Was reading an article in this morning's Star newspaper about the nude squat incident. There was 2 really interesting questions that was brought up in the article, the first of which is:
Why was the Home Affairs Minister despatched so hastily to China – to apologise for a raft of “misunderstandings” – when he could certainly have demanded a full and immediate report from the police?
I never knew that this had happened. Could be because i dont read the papers that much. But nevertheless, it seems very silly for a top government official to behave in such a way before getting all the facts. Perhaps he only had good intentions, and simply did not want to jeapodize any relations between Malaysia and China. I shall give him the benefit of the doubt in this.
Before i get to the second question, take note that when this whole fiasco started, everyone thought that the women doing the squats was a Chinese national, and a lot of who-ha-he-wha-wha-wha was made by local Chinese papers. And I really can't say for certain what the opinions of our local Chinese community were when this all started happening. With that in mind, the second question that i wanted to highlight was:
Why were Malaysians of Chinese origin so ready to identify with a Chinese from China – as opposed to a Malaysian, irrespective of racial origin? After 48 years of hoisting the flag together and sharing durians, why are some of us so unMalaysian?
I was somewhat disturbed by this question. Firstly, that eating durians is supposed to make us patriotic Malaysians. And secondly, that people in this country are being accused of being unMalaysian. I guess not everyone is a hardcore 100% nationalist and patriot. Heck, i don't even fall under that category. Not many people do anyways, but you get my point...i hope.
But as i think about it, i dont really blame people for being unMalaysian. I think a lot of people really love this country, but certain policies and politics are slowly converting us into loyalistic unMalaysians. These policies do nothing but segregate society by race and religion. These politics do nothing but protect and enhance certain segments of society only.
How are we to be true Malaysians if we do not have a single law for all Malaysians? How are we to be true Malaysians if we are not all given the same level of treatment?
2 comments:
With regards to you first point, the explanation is simple. The Home Affairs Minister was looking for a good excuse to get his lazy bum out of his office for a government sponsored (with our tax money) holiday. The nude squat incident gave him the excuse he needed.
On your second point, I agree with you. After 48 years of hoisting the flag together and sharing the durians, there are still moronic, left-wing hawks amongst us who insist on reviving the failed NEP, to benefit the bumis at the expense of us non-bumis. Where is the 'Malaysianism' expounded by the author in that??
Also, when the nude squat woman was falsely believed to be a Chinese, us Chinese in Malaysia voiced out our indignation because we BELIEVE in human rights and dignity. The Malays on the other hand, kept silent. Now that the woman was proven to be a Malay, the Malays are surprisingly muted. Do they not care that these things are happening in our very own country?? Do they even know that such things are wrong??
The accuse the Chinese of being unpatriotic because we supposedly only 'stand up' for our own race. Well HELLO...then what do you call those Bumi politicians who after years of sharing durians and hoisting the flag together, only care about the well-being and privileges of their own race?? Are they friggin patriots??
I read the same article you did and it only served to annoy me. I guessed to the author, patriotism only applies when it benefits the bumis. In all other facets, forget it!
aye laddy.. just goes to show the level of journalism in this country. And things like this get printed. *sigh*
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