/muslimbumis.In term of percentage ,I think it’s 90% and 10% non-muslim malays.Don’t you think it’s fair,the non malays should ask for more space in all civil services ?. After all the non muslims are the best income tax payers,hence contributed to the economic and social development of this country.In view of this, as loyal citizens as well,don’t you think we have the rights to ask for a little bit fair treatment by our own government.Don’t you forget,the government and this country do not solely belong to the muslim/malays.The formation of Malaysia was accepted by all races because it’s written in the constitutions which guarantee the equal rights of all citizen irrespective of race,religion and culture.If it’s not guarantee,East malaysian would have aborted it in the original stage.Like I said if PAS /Umno want to play racial and religious politic for their self-interest,it’s their business but don’t turn around and demanded that the non malays should not ask for what’s rightly due to them.And also don’t create chaos by calling the non-malays names like “communist,pandatang “.There are also malays who were and are communist and when you look at history,there’s no “malay race” and if that’s the case ,you tell me where malays come from,other than from nearby Indonesia,India,Parkistan,Turkey and other middle eastern countries.Hence the malays are also “pandatang”My suggestion to PAS/UMNO leaders is not to behave like “a kettle calling the pot black ” and for you Katdog,please don’t jump to any conclusion without first looking at the truth of the matter.
Frankyapp…Concerning Chinese schools and Buddhist temples…this is very sensible argument…..but it is actually falling into the traps of UMNO race and religion politics.
Yes..under UMNO..we should keep fighting for our rights….but I sincerely hope..all schools will be under one..the Malaysians schools and guided by the ever successful Chinese schools formulas…and qualified teachers…they are having.
Most of all….maybe 50% of teachers in UMNO schools…..need to be sacked and replaced by employing foreigners….who will not play politics in teaching.
I will leave temples aside….as mosques are ridiculously too much….
Temples and mosques do not unite Malaysians…under present political conditions…and situations.
All these changes ….cannot be done..if the Constitution is not amended to unite all Malaysians….totally free and our country practices so call guided democracy liberally…..with a strong Judicial and Police force…to be tough to law breakers…..which is clearly absent….right now.
Yes…a true sincere Malaysian school….and get rid of all Tamil and Chinese schools will unite Malaysians.
UMNO have made it like so..for 53 years….to achieve their divide and rule agendas.
You want more Chinese schools and temples? Sure.. why not….MCA will get that for you.
Then what?
“You want more Chinese schools and temples? Sure.. why not….MCA will get that for you.
Then what?” monsterbola
then you send your kids to tamil schools and learn how to tap rubber trees.
Many readers are already aware of the “unsuccessful” politics here. Politics however here and very much elsewhere a function of (1) politicians/political parties leveraging their ideologies to get popular votes as a passport to power in the interest of either implementation of their ideologies deemed suited for nation/society or simply a means to self aggrandize and enrich themselves and (2) the “essentialist and primordial loyalties to race, religion and culture” dominating and determining the norms of political praxis” and influencing how and for whom their constituencies will vote.
If politics is “unsuccessful” here so far in sense that it has failed, after 50 years of independence, to transcend sectarian, communal and religious loyalties politics – and in fact has gotten worse in these respects – two questions will invariably arise.
The first being who is primarily responsible for such a sad state of affairs, is it the overall poor quality of politicians, as a class failing to uplift the people/voters with their visions or is it the blame to fall more squarely on the people, the vote bank, whose inability to trranscend “essentialist and primordial loyalties to race, religion and culture”, have in turn, continued to cause politicians to pander for these sentiments in the interest of the popular vote based on one man and one vote in a self feeding endless cycle ???
The second question is how to break this self feeding endless cycle in the interest of nations to the good of all, both majorities and minorities.
This is where the role of a public intellectual like Farish comes to play. It is of greater practical importance for public intellectual to think of the preceding two questions, articulate that which is good and correct, canvass for options and solutions to show the way than to dwell on extensive discourse of politics of Absolutism versus Relativism, abstract words and concepts of which, three quarters of readers cannot understand!
Most here assess, feel the pain and feel the hopelessness of the prevailing inequities very remote from the trancendent standards of good and transparent governance, social and economic justice, fundamental liberties, dependability on courts and guardians and enforcers of law to do justice etc that politicians talk but do the opposite.
Minorities in particular are in despair. They look to the public intellectual to think and articulate ideas and practical solutions on the questions raised above to help arrest a failing society from hurtling to what appears to be the abyss of Somalia,
Nigeria and other failed states where poverty and oppression reign.
Discoursing the politics of Absolutism versus Relativism will not ameliorate present sufferings or mitigate the prevailing oppressive conditions.
The role of public intellectual then is and ought to juggle with the preceding questions raised, interpret and articulate ideas and suggestions that will make present sufferings bearable and make people believe – which they so desperately need to believe – that things can and will change, and this society has realistic hopes that it can undergo transformational change for the better.
frankyapp asked:
“Why is it that PAS is so sensitive to anything which it considers un-islamic ?”
More than that. It may not be a pas thing. It may actually be a thing politicised by umno for 50 yrs. In fact it has been so politicised that non-muslims in the country now have a certain perception of the whole thing. I cant say whether the perception is good or bad. I am just pointing out its existence here.
Now imagine this. You are driving around in search of a place to park and you spotted some vacant lots in the grounds of (a) a buddisht temple (b) an indian temple (c) a church and (d) a mosque.
Where would you park your car and where would you not park and why?
saudara YB LIM KIT SIANG,
Malaysia has paid an extremely high price of not choosing you as the country’s premier.
Thy cant put asside race,religion and ‘ketuanan melayu’.
by doing a thorough scanning into the current top leaders in the country,another qualified figure is saudara Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim,but bcos of some accusations against him in the courts,interm of morality,you are better than him.
However,as i said earlier,ppl like tajuddin,nazri,jamaluddn janggut,boong moktar ,with the present policies,stand much greater chances than you to be the premier.
if the ppl of this country think like americans,you will be Malaysian’s Obama.
See how progressive is Singapore guided by a good n capable leader saudara Lee Kwan Yew,Malaysia has missed a boat to prosperity without you!
it’s not easy to have a good leader,what i suggest to you is,move yourself into international level,interact more often with current world leaders,get your assistants to deal with local BN’s reps,no point wasting your time arguing with these ‘thugs’,i hope things will get better in the very near future!
The problems lie squarely on the shoulder of umno and its race/religion centric policies and on their lack of concern for the long term impact of their policies. They take interim and adhoc measures all the time on knee jerk basis. On a smaller scale look for instance at our education policy and the decision to switch from english medium of instruction to malay. It was a simple and quick knee jerk decision then. 40 yrs later today it looks like undoing that decision is an impossibility even when it is known to all that the policy is wrong and bad.
Dear Farish,
In your analysis you forgot the most important factor for all our problems and one which is not seen in any country. Malaysia will never have complete peace but only \sweltering peace.\
The reason: A Malay must be a Muslim to be considered Bumiputra, and one is forced to remain that way. There is no choice for them. This is in the constitution. This unique problem will always haunt Malaysia and how its people think and react.
Not so in the next most populous \Malay\ state; Indonesia. The Indonesian Muslim Malay rear pigs for sale. For him only eating is haram. Rearing, slaughtering selling and using the money is not haram, because the one eating is also a Indonesian Malay, but not a Muslim, and this person could be his own blood brother.
You have lived and worked in Indonesia. Suddenly after reading this article of yours, I think you not \honest enough\ and are a hypocrite.
We have failed badly…..our people are more divided than before.
hmmm, talk a lot then work up the thing here. think for good idea to help. talk can’t help lah. join the parliament or party lah. blur blur here. take care of top let go of btm. look at right left run away, why can’t pkr work together? BN is laugh at the back. so leak gas..
//And might i add, i think the recent ‘pullout’ by DAP from Kedah over pigs is just more political showmanship by DAP in order to defend its chinese racial voter base.//
See the half baked talking. Why is it that each time DAP stands for something, it is for showmanship and to galvanise Chinese votes? Hello, it is a stand for diversity, equal right and multi-racism, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation. Got it half baked?
fanning the flames of racism, aren’t you?? dumbo
Yes sure, only a dumb understands that way. Only a dumb can’t understand things in context. Only a dumb is a one liner. What else have you got, dumb? Only a dumb will keep repeating the one mistake made by me because he has nothing else to say. By the way, please don’t be quick to claim credit because that mistake was not pointed out by this dumb in the first place. That mistake was pointed by an equally “showish” fellow when he fully knew it was just a typo error.
Why can’t PR work together and not at each other? Everyone hates BN for the nonsense, the opportunity came for change. NO MORE 2/3 majority. And now this? What the heck is DSAI doing? What the heck are they all doing?
Basically, they are all POLITICIANS. LKS is so free he can ask 3 questions a day about PKFZ, he is getting very personal with OTK. Why does he not start to work out 1 reason a day to make PR more coherent and tightly knit?
Master Sifu … like you say, all we want is to be happy, live happily, work happily. Ensure that the children have a future and can work towards a future. This is a dream … a mere dream.
Hi Saint,is it factual or your made up story about these Indonesia muslim malays rearing pigs for profit ?. An Indonesia malay who is not muslim,wow is it really true,here again ? Well,I’m pretty much being confused now.This Islamic religion is not only complicated and confusing but also causing many problems to muslim themselves and non muslim as well.In the palastine,intermarriage is allow for example the late Arafat was a muslim but his wife is a jewish christian .Arafat sometimes even followed his wife to attend church service.There’s no such “haram thing” in Palastine.But in Malaysia,our muslim brothers and sisters are subjected to so many “haram”which most of them are never being heard of by the Palastinian muslim people.Similarly our Indons muslim population must be wondering how on earth,Malaysian muslim is subjected to so many non existing Koranic laws.Who’s correct in the interpretation of the Koran,(1) Palastine,a place where the Islamic religion originated,(2) Indonesia,the world’s most populous Islamic nation( 300million) and (3) Malaysia,a multi racial and multi religious nation with an estimated muslim population of not more than 15 million.Don’t PAS/Umno leaders ever felt guilty when they know pretty well,that some of their interpretation of the Islamic laws are based on fraud to control the malays muslim population from deterioration.
//We ask for equal treatment yet i wonder sometimes, do we treat and respect others equally as of today?//
Hello, half baked, you must understand the difference between personal prejudices and state sponsored discrimination and racism indoctrination. While we can’t do much of the former, the later should be strictly curtailed and made illegal.
The fight in bolehland is wealth and power. It is easier to get them as Malays, and there must be numerical strength. The word unity is the call for gathering their number together, to vote or to bully in brute force. An issue has to be created so that division is clear, and that too would demonstrate that the people are together. The opportunists would appeal directly to racial issues, or indirectly through religion which was the prerequisite for classifying humans into Malays. All we see are games to achieve only that objective. The problem is like cancer; the people fight and the country dies.
Franyapp … in the Middle East it is a fact that there is a group of Muslims who breed pigs as a trade. This was brought up in an article when the whole Selangor pig farm issue was blown out of proportion.
I might be wrong but the pig itself might not be haram, consumption of it is. If that it correct then there is no issue with breeding them. Its not duit haram too. It would be duit haram if they were to sell pigs for Muslims to secretly eat it.
Limkaput … you are statement above is misleading, the State is made up of individual politicians who are appointed by individuals known as the Rakyat who have on many occassions voted in those politicians despite all the news, corruption etc.
So at the end of the day … majority have spoken. Not right but that is a fact. We get what we want … we got PR who is messing about too.
Look at this statement by LKS:
The deepening of the national and international crisis of credibility, integrity and legitimacy faced by Najib since becoming the sixth Prime Minister because of his refusal to confront and come clean on the host of serious allegations haunting and hounding him, whether over the C4 murder case of Mongolian Altantuya Shariibuu or the defence deal mega-commissions through the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
So what about the above? Well note this:
i. Obama called Najib and pleasant words were spoken
ii. France just stated recently it is keen to be close with Malaysia.
So all that talk about C4 and that Najib is a shame to the country is nonsense. NO ONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA CARES! So Mr LKS wanna shout more about it?
Time to wake up guys! We have to fend for ourselves, PR has not done a great job only made promises they cannot live up to. BN is only making changes for public relations sake. Who will help us? DSAI? Hahahahahaaa … he is too busy starting his own agenda with his old habits. No speaking the English please. Hahahahaahaa …
“….We have to fend for ourselves…” – SpeakUp
Do you have suggestions? :)
//NO ONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA CARES! So Mr LKS wanna shout more about it?//
So if internationally no one cares because some of these people, out of their personal interest, want to suck up to Naj!b, does this mean that LkS or anybody who cares about this country should also shut up. I give up, there are just too many half baked here. Worse still they think they are smart asses.
Limkaput … what I am saying it all the BIG noise was made by LKS and everyone else that Najib will shame Malaysia on the international scene. See the final result? I am not saying roll over for them la. Learn to read carefully.
Jeff … you pass me RM250K, I tell you I can give you steady returns of 12% per annum, I got my company that invests in premium blue chip stocks and all. You can then tell your friends to join in too, encourage them as we need to fend for ourselves now! Its a really good investment I assure you. My company is called PONZI INVESTMENTS SDN BHD.
So at the end of the day … majority have spoken. Not right but that is a fact. We get what we want … we got PR who is messing about too.//
Look, you are just simplifying everything. Sometimes we voted for certain politicians (despite their personal shortcomings) because of party agenda and policies. By voting the “less than proper politicians”, we are hoping the party and the leadership would be able to keep them in place. Sometimes, we have no choice – we have to move two steps forward and one step backward.
Second, not all rakyat are well informed. Some are subjected to persuasion and years of indoctrination. Even as we speak now, the process of indoctrination is on-going. Don’t forget, Nazi Germany was also voted into power initially (by popular votes I mean).
Third, so what if Obama called or France is keen to establish closer relations with Malaysia. I can assure you if it is another person who is the PM of Malaysia today, the same call from President Obama might have come in earlier and the relationship between France and Malaysia might be even closer. I hope you are not a simpleton.
Finally sometimes the “mess” we see in PR could also be due to money or promise of money. What can we do, it has already happened in Perak months earlier. But the process has to go on. We just have to keep going, voting and voting again until we get some right people governing this country. USA became a world greatest democracy because George Washington has refused to become the dictator. If not of George Washington, I think USA today would be very much like another half baked Latin American democracy. Similarly, Singapore is what it is today because Lee Kuan Yew has chosen the right path and begun with the clean government from day one. We will continue trying.
Oh, i always try to read carefully what was written by others. But whether or not they can write carefully and properly is beyond by control.
///. Obama called Najib and pleasant words were spoken
ii. France just stated recently it is keen to be close with Malaysia.
So all that talk about C4 and that Najib is a shame to the country is nonsense. NO ONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA CARES! So Mr LKS wanna shout more about it?///– SpeakUp
The leaders of other countries have to deal with the head of government, and here is Najib. The knowledge of Najib’s achievement would be important to them. If the reputation of our leaders is what we know, then our strength in diplomacy is that much weakened. To us C4 is a shame, to leaders of other countries, that is something for exploitation. We cannot hide the shame since it will come out in any case. That is why the call for Najib to refute the rumours through the proper course. Otherwise, it is better we have other to represent us.
…my control, sorry
Limkaput … you are always mistaken:
i. Obama and France … what nonsense are you talking about? You are making stupid excuses. Closer … earlier … come on. Stop being lame. If it were bad it would have happened LATER and France would be FURTHER. Is I argue that way its lame too, hence, I would not.
ii. PR mess is PR mess stop BLAMING BN. Even if BN did use money then the PR guys who are causing the mess are JERKS and DSAI, LKS, Kepala Pusing and Hadi are even bigger JERKS to have appointed weaklings! STOP MAKING EXCUSES!!! Did Mandela waiver? Did Gandhi waiver?
iii. Rakyat is not well informed? Well who are you to say? Do you have the stats or will this be another coffee shop arguments with all its assumptions? The population of Germany was happy with Hitler until he went too far with the war ok. Cubans are happy with a dictator too. China is a COMMUNIST state and the people are happy. North Koreans are suffering but HAPPY with their Illustrious leader!
iv. Party agenda? What is the agenda? can you tell me clearly? Tell me if its being achieved? PAS wants to chat with UMNO, you voted for that? Hadi says cannot remove 30%, you voted for that? HINDRAF hammers LGE, you voted for that? DSAI wants to put English on the sidelines, you voted for that? Hee wants to be RESPECTED so she jumps ship, you voted for that?
v. Continue trying? Try till when? Its been 18 months la … Selangor still got nothing new to shout about. Kedah? How?
George Washington was not a dictator? Wow … you will be shocked to see how many mistakes the US presidents made. Hoover nearly caused the whole US to collapse. Clinton stuck a nice cigar into places that I cannot mention here. JFK was sharing a celebrity with his brother. That is just some simple example. Their difference was they still fought for the nation. DSAI is fighting back against BN.
If I have always mistaken, that is because you are a loose cannon.
I don’t give excuses. I have always rationalised whatever I wrote.
I think you don’t understand the power of incumbents and those who are in control of the Federal Government. You can’t imagine the power of the national coffer. State governments are nothing in comparison. Of course I admit that there are always greedy and weak people in politics in both sides of the aisle.
If rakyat are all enlightened, technically we should have a perfect government 50 years ago. But how come till today we are still struggling. No, I don’t have any statistics to back me up. But do you have? But unlike you, I have intelligence and knowledge.
Surely each of us has voted for certain party because of its agenda and policies. But whether or not the agenda and policies within PR are in tandem with each other is a separate matter. Those things you mentioned as agenda are NOT agenda. Of course I can’t expect a phua than sai to know the difference.
Ya, you like to belittle US presidents because of their many misdeeds along the way. You know what, that is because US have freer access to information. You know nothing, and you have no way of knowing all the mega misdeeds happening in many third world countries including Malaysia.
Ok, you can write whatever you want in your rejoinder. I will respond no further. I have no time to debate with loose cannons and half baked asses.
Limkaput … disagreeing and speaking ones mind is something the Greek gave to the modern world. But at least answer point for point la … You seem to idolise the US esp. George Washington and I retorted only with reason. Why get so upset?
Again, you are mistaken. I DO undertand the powers of the incompetent incumbents. If you mean BN then they have the power, they actually, are shouting it to PR like Thunder Cats … but PR is in La-La Land thinking its doing great. So both are as bad in a way and we the Rakyat are left on our own.
I am asking you if you would have imagined that your vote for PR would translate into the issues today … PAS wanting to court with UMNO, PKR hammering LGE etc. I meant did you expect that?
Don’t be so unhappy la … its only a forum, if we get angry and fight here then the whole nation really has no more hope. :)
“you do not understand Malaysian multicultural background….yet u claimed yourself as the new political scientist…..perhap u understand Swine Flu…” – chengho
chengho:
Naughty boy, from the way you spew out your ignorance, it sad to say that you are the one who does not understand realities in Bolehland. Wake up.
” Their difference was they still fought for the nation. DSAI is fighting back against BN ” – SpeakUp
This is interesting…may be it is time to fend for ourselves.
Sotong … maybe it is … we only want to live happily and that knowing our children can make a life for themselves here in this nation. Is this dream too far fetched for the average Malaysian?
Let me say this. Yesterday I went to Ipoh to meet my business associates.They are an old business in Ipoh along the main road. A simple business that has been successful.
I spoke with their staff, your average Malaysian, they are Malays mind you and I doubt are UMNO members. I casually asked about the Nizar/Zambry issue. Their reply is NO ONE REALLY CARES. They said only those who are political fanatics and have nothing to do will be there protesting.
They want life to go on, being able to earn a living & enjoy life. So … is that not interesting.
Ipoh was pleasant yesterday, people were out shopping, enjoying family time at eateries. So tell me … how is the average Perakian suffering? Food for thought …