— The Malaysian Insider
Jul 21, 2012
JULY 21 — May 13, now that’s a date that keeps cropping up although the racial clashes on that date happened in 1969, 43 years ago.
Can we ever let it rest? Can we ever move on? Can we ever get politicians to stop saying they don’t want it repeated, yet bring it up every now and then?
May 13 keeps popping up as a scaremongering tactic to keep various demographics united to support political parties facing an election, especially Umno.
There used to be some reverence and remorse for the darkest day in Malaysian history when blood spilled on the ground among us.
Now it is used with utmost disrespect by Umno strategists who believe that fear of trouble will persuade them to support the status quo – keeping Barisan Nasional (BN) in control of Putrajaya.
Here’s the rub. BN can keep Putrajaya as long as it fulfils its promises. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has toured the country countless times, fixing problems and issues with his grand programme under the New Economic Model (NEM), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and Government Transformation Programme (GTP).
So, why do we still hear about May 13?
Veteran DAP leader Lim Kit Siang commented on the latest May 13 reference made by Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday, asking the Umno deputy president if he had meant to assure Malaysians that a similar clash would not repeat or warn them otherwise.
“I confess I am concerned at the way Muhyiddin raised the spectre of May 13, which had been used in the past decades to create fear among voters as part of the scare tactics to force voters to vote for Umno and BN,” the Ipoh Timor MP said last night.
According to news reports yesterday, Muhyiddin asked the country’s youths to stand united to avoid a another bloody racial clash like the 1969 riots, which is said to have claimed the lives of nearly 2,000 Malaysians.
“We don’t want May 13 repeated,” the deputy prime minister had said.
But Lim said Malaysia’s political and social landscape have changed significantly since the clash, pointing to the birth of Pakatan Rakyat (PR), a coalition of three parties – DAP, PKR and PAS – which he said promotes multiracialism.
“So could there be another May 13 in the next general election? My answer would be a strong ‘No’,” he said.
That is something that all Malaysians should believe. That there will not be another May 13 ever. And shame the politicians who keep bringing it up.
Some of us have moved on to be the Bangsa Malaysia that Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dreamt. We just have to make sure the laggards who want to cause mischief are not allowed to do so.
What about Najib’s “I will defend PutraJaya from traitors taking over with my life”.
He then call all patriots to join him fight traitors.
Is this not worst than hinting a May 13th scenario on the way ..if UMNO lose control governing?
And the excuse is always defending the Muslims from the minorities.
They are blowing HOT AIR!!!
Let the politicians defend or offend with their arguments.
Treat all as a comedy play.
Malaysians have been waiting for 30+ years for an automotive policy that will benefit malaysians rather than line the pockets of BN cronies.
Now BN and Najib are in hot soup now that the cAT is out of the bag and PR will slash taxes that will enrich and increase Malaysians’ disposable income.
Helo, Mahathir, apa jadi to your cronies-ah? 30+ years and trillions of ringit down the drain, your Automotive policy stinks real bad-lah, ol’ friend.
This May 13 thing keeps appearing and reappearing over and over again.
It is time for closure and moving on. The in-coming PR government must declare that it will form a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to cleanse this blot in the nation’s history once and for all. Does PR dare to do so? It must state its stand on this incident. Otherwise it should also stop making statements about it. All these ding-dongs must stop.
The so-called May13 bogey man has been laid to rest a long time ago.
It’s common knowledge who actually started that.
And what’s even more important, the Malays themselves realised that they’d been had by UMNO/BN all these decades.
That this party, long run by foreigners masquerading as Malays, has been sucking the lifeblood out of Malaysians.
And their attitudes towards that party has changed.
That’s why all these inefficacious tactics are being resurrected.
UMNO/BN is very worried.
And they should be.
Malaysians now wanted to get even!!!