By Richard Loh
I intended to use the post title Merdeka, Merdeka, Merdeka but someone beats me to it.
I was 3 years old when Malaya got its Independence and at that age I cannot recalled what actually happened, only to learn in later years from history books. History are written by men or historians but along the way depending on the whims and fancies of those in power, it can be rewritten.
What I learned in the sixties was that Malayan comprising of all races led by Tunku Abdul Rahman fought for our Freedom from the British rule. Following our Freedom the country had to fight the communist insurgencies and Malayan of all races fought off the communists.
The sixties, the time that I was a teenager, the country was peaceful and harmonious (other than the communist insurgencies, which have no effect on us civilians) with all the races mixing around each other without any inkling what racism is all about while religions were never a conflict.
The whole landscape of peace and harmony started to deteriorate after May 13 1969 with many versions written and told of what actually caused the fatal riots. The actual truth can or never will be revealed as some of those in the know were dead and gone while those still alive would not want to jeopardised their comfortable position. What I can say is that the disparity of the haves and haves not among the races is only part of the reason.
No one had ever questioned the NEP but seriously asked how it deviates from its original true intention and the way it is implemented. It has now been twisted and turned into as part of the constitution which no one can questioned or removed it. Just like the ISA which originally was used against the communist insurgencies now being a great political tool.
Whatever is happening now to the country should be blamed on the wealth of our country. We are blessed with natural resources and free from natural disaster. These richness lead to greed and power crazy with those in power clamouring to reap in for themselves as much as possible.
In order to continue reaping the country’s wealth, they must remain in power and that is where dirty politics come into play. Before the 308 tsunami, the balance of political power is always one sided leaving those in power to do whatever they like with the country’s wealth. Divide and rule is the best option to use to ensure victory and it had never failed them.
After 308, the whole political scenario had changed and those in power are scrambling to find solutions to ensure their continuing stay in power. The shallow application of the divide and rule which used to work for the past decades seem redundant in this new era.
The only way left to ensure the stay in power is not disrupted is to create confusion among the people. How to confuse the people, its easy, just introduce the slogan “1Malaysia, People First Performance Now”. Within the ruling party, they break up in separate groups with the PM leading as the nice guy while other groups playing the bad guys to create as much distortions and misinterpret the constitution, the PM’s slogan, the use of religion and racism to the tilt.
The good guy, that is the PM will keep on talking (I am very certain that his Merdeka speech will be all about peace and harmony and his 1Malaysia concept) while leaving the bad guys to do his other dirty jobs, i.e to break up and cause chaos among the races.
Many will said that their actions will cause their own downfall but we must know that there are also many that will fall prey to their dirty plot. Non malays will be blinded by the good guy rhetoric while the malay will believe that their religion and status are being challenged.
We fight to free ourselves from the British and rid of the communists but instead of enjoying the real freedom, we are now enslaved by our own greedy government. Once a year we are told that we are all Malaysians, we must be patriotic and fly our national flag to celebrate Merdeka day. The rest of the days in the year, I am malay first, you are pendatang, beggars or prostitutes with racist slurs coming from the leaders and media every other days.
Merdeka day is the only day where we are all recognised as Malaysians, so enjoy with the 24 hours that you have to be a Malaysians.