Ubah sekarang, selamatkan Malaysia!
Empat patah perkataan yang secara ringkasnya mengungkapkan segala belenggu sosial, kepincangan ekonomi dan kemelut politik yang sedang melanda negara kita pada hari ini.
Apakah yang telah terjadi? Bagaimanakah kita boleh sampai ke tahap yang parah ini? Tanah air kita sudah tenat, dan kini terpaksa diselamatkan. Kemanakah perginya impian tokoh-tokoh pengasas negara kita, seperti Al-Marhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, yang telah bermimpikan sebuah negara yang maju ekonominya, demokratik institusinya dan bersatu padu masyarakatnya. Tetapi alangkah malangnya pada hari ini, setelah 53 tahun pemerintahan Barisan Nasional, segala impian dan harapan Bapa Kemerdekaan bukan sekadar tidak tercapai malah sudah hancur terkecai.
Inilah hasil satu pemerintahan yang berlandaskan formula ‘pecah dan perintah’, di mana rakyat marhaen dipecah-belahkan dan kemudian diperintah secara berasingan oleh golongan elit daripada UMNO (untuk orang Melayu), MCA (untuk orang Cina), MIC (untuk orang India) dan sebagainya. Tiada bezanya dengan sistem yang dipraktikkan oleh penjajah British.
Yang paling malang, dasar yang berasaskan perkauman ini sudahpun meresap ke dalam akar umbi negara kita, bukan sahaja dalam polisi-polisi kerajaan tetapi juga dalam sanubari masyarakat kita. Segala wacana, mahupun tentang ekonomi, politik atau pendidikan, semuanya dimaklumkan oleh pemikiran parokial yang sekian lama ini telah dipupuk oleh puak pemerintah.
Tidak perlu pergi jauh. Setiap kali orang yang baru dikenali mendengar nama saya, seringkali saya akan ditanya: Eh, awak ni Melayu ke Cina? Nama macam Melayu, muka macam Cina.
Inilah jawapan saya: Saya anak Melayu. Saya juga anak Cina. Saya anak Bangsa Malaysia!
Kita semua anak Bangsa Malaysia. Inilah yang sepatutnya. Sebuah negara yang walaupun terdiri daripada berbilang kaum tetapi bersatu dan bersepakat dalam menghadapi cabaran-cabaran seperti kemiskinan, penyelewengan harta rakyat, penyalahgunaan kuasa, korupsi dan lain-lain lagi. Masalah-masalah yang melanda ini buta warna, ianya tidak mengenali kaum. Akan tetapi, jalan penyelesaian yang disarankan kerajaan BN adalah berdasarkan perkauman.
Contohnya, ekuiti Bumiputra sejumlah 30% – apakah maksudnya? Adakah ia bermaksud bahawa 30% daripada kekayaan negara akan diagihkan secara adil kepada masyarakat Bumiputra? Setelah berdekad-dekad langsungnya Dasar Ekonomi Baru, kita sudah melihat bahawa maksud sebenarnya adalah segala ekuiti, saham dan kontrak yang diperuntukkan untuk golongan Bumiputra akan disapu oleh pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO-BN serta kroni-kroni mereka. Yang diperkayakan adalah mereka sendiri. Cara ini tidak akan berjaya dan jelas telah gagal.
Yang dilaung-laungkan ketuanan Melayu, tetapi yang dipertikaikan adalah orang Melayu juga. Cuma bezanya orang Melayu ahli UMNO dengan orang Melayu biasa. Yang mendapat habuan hanya ahli-ahli dan pemimpin UMNO. Melayu yang biasa dibiarkan di pinggir. Ini fakta: 40% daripada isi rumah di Malaysia mempunyai pendapatan RM1,500 ke bawah. Tiga suku daripada jumlah ini merupakan isi rumah Melayu dan Bumiputra. Jadi ini sebenarnya bukan ketuanan Melayu, tetapi ketuanan UMNO!
Walaupun negara kita sudah merdeka sejak tahun 1957, rakyat Malaysia dan orang Melayu terutamanya masih lagi dijajah dan dikongkong minda oleh pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO-BN. Dasar yang mengongkong orang Melayu ini sudah mengakibatkan satu budaya kebergantungan kepada kerajaan. Orang Melayu diberitahu dan ditakut-takutkan bahawa tanpa pertolongan kerajaan masyarakat Melayu tidak mungkin akan berjaya.
Kita menolak sama sekali hujah dan alasan sebegitu! Ia adalah satu penghinaan besar kepada kaum Melayu. Di Pulau Pinang umpamanya, apabila Kerajaan Negeri memulakan sistem tender terbuka dalam segala kelulusan kontrak Kerajaan Negeri dan agensi-agensinya, langkah ini telah dikecam hebat oleh UMNO. Mereka mendakwa bahawa tanpa pertolongan ‘parti pembela bangsa’ itu, kontraktor Melayu tidak mungkin dapat bersaing dalam keadaan yang bebas dan kompetitif, seolah-olah rezeki itu berada di tangan UMNO. Tetapi, setelah berlangsungnya sistem tender terbuka, kita sudah melihat bahawa kebanyakan daripada kontrak-kontrak kerajaan telah dianugerahkan kepada kontraktor Melayu atas kemampuan mereka sendiri!
Jadi adakah orang Melayu tidak mampu berdaya saing? Jawapannya tidak. Kita harus menolak sama sekali dasar perkauman yang bukan sahaja merendahkan martabat bangsa, tetapi memecah-belahkan rakyat dan hanya menguntungkan segelintir golongan elit UMNO-BN. Jika dibiarkan begitu sahaja, hubungan antara kaum akan semakin tegang dan sikap syak wasangka akan tersebar luas. Akibatnya, negara kita akan kekal dalam kemelut.
Ubah sekarang, selamatkan Malaysia!
Jadi perjuangan kita, sebagai Pakatan Rakyat, sebuah pakatan politik yang secara asasnya tidak berunsurkan kaum, adalah untuk menzahirkan satu ideologi politik baru, yang berlandaskan persaudaraan dan muafakat. Kita seharusnya menjanakan iltizam untuk memulakan budaya baru dalam wacana dan pemikiran negara kita.
Sudah terlalu lama rakyat ditipu. Sudah terlalau lama dalam belenggu. Kini tiba masanya kita berbangkit dan bersama untuk menuntut perubahan yang tuntas dan mutlak. Adalah tanggungjawab kita, sebagai pendukung harapan rakyat, untuk merealisasikan aspirasi ini melalui agenda perubahan kita. Saya yakin, jika kita bersatu dan bekerjasama, impian Bapa Kemerdekaan akan akhirnya tercapai.
Saya ingin mengakhiri ucapan dengan memetik kata-kata Al-Marhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, Perdana Menteri pertama negara kita, sewaktu beliau berangkat tiba dari London setelah selesai rundingan Merdeka:
“History has shown that no nation can survive if it does nothing. It has only two choices – to progress or to decline. It depends on the capacity and consciousness of that nation to face changes and developments. When the people are contented … they are always suspicious of anything that might bring about change. But since the history of mankind is a history of changes and development for the better, the contented nation would be stagnate and finally become extinct and only be brought to life again by future historians…”
Ini adalah amaran pengasas negara kita. Jika kita tidak berubah, sejarah kita, negara kita, bangsa kita, semuanya akan luput dan pupus. Jadi pada hari ini, saya menyeru kepada saudara-saudari yang hadir dan rakan-rakan seperjuangan yang lain, supaya bersama-sama kita bersatu menjadi pemangkin perubahan demi menyelamatkan tanah air tercinta.
Ubah sekarang, selamatkan Malaysia!
[This speech was delivered at the 2nd Pakatan Rakyat National Convention on 19 December 2010. Abridged reproduction.]
Bravo, his father n TAR would b proud of Zairil n they would reject UmnoB n join DAP too
Lu cakap banyak betut. UMNOB tipu molayou, MCA tipu cina kui aka si mata sepit, MIC tipu si boto dan olang atat Sabah lan Salawak tipu olang Layak. Kita tak nak BN-pencuri, pembohong lan tak tau malu. Ini dacing sekalang dunia tak pakai lagi. Ini dacing kita semua angkat lan kasi patah cepat-cepat.
One of the smartest thing ever suggested for the opposition:
A simple strategy to beat BN at the next GE
Eng Hoe
I have a simple suggestion how BN can be defeated at the next GE. In fact I learnt this from Karpal Singh.
When I was still in legal practice, I once watched how Karpal won a case at the Supreme court. When his case was called, he stood up and said, “My Lords, I actually have 5 points to make, but I shall not trouble your Lordships with that. All the 5 points are in the written submissions that are already before your Lordships. I shall take no more than 5 minutes to focus on just 1 of the 5 points …”
Needless to say, the 3 judges smiled when they heard he was going to take only 5 minutes of their time. Karpal banged hard on his strongest point of course. No matter how much the prosecution tried to put forward arguments on other points (which Karpal did not trouble to address), it was abundantly clear to the judges that the prosecution could not reply to that most vital point of the case that Karpal latched onto.
The judges even told the prosecution counsel, “We don’t want to hear any other points. We just want to hear your reply to that one point that counsel for the accused has put forward.” The prosecution fumbled because they actually had no reply to the most important point in the accused’s favor. The judges swiftly decided the case for Karpal.
Ever since that day in court, I used the same strategy and began winning more cases than losing them. I left legal practice 16 years ago, but I have not forgotten what I learnt that day – thanks to my learned friend, Mr. Karpal Singh.
OK, the point I am making is this – we need to bang hard on our strongest point against the BN and keep it simple. Too much information and too much argument and your most important and winning point is lost amongst all the details of other stuff, especially stuff that are controversial and open to reply from the other side.
What is that one point that will move the ordinary Malaysian and that will kill the BN?
I think it is this – so long as the ISA, OSA, PPA and SA are in our laws, BN politicians can legally hide and protect themselves from being exposed and prosecuted for all their corruption, abuse of power and even murder, and keep themselves in power. All that is necessary is for Pakatan to tell Malaysians that they pledge to immediately replace the ISA, OSA, PPA and SA with a Freedom of Information Act if they are voted into becoming the next coalition government. That of course does not ensure that Pakatan will be a good government, but it will at least ensure Malaysians that no politician can get away with “legalized” corruption, abuse of power or murder! And no government can use these unconstitutional laws to keep themselves in power. I bet you every Malaysian will appreciate that.
It is not necessary to explain the ISA, OSA, PPA and SA. And please DON’T! Just state it very simply like what I said above – in one paragraph and let it be said in Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese and Tamil – just 4 distinct paragraphs that can be contained in an A4 size leaflet, and print millions of these leaflets to pass out everywhere just 1 week before the elections. BN will have totally no reply to this.
Just my little contribution for Malaysia.
What will happen to these 2 when PR wins the 13GE?
http://mob1900.globat.com/temp/blogpics4/mob1900_fail_street.jpg
Zairil,
You remind me of this poem. Robert Frost might have had people like unto yourself in mind when he wrote the poem.
I believe Providence has paved the path that you have just taken. And I trust God you will make a difference in the lives of Malaysians. I remember your dad well – his great sense of humour and his cosmopolitan frame of mind. He will be enormously proud of you and he will smiling from somewhere up there. So live that you would keep his legacy and family pride beaming. Congrats again for a road well taken, though it is lonely and less taken.
“Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
‘the history of mankind is a history of changes and developments for the better”….so said Zairul.
And so we see changes and developments…not of mankind…but by Twin Towers..PutraJaya…white elephants and loosing ventures….like..Bakun Dam..Proton..Berjaya Steel….New Straits Times…and billions investments to make money go round and round overseas….earning UMNO B a name…’Memang Boleh”…best smart crooks in the world…to appeal to the weaknesses of Malaysians by enriching themselves by the millions…not enough ..want more and more and with false titles…to separate them from the fools they stole from.
Mankind history in Malaysia?
Stay as we were….contended…satisfied..work like snails…creating so many Depts..to keep more and more Malays loyal to UMNO B employed…is one part of mankind development UMNO B is doing.
In short…development and changes of mankind…habis wayang for Najib.
Mana boleh?
Bela Melayu ortak relax dan puas hati …harapan Najib talong sampai hari mati….eerrrr itu la UMNO B balu boleh hidup.
Tuka fikiran…Najib sindiri talek Mahathir UMNO B masok tong sampah..atau jail.
Ku fikir…boleh human development tak?
In order to achieve ‘national unity’, everybody must send their children to national school…only one school…otherwise, it’s useless to talk about Bangsa Malaysia…
In order to achieve ‘national unity’, everybody must send their children to national school…only one school…otherwise, it’s useless to talk about Bangsa Malaysia… by cinta..what..aah my ass
With NEP,Tongkat Aid,Btn n 30% big Logo hanging in front of the national school’s gate plus rambutan trees in the compound,what Bangsa Malaysia is all about?Ya,Ya,i finally got it;it’s the fake 1Malaysia gimmick!!
cintanegara #7
The racist remarks made by school heads against non-malay students…..are those 2 schools no national schools? So, cintanegara, attending national schools is not going to bring national unity. National Unity can only be achieve by a fair and just government that practises meritocracy. National Unity can only be realised if Malays like you are prepared to compete with their fellow Malaysians on a level playing field. National Unity can come true if UMNOputras like you drop their ‘ketuanness’ and respect other races and their religions. Finally, National Unity will be sure to come when UMNOB/BN is VOTED OUT!!!
In a way…..cintanegara right.
(deleted)
Not enough…history books must be amended to tell real facts and truthful…history.
English language must be made compulsory and taught as a subject..and Science and Maths must be taught in English.
Teachers must be chosen based on qualifications and not based on race. Promotions too.
Much more…but this is enough to start of with..
Correct….cintanegara?