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We were once ‘Malaysians’

By Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah

The following keynote speech given by former finance minister and Gua Musang parliamentarian Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah at the 4th Annual Malaysian Student Leaders Summit (MSLS) today.

I have played some small role in the life of this nation, but having been on the wrong side of one or two political fights with the powers-that-be, I am not as close to the young people of this country as I would hope to be.

History and the 8 o’clock news are written by the victors. In recent years, the government’s monopoly of the media has been destroyed by the technology revolution.

You could say I was also a member of the United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC). Well, I was, except that belonged to the predecessor of the UKEC by more than 50 years, The Malayan Students Union of the UK and Eire. I led this organisation in 1958/59.

I was then a student of Queen’s University at Belfast, as well as at Lincoln’s Inn. In a rather cooler climate than Kota Bharu’s, we campaigned for decolonisation. We demonstrated in Trafalgar Square and even in Paris. We made posters and participated in British elections.

Your invitation to participate in the MSLS was prefaced by an essay that calls for an intellectually informed activism. I congratulate you on this. The Youth of today, you note, “will chart the future of Malaysia.” You say you “no longer want to be ignored and leave the future of our Malaysia at the hands of the current generation.” You “want to grab the bull by the horns… and have a say in where we go as a society and as a nation.”

I feel the same, actually. A lot of Malaysians feel the same. They are tired of being ignored and talked down to.

You are right. The present generation in power has let Malaysia down. But also you cite two things as testimony of the importance of youth and of student activism to this country, the election results of 2008 and “the prime minister’s acknowledgement of the role of youth in the development of the country.”

So perhaps you are a little way yet from thinking for yourselves. The first step in “grabbing the bull by the horns” is not to require the endorsement of the prime minister, or any Minister, for your activism. Politicians are not your parents. They are your servants. You don’t need a government slogan coined by a foreign PR agency to wrap your project in. You just go ahead and do it.

A man at ease with himself

When I was a student, our newly independent country was already a leader in the post-colonial world. We were sought out as a leader in the Afro-Asian Conference that inaugurated the Non-Aligned Movement and the G-77.

The Afro-Asian movement was led by such luminaries as Zhou En Lai, Nehru, Kwame Nkrumah and Soekarno. Malaysians were seen as moderate leaders capable of mediating between the more radical leaders and the West. We were known for our moderation, good sense and reliability.

We were a leader in the Islamic world as ourselves and as we were, without our leaders having to put up false displays of piety. His memory has been scrubbed out quite systematically from our national consciousness, so you might not know this or much else about him, but it was Tunku Abdul Rahman who established our leadership in the Islamic world by coming up with the idea of the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Conference) and making it happen.

Under his leadership, Malaysia led the way in taking up the anti-apartheid cause in the Commonwealth and in the United Nations, resulting in South Africa’s expulsion from these bodies.

Here was a man at ease with himself, made it a policy goal that Malaysia be “a happy country”. He loved sport and encouraged sporting achievement among Malaysians. He was owner of many a fine race horses. He called a press conference with his stewards when his horse won at the Melbourne Cup.

He had nothing to hide because his great integrity in service was clear to all. Now we have religious and moral hypocrites who cheat, lie and steal in office, who propagate an ideologically that shackled the education system for all Malaysians while they send their own kids to elite academies in the West.

Days when we were on top

Speaking of football – you’re too young to have experienced the Merdeka Cup that Tunku started. We had a respectable side in the 60s and 70s. Teams from across Asia would come to play in Kuala Lumpur: Teams such as South Korea and Japan, whom we defeated routinely.

We were one of the better sides in Asia. We won the bronze medal at the Asian Games in 1974 and qualified for the Moscow Olympics in 1980. Today our FIFA ranking is 157 out of 203 countries.

That puts us in the lowest quartile, below Maldives (149), the smallest country in Asia, with just 400,000 people living about 1.5 metres above sea level who have to worry that their country may soon be swallowed up by climate change. Here in Asean we are behind Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, whom we used to dominate, and now only one spot above basketball-playing Philippines.

The captain of our illustrious 1970’s side was Soh Chin Aun, R Arumugam, Isa Bakar, Santokh Singh, James Wong and Mokhtar Dahari. They were heroes whose names rolled off the tongues of our schoolchildren as they copied them on the school field. It wasn’t about being the best in the world, but about being passionate and united and devoted to the game.

It was the same in badminton, except at one time we were the best in the world. I remember Wong Peng Soon, the first Asian to win the All-England Championship, and then just dominated it throughout the 1950. Back home every kid who played badminton in every little kampung wanted to call himself Wong Peng Soon.

There was no tinge of anybody identifying themselves exclusively as Chinese, Malays or Indian. Peng Soon was a Malayan hero. Just like each of our football heroes. Now we do not have an iota of that feeling. Where has it all gone?

Capital flight troubling

I don’t think it’s mere nostalgia that makes us think there was a time when the sun shone more brightly upon Malaysia. I bring up sport because it has been a mirror of our more general performance as a nation.

When we were at ease with who we were and didn’t need slogans to do our best together, we did well. When race and money entered our game, we declined. The same applies to our political and economic life.

Soon after independence, we were already a highly successful developing country. We had begun the infrastructure building and diversification of our economy that would be the foundation for further growth. We carried out an import-substitution programme that stimulated local productive capacity.

From there, we started an infrastructure build-up that enabled a diversification of the economy leading to rapid industrialisation. We carried out effective programmes to raise rural income and help the landless with programmes such as Felda.

Our achievements in achieving growth with equity were recognised around the world. Our peer group in economic development were South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, and we led the pack. I remember we used to send technical consultants to advise the South Koreans.

Bmalaysia stock exchange market klse 141008 05y the late 90s, however, we had fallen far behind this group and were competing with Thailand and Indonesia. Today, according to the latest World Investment Report, FDI into Malaysia is at a 20-year low.

We are entering the peer group of Cambodia, Burma and the Philippines as an investment destination. Thailand, despite a month-long siege of the capital, attracted more FDI than we did last year. Indonesia and Vietnam far outperform us, not as a statistical blip but consistently. Soon we shall have difficulty keeping up with the Philippines.

This, I believe, is called relegation. If we take into account FDI outflow, the picture is even more depressing. Last year, we received US$1.38 billion in investments but US$8.04 billion flowed out. We are the only country in Southeast Asia that has suffered net FDI outflow.

I am not against outward investment. It can be a good thing for the country. But an imbalance on this scale indicates capital flight, not mere investment overseas.

Time to wake up

Without a doubt, Malaysia is slipping. Billions have been looted from this country, and Billions more are being siphoned out as our entire political structure crumbles. Yet we are gathered here in comfort, in a country that still seems to ‘work’ – most of the time. This is due less to good management than to the extraordinary wealth of this country.

You were born into a country of immense resources, both natural, cultural and social. We have been wearing down this advantage with mismanagement and corruption. With lies, tall tales and theft. We have a political class unwilling or unable to address the central issue of the day because they have grown fat and comfortable with a system built on lies and theft.

It is time to wake up. That waking up can begin here, right here, at this conference. Not tomorrow or the day after but today. So let me, as I have the honour of opening this conference, suggest the following:

1) Overcome the urge to have our hopes for the future endorsed by the prime minister. He will have retired, and I’ll be long gone, when your future arrives. The shape of your future is being determined now.

2) Resist the temptation to say “in line with” when we do something. Your projects, believe it or not, don’t have to be in line with any government campaign for them to be meaningful. You don’t need to polish anyone’s apple. Just get on with what you plan to do.

3) Do not put a lid on certain issues as “sensitive” just because someone said they are. Or it is against the Social Contract. Or it is “politicisation”.

You don’t need to have your conversation delimited by the hyper-sensitive among us. Sensitivity is often a club people use to hit each other with. Reasoned discussion of contentious issues builds understanding and trust. Stress test your ideas.

4) It’s not “conservative” or “liberal” to ask for an end to having politics, economic policy, education policy and everything and the kitchen sink determined by race. It’s called growing up.

5) Don’t let the politicians you have invited here talk down to you.

Don’t let them

Don’t let them tell you how bright and “exuberant” you are, that you are the future of the nation, etc. If you close your eyes and flow with their flattery, you have safely joined the caravan, a caravan taking the nation down a sink hole.

If they tell you the future is in your hands, kindly request that they hand that future over first. Ask them how come the youngest member of our cabinet is 45? Our Merdeka cabinet had an average age below 30.

You’re not the first generation to be bright. Mine wasn’t too stupid. But you could be the first generation of students and young graduates in 50 years to push this nation through a major transformation. And it is a transformation we need desperately.

You will be told that much is expected of you, much has been given to you and so forth. This is all true. Actually much has also been stolen from you. Over the last 20 five years, much of the immense wealth generated by our productive people and our vast resources has been looted. This was supposed to have been your patrimony.

The uncomplicated sense of belonging fully, wholeheartedly, unreservedly, to this country, in all its diversity, that has been taken from you. Our sense of ourselves as Malaysians, a free and united people, has been replaced by a tale of racial strife and resentment that continues to haunt us. The thing is, this tale is false.

Reclaim your history

The most precious thing you have been deprived of has been your history. Someone of my generation finds it hard to describe what must seem like a completely different country to you now.

Malaysia was not born in strife but in unity. Our independence was achieved through a demonstration of unity by the people in supporting a multiracial government led by Tunku Abdul Rahman.

That show of unity, demonstrated first through the municipal elections of 1952 and then through the Alliance’s landslide victory in the elections of 1955, showed that the people of Malaya were united in wanting their freedom. We surprised the British, who thought we could not do this.

Today we are no longer as united as we were then. We are also less free. I don’t think this is a coincidence. It takes free people to have the psychological strength to overcome the confines of a racialised worldview. It takes free people to overcome those politicians bent on hanging on to power gained by racialising every feature of our life including our football teams.

Hence while you are at this conference, let me argue, that as an absolute minimum, we should call for the repeal of unjust and much abused Acts of Parliament which are reversals of freedoms that we won at Merdeka.

I ask you in joining me in calling for the repeal of the ISA (Internal Security Act) and the OSA (Official Secrets Act). These draconian laws have been used, more often than not, as political tools rather than instruments of national security. They create a climate of fear.

I ask you to join me in calling for the repeal of the Printing and Publications Act, and above all, the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA). I don’t see how you can pursue your student activism with such freedom and support in the UK and Eire while forgetting that your brethren at home are deprived of their basic rights of association and expression by the UUCA. The UUCA has done immense harm in dumbing down our universities.

We must have freedom as guaranteed under our constitution. Freedom to assemble, associate, speak, write, move. This is basic. Even on matters of race and even on religious matters we should be able to speak freely, and we shall educate each other.

Make BN multiracial

It is time to realise the dream of Hussein Onn and the spirit of the Alliance and of Tunku Abdul Rahman. That dream was one of unity and a single Malaysian people. They went as far as they could with it in their time. Instead of taking on the torch, we have reversed course. The next step for us as a country is to move beyond the infancy of race-based parties to a non-racial party system.

Our race-based party system is the key political reason why we are a sick country, declining before our own eyes, with money fleeing and people telling their children not to come home after their studies.

So let us try to take 1Malaysia seriously. Millions have been spent putting up billboards and adding the term to every conceivable thing. We even have ‘Cuti-cuti 1Malaysia’. Can’t take a normal holiday anymore. This is all fine.

Now let us see if it means anything. Let us see the government of the day lead by example. 1Malaysia is empty because it is propagated by a government supported by a racially-based party system that is the chief cause of our inability to grow up in our race relations.

Our inability to grow up in our race relations is the chief reason why investors, and we ourselves, no longer have confidence in our economy. The reasons why we are behind Maldives in football, and behind the Philippines in FDI, are linked.

So let us take 1Malaysia seriously, and convert Barisan Nasional into a party open to all citizens. Let it be a multiracial party open to direct membership. Pakatan Rakyat will be forced to do the same or be left behind the times. Then we shall have the vehicles for a two party, non-race-based system.

If Umno, MIC or MCA are afraid of losing supporters, let them get their members to join this new multiracial party. Pakatan Rakyat should do the same. Nobody need feel left out. Umno members can join en masse. The Hainanese Kopitiam Owners’ Association can join whichever party they want, or both parties en masse if they like.

We can maintain our cherished civil associations, however we choose to associate. But we drop all communalism when we compete for the ballot. When our candidates stand for elections, let them ever after stand only as Malaysians, for better or worse.

55 Replies to “We were once ‘Malaysians’”

  2. 1malaysia = the Big Rock Candy Mountains?

    In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you’re going on a holiday
    Your birthday comes around once a week and it’s Christmas every day
    You never have to clean your room or put your toys away
    There’s a little white horse you can ride of course
    You can jump so high you can touch the sky
    In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

  3. Look at our education system, it is in the pits.

    Look at Malaysians in general … look at how they drive, for example. We really have a 3rd world mentality. We are not civic minded … look at how we indiscriminately park our cars, look at how we treat our environment, we litter all over the place, we smoke even when there are NO Smoking signs …. when we cant even do the basics right, how in the world are we going to change and make Malaysia better??

    China, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore etc etc are all surging ahead …. we are still fighting over race and skin colour. No wonder Singaporeans, when they come over to our country, they look down on us.

    It is inevitable, we are going down.

  6. Yeah, don’t let anybody tell you what issue is sensitive and what is not. Think for yourself and even if certain remarks touch on your nerve, you only voice your disagreement with sensible arguements, not dragging cow heads and branishing kerises in protest.

  7. ///Our race-based party system is the key political reason why we are a sick country, declining before our own eyes……///

    Five decades of BN rule have brought much failures to the country. We now have race-based politics, race-based economy, race-based education and lately, race-based 1Malaysia with leaders refusing to acknowledge they are Malaysian first and race second.

    The time has come for our politicians and leaders to to move beyond the infancy and ugliness of race-based parties to a non-racial party system to free the country out of this brutal “race trap”.

  8. Did he tell his younger audience how he once left UmnoB 2 work with PAS n DAP 2 topple BN n 2 fight 4 his interest?
    When dat failed, he betrayed his new comrades n kwai kwai went back 2 d racist UmnoB with his tail lowered over his @shole
    Dat’s d story of his life – pathetic

  9. TRH,
    By the time this crop of young students are ready to fight to free Malaysia from Umno/bn traitors and tyrants, Malaysia would already have became a banana republic. Time is running out. To save our beloved country we must all unite and VOTE OUT unmo/bn come 13th GE and test out a new government under PR. And if you tengku is sincere in wanting to see a better Malaysia, you should get out of UNMO. You must not wait until tomorrow or until you are too old and febble to contribute to change. you must do it NOW!

  10. We can’t blame UMNO for their racial disintegration stand. MCA has also put their dirty hands on it, and this is based on my observation that if BN is truly based on the 1Malaysia concept, billions of MCA assets would be diluted and to be shared with non-Chinese members. To secure its wealth and integrity, MCA is working behind the iron curtain of UMNO to play the racial card. So long the Chinese keeps voting for BN, UMNO assumes the Chinese agendas has been taken care by it’s BN partner.

    MCA is as evil as UMNO.

  12. ///You were born into a country of immense resources, both natural, cultural and social. We have been wearing down this advantage with mismanagement and corruption. With lies, tall tales and theft. We have a political class unwilling or unable to address the central issue of the day because they have grown fat and comfortable with a system built on lies and theft.///–TRH

    The lies can be summed up in the interpretation of May 13 by the ruling party. The theft is through NEP.

    ///It’s not “conservative” or “liberal” to ask for an end to having politics, economic policy, education policy and everything and the kitchen sink determined by race. It’s called growing up.///–TRH

    Actually the country was already grown up at independence. It has gone senile through divison by race.

    ///The uncomplicated sense of belonging fully, wholeheartedly, unreservedly, to this country, in all its diversity, that has been taken from you. Our sense of ourselves as Malaysians, a free and united people, has been replaced by a tale of racial strife and resentment that continues to haunt us. The thing is, this tale is false.///–TRH

    Najib stills think that it is not timely to remove the discount of house prices given to Malays. He still wants the falsehood to continue.

    ///You will be told that much is expected of you, much has been given to you and so forth. This is all true. Actually much has also been stolen from you. Over the last 20 five years, much of the immense wealth generated by our productive people and our vast resources has been looted. This was supposed to have been your patrimony.///–TRH

    The windfall through Petronas was not expected at the time of independence. The Prime Minister of the day has full control on the use of Petronas resource before and after they were passed on to government. When the PM does not want to live within the salary paid for the post, the country has problems. It is not just the money stolen, it is the establishment of the system which allows money to be stolen that sent this country to peer with Myanmar.

    ///The most precious thing you have been deprived of has been your history. Someone of my generation finds it hard to describe what must seem like a completely different country to you now.///–TRH

    Mamakthir has transformed this place to be Pakistan-in-progress.

  13. Soon the main industry in Bolehland will be the monthly remittances from Malaysians working overseas for the Filipino, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai and Singaporean overloads as domestic servants, street cleaners, gardeners, and menial workers.

  15. So, is DAP different fr UmnoB, MCA, Gerakan, MIC, BN?
    How many more DAP kaki r like Klang municipal councillor Tee Boon Hock, who allegedly misused a Selangor exco member’s letterhead to secure contracts for his 21-yr old son n cronies?
    D Ronnie guy, boleh pakai 1 ah?
    Sigh, there r many politicians who want their kids 2 b millionaires or billionaires in their 20s
    Pity voters – fr 1 devil 2 another devil

  16. He is so selfish and calculative for personal benefits..no matter what his opinions are..this politician is a has been and not worth listening to….even though he speaks words nice for us to hear.’
    In troubled times..he support UMNO B and his arch enemy….Mahathir.
    Knowing Najib is weak….here he comes ..saying nice words to hear..and perhaps hoping Malaysians will beg and convince him to resign and join PR.
    PAS is his only hope….but this man can disunite Malaysians…to keep supporting to divide and rule…once he have some power again.
    Ignore him…is best.
    He is a failure in politics right now.

  17. “So let us take 1Malaysia seriously”….so said Razaleigh.
    His speech is lined with the art …to agree and disagree and with a touch to keep loving UMNO…ignoring it is B now.
    Anyway…as much as his speech is interesting…but what’s new….that we do not know?
    Do not forget..he walked hand in hand with his arch enemy..Mahathir in Kota Baru.
    Such a forgiving good soul should have left UMNO B long ago.
    Razaleigh loves his race and ignoring UMNO B which is no more Tunku’s original UMNO at all…and Tunku died with no party.
    Razaleigh cannot be relied upon to get freedom for Malaysians…as much as he is talking of the current weakness of UMNO B..and one side racists…that causes the downfalls of many.
    Lets stick to CORRUPTIONS and vote all corrupted politicians out…including Razaliegh who dd support corruptions and to divide and rule.

  18. Had Razaliegh spoke like that …especially om Mustapha …as an opposition man to UMNO B…then his words carry alot of weight.
    Does he want to stay in UMNO B for the love of Tunku and exposed UMNO B crooks and thieves?
    If so…why did he carry Mahathir’s balls few years ago?
    Now no more chance to be an elected UMNO B PM…fire on.
    Is that it?

  19. Do not forget…under Razaleigh as Finance Minister…the BMF more than RM1 billion…ripped off…and the murder of one Muslim auditor in HongKong 35 years ago….still unsolved…and UMNO seems to let that be…up to now.

  22. I think TRH has no more credibilty to talk about a united malaysian. Malaysians are disunited because of Umno/Bn racist policy and he’s a part of it. If he genuinely wanted to re-unite malaysians again,he should have at least the decency to leave Umno and join the opposition PR to help bring an end to Umno divide and rule policy. If he dares not,then it’s best he keeps mum.

  23. Maybe Razaleigh knows something bad happening for Najib…on leave until 10th August?
    “gofortruth” is right…which means Razaleigh is telling half truths too…like Mustapha…and these UMNO B sly foxes can sure twist and turn.
    Yip…Najib “absence”…and and here comes Razaleigh.
    Liong Sik is nothing to Malaysians Chinese and totally ignored by vast majority Malaysians …except to some MCA politicians…still performing their stupid acts.

  26. This is what M’sia needed badly! We need more inspiring speech as such. Who stole that “Malaysian of your days” from our children?. We only get to hear this from Kuli of BN.

    Would this be a total different country if Kuli was made PM? Most probably, he is one of Umno leaders who never get into racial mode to go up.

    To go back to where we were is not going to be easy! We need lots of Kuli, less Ibrahim and no more M fella. Racial division paralyzes this nation. To be exac the “malay delimma” mind.

    Politic is an unfair business, who his father voted in will impact his son, is like karma it takes time for effects. Obama is the realization of “I have a dream” of Martin Lurther King, it takes decades to relies that dream.

  27. The speeches made too late and ulterior motives for selfish reasons.. so clear.
    No we do not need speeches.
    We need ACTIONS!!
    Actions speak louder than words.
    As long as KuLi stays in UMNO B…we do not support whatever he says..as he have declared to be the devil reincarnated good friend right now.
    Do not be sentimentalists.
    Be practical and logical….and know the history well …from the day……Mahathir started UMNO B..up to now.
    Malaysians futures are at stake…and we need to know 100% all events that happened…which ripped off hundreds of billions Malaysians wealth and created thousands of poor health..where the poor getting poorer and the crooks are all multi millionaires.
    We need to vote UMNO B out including Razaleigh and stop being selfish voters..from one side and on the other side…racists to stay lazy depending on handouts…aids which money actually stolen from them too….and this is the Government employees…which need to know clearly…their salaries are paid by tax payers…not by UMNO B or Najib at all.
    And the UMNO B members need to stop depending on aids and buck up to be man enough to work for their futures on equal terms and conditions.
    They need to change their mind sets and mentalities more than so call special aids and if that is need..it must have a fixed expiry date.
    If no such conditions…the so call special help to Malays is making them worst than before..or stay unproductive or progressive in lifestyles.
    We do not need KuLi to teach Malaysians what to do…as he has a clear unreliable track record to be trusted for unity and freedom.

  28. TR asks the youth to seize the day and to be free to determine their future. He talks of freedom, the removal of all shackles that bind and restrict us. He wants a multiracial party. He wishes for a better Malaysia.

    I just wish he can and will take the lead and form a multiracial party if the Home Minister will allow him. Its not too late. It will be in time for the 13th GE. The materials are all there waiting to be gelled together. We just need the right leader.

    Call the new multiracial party ‘Gagasan Rakyat’. Sounds familiar? Maybe ‘Wawasan Rakyat’.

  29. What is the point of reminiscing in nostalgia when one cannot offer change. When can Malaysia turn the corner. It will be great if we can get on to the path of recovery, I mean in all aspects, practicing justice, fairplay and living by the promise of democracy, and hopefully soon.

  30. KuLi no one was surprised with your accusation on Mustapa. THIS RACIST PARTY SURVIVES AND LIVES ON UNTRUTHS AND DISTORTIONS! So my dear KuLi, don’t behave like an old manja, take courage and leave UMNO HOME OF THIEVES AND COMPULSIVE LIARS!…..THEN, YOU WALK AND TALK.

  31. You are who you wanted to be! That goes the saying.

    The American has a common dream as suggested by Martin Lurther King back in the sixties. The speech was so inspired and recognized as among the inspired speeches of the century. Because of that dream, Obama was made the president. American move to reliase that dream.

    The Malaysian has a common dilemma as suggested by the M fella, the ‘Malay dilemma’ back in seventies. That mentality molded into our policies and put into action during his tenure. Because of the dilemma, Ibahim Ali and perkasa are the product. M’sia move to realize that dilemma.

    Kuli should not behave that MCA, being part of government, he is part of the problem regardless what speech he gives. Only MCA can claim, being part of cabinet, being part of government and year-in-year-out they would appeal/beg for the bright student to get into universities or scholarship.

  36. #34 hi King cobra,in fact Sabahan is the minority now and pretty soon we will become palastinians living in our own ancestor’s land under the draconian rule of the millions of so-called project IC citizens who are now enjoying real malays/muslims status. Look at today’s daily express head line “Sabah illegals issue not deemed that important ” qoute and un qoute Datuk Idris Jala. I think to all these fellows,what’s important to them is squeezing all our oil ,gas and wealth and when it’s all done and gone,they will allow the dubious citizens to control us. Some may think it’s my fantasy,however whatever one may think,the ground/foundation has been laid and millions of these alliens are already living in our amidst.These are among the reasons why pretty lots of well to do Sabahans including many ex-Umno/Bn politicians have emigrated to other countries such as Australia,UK ,etc. Pretty lots of Sabahans wanted to leave too if they are given a choice,but what choice other than lots of money and that’s what vast majority of genuine Sabahans have not. The only alternative is to change the present regime to prevent such disastrous illegal regime to take root in our beloved state of Sabah.

  37. Y didn’t he hv d balls 2 call a spade a spade?
    Say it loud n clear dat what we hv degraded 2 what we r 2day is due entirely 2 d self-enriching racist n corrupt policy of UmnoB
    Make no mistake, we r Malaysians but we r divided into various classes by UmnoB/BN
    D struggle will b between d ultra-rich corrupt Umno/BNputras + their cronies n d rest who r exploited by Umno/BNputras

  38. “We were once Malaysian”

    Once upon a time, in some story book that was only published in the UK. That book never got read at school in Malaysia.

    I was born in a generation were being called a Pendatang was normal. Keris waving and talks about blood letting (in a non voluntary fashion) by political leaders was a yearly event that didn’t even make the news. Where the greatest dream to have was to leave. And coming back was such a shameful failure that even your grandmother would come by and criticize you on the day you retuned.

    And the sacrifice… so much…. to such great extend that even family size had to be kept small, siblings that could never be. Everything to concentrate family resources into one or two children, often only a single child, so that he or she might have a chance to obtain higher education abroad, because there was never a chance of in local univesities.

    And to top all that, we have the famous phrase “Kalau you tak suka, you boleh pergi,” by a certain politician.

    Thus my reply to you, is why bother? What has Malaysia ever done to earn my loyalty?

    Even my scholarship was sponsored by a foreign government. My own government couldn’t even spare me an education loan. Yet Malaysia has plenty to spare to sponsor Palestinians to higher education! What good is citizenship? Do you even comprehend how much of a betrayal that feels like.

    Give such treatment, even a dog would leave.

    Why should I fix the mess that the party you serve made? Your party has its precious “master race”, why doesn’t it use them to fix Malaysia? They make the majority of the population and control all major companies and government bodies.

    Why should I spend one moment of my time, one dollar that I scraped and saved on some distant shore to repair a house. A house, which I can never own, no matter how much sweat or how much blood has gone in the walls of that house. I keep being told I am just the descendant of hired help who should have left once the job of building the house was done. I am reminded time and again I should be grateful, eternally grateful for being allowed to squat in that house.

    I say enough.

    Your slogan may touch the older generation but for me, I am a Pendatang. I know what you are thinking behind my back. And no emotional appeal will trick we in sending my hard earned money to Malaysia. My grandmother would be horrified to have such a stupid and foolish grandchild after all the sacrifices my family had to endure.

    But i’ll be generous. For the sake of nasi lemak, the only Malaysian bond that has any hold on me, i’ll put some of my bitterness aside. If your party wants my skills and that of people like me, you may pay for it in USD, AUD, GBP or EURO at international rates. No free ride, my generosity extends only so far.

  43. This is 2010 n still MCA president tried 2 scare non-Malay voters by declaring dat a PAS chap may b d next PM
    Then, working hand in glove, UmnoB n Perkasa also tried 2 scare Malay voters by declaring loudly dat non-Malays r demanding too much n want 2 b PM
    Same old tactic – race phobia, race-based bogeyman 2 stay in power n let d nation rot

  44. No doubt we may vote one devil to replace another devil.
    However…the old devil had 55 years and proven to be so corrupted and greedy..and with their brand of politics…it will always be to divide and rule and that will make Najib all mighty and UMNO B to do as they like..over and over again.
    How do we know..PR is another devil?
    If so..we have alternatives…don’t we?
    It is how confident and serious all Malaysians voters are as the all power decisions makers in Malaysia…and not the politicians.
    We make mistakes….we can correct it after every 4 years…during general election time.
    It is also due to so many voters ….voting selfishly for personal benefits…or simply put an “X” irresponsibly.
    It is a period…FOR or AGAINST under such terrible low class corrupted government and Najib.
    It is like a war to free all Malaysians.
    So choose..FOR or AGAINST.. .to be firm and decisive.

  45. If we are looking for a “Mother Teresa type” then we will never find one in this country after nearly 1 generation of such wanton corrupt practices. Notwithstanding the not prefect character of TR, maybe for an interim period he could fill the gap in a peaceful manner by having some of the more rational people from his SIDE. It is quite obvious that the nation is being ruled as if there is no 2morrow; otherwise you can’t figure out as to why BN is still doing what they are doing. They are checking out!!

  47. Why is KJ argument, which he so eloquently spoke, inferior to this argument? Anyone?

    The biggest reason to buy into these ideas is not about justice, its not about fairness but the fact there is no choice in the matter. This country cannot continue the way it is nor can it tweak the old formula. The room for it is fast running out. We know it and that is why we are debating it. Heck even the rural areas are catching up on the fact.

    But another good reason to buy into these ideas is the fact, the naysayers of the extremist are simply wrong. The doomsday scenario for the Malays and hesitant like KJ are simply wrong. Almost all negativity about such ideas are merely temporary and fleeting. Any setbacks will not last if the course is stayed.

    They issue is can we stay the course in terms of building a transparent and accountable system or will technological and other changes derail the system, cause inefficiencies and setbacks that take TOO long to recover. Do we have enough discipline and patriotism to stay the course or rather do we have enough leaders, and we need many and the more the faster it can be done, with the discipline and patriotism to stay the course? That is a harder question.

    BUT it does not help when those capable question and hesitant. It does not help when those who are the biggest benificiaries and winners still feel entitlement and risk-averse over needed patriotism and nationally entreprenurial.

  48. TRH may have lost much credibility but that does not mean we cannot learn from his mistakes.
    I am not sure if he is still his position to become a national leader if BN is still able to form the next government.
    Perhaps the Sarawak state elections results will provide more direction.

  49. Yes we were once Malaysian during the sixties,i remember all customers regardless of race drink and eat in my fathers coffee shop without seggregate of utensils that being utilised by non muslims. We used to stay oyernight at malays classmate house to enjoy fruits and food, we used to chat regardless of race, male or female in the class.
    we used to have our physical education class in the field with even muslim boys and girls classmate, we used to have interschool sports competition among schools from chinese ,tamil and malay schools ,Now after Mahathirs rule , all these what so call a malaysian way of life has become a history. Malaysian are divided and will never a malaysian like in the sixties.

  50. Quotation of the day:

    “The first step in “grabbing the bull by the horns” is not to require the endorsement of the prime minister, or any Minister, for your activism. Politicians are not your parents. They are your servants. You don’t need a government slogan coined by a foreign PR agency to wrap your project in. You just go ahead and do it.”

    Meanwhile, on home soil school kids (I hope not throughout the country, can any one find out?) are tasked to complete a series of school projects with the stated objective of listing down good things jib has done to the country. My 14yr old daughter expressed her desire to vomit.

  51. //school kids are tasked to complete a series of school projects with the stated objective of listing down good things jib has done to the country.//

    don’t feel so bad lah. During hitler’s rule, children of his master race were encouraged to seek out jews in hiding so that they could be sent to death camps. Don’t be surprised that schoolkids would be required to sing “Ode to Jibby” during school assemblies.

  52. Yes, we used 2 b equal n skin-color-blind
    However, UmnoB, championed by MMK, has been pushing 4 a super-privileged subspecies within a master race, known by d scientific name of Homo malay subsp ultraeasyrichumnobputra

  53. Why did you allow things to happen when you have the advance knowledge of these ills of YOUR PEERS in your club.
    Did your energies of your student days suddenly gone missing or you are already trouble by your peers.

    and sob about it … , if you want pity and repent the wrongs , tell that to your peers and club members at least you can have a better history of yourself.

    BTW, Did you also not participate and bullied your crumps-picker in your coalition club regime .

    your prevous club and today’s club is still the same, only thing different is that it evolve to its real ill character quicker.

    ….bye bye the end

  54. This speech of his was surprising. Not only because he is a Malaysian political figure, but also because he touched on the majority of issues that actually matter. I actually agreed with his stance on most issues except on the matter that the current generation present in Malaysia is bright. The fact of the matter is, the majority of talented youths that have the initiative or financing to go overseas have done so already. Even without financing, other countries like Singapore readily recognize the opportunity to source talent from Malaysia, the majority of which are readily willing. As a result, the remnants present in Malaysia either do not have a choice (familial commitment, lack of financing/initiative) or do not have the ability or work ethic to survive in a truly competitive society. The proportion of the latter is constantly increasing by the day.
    On a personal basis, I will be finishing my Masters at one of the top UK universities but like many others, have no intention to return, be it temporarily or permanently. The lack of career opportunities, weak currency, low salary, incompetent government, the absence of meritocracy, prevalence of discrimination, absence of an intellectual society as well as the blatant incorporation of racism in the constitution are but a few of the plethora of reasons not to work or settle down in Malaysia. In all honesty, what kind of parent would their children grow up in such conditions? In my eyes, as well as in those of many others I know, Malaysia is on the verge of becoming a lost cause.

  55. Why not call a spade a spade?

    i) Ketuanan ii) Bumi-putra (as opposed to Bumi-nonputra),
    iii) Unwarranted interpretation of the special-position provisions in the Constitution regarding Malays and Indigenious peoples of Malaysia; iv) Article 121(1)A and an interpretation of it unintended by Parliament; v) Government Departments, especially the uniformed services, being predominantly composed of only one race.

    Once Malaysia was very different. What do you Want Malaysia. Won Malaysia? Warm Malaysia? Worn Malaysia!

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