I found this piece by Brian Yap at The Malaysianinsider quite fascinating for its reference to the 2 births of this nation and the parallels he draw to the opposition faced to the birth of Malaysia in 1963.

He said “Like 45 years ago, there is resistance and opposition. There is uncertainty, fear and tension, some real, some orchestrated. This isn’t surprising. The status quo will never stand by idly waiting while change takes over.”

How history then to repeat, or at least some people never learnt from history!

“It’s now 45 years later and the country is facing a different set of problems. Once again, we are called to believe in the concept of Malaysia, to believe that as different as we are from one another, we can come together. To believe that all Malaysians have a shared destiny, one that can only be fulfilled if we all stand brave in the face of the greatest of enemies, one that often tempts us to be less than what we are - ourselves.”

It is best you read this whole passage by Brian Yap, for it is truly something I whole heartly believe in too.

Welcome to a born-again Malaysia!

SEPT 16 - This is perhaps the second Sept 16 so many Malaysians have been excited about. The first, of course, was 45 years ago, in 1963. Probably for simplicity sake, the coming together of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore as one nation was supposed to be on Aug 31, the same date as Malaya”s independence.

But as fate, and opposition from Indonesia and the Philippines, would have it, Malaysia’s formation was slightly delayed, leaving the new nation with two birthdays. Not surprisingly, Malaysians from the peninsula pay far less attention to Sept 16 than our Sabah and Sarawak brothers and sisters.

In 2008, we are on the cusp of history once more. It is not without significance that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim cleverly chose Sept 16 as a self-imposed deadline. He could have picked, say, the first Tuesday of December, but he went with the date on which our nation was truly born, a date that continues to serve as a point of contention for East Malaysians as representative of how Putrajaya has little regard for their interests, a date that remains a regular day for much of the country despite its significance, which also happens to be something Pakatan Rakyat wants to change. In other words, 45 years on, Malaysia could be on the verge of being born again as a nation. This time as a functional democracy, something that we put on hold in the name of stability and economic development at heavy cost.

Like 45 years ago, there is resistance and opposition. There is uncertainty, fear and tension, some real, some orchestrated. This isn’t surprising. The status quo will never stand by idly waiting while change takes over. In fact, the status quo bets that Malaysians will retreat back into our suspicious ways once enough pressure has been applied, so it is choosing to crush the hopes of all of us who are optimistically dreaming of a new Malaysia by using the same old tactics. The best way to discourage Malaysia’s maturing into a functional democracy less obsessed with race is to divide the people further and prevent us from uniting for a larger cause.

So we now have, on this Malaysia Day, new ISA detainees, fabricated accusations of religious interference, a clampdown on the media and many other unsettling developments. All of which, I believe, are designed to create a state of unease and fatigue among Malaysians. But we also have, on this Malaysia Day, a citizenry that is considerably more enlightened, one that is more likely to see through the cynical manner race is exploited like a trump card by those afraid of losing all power.

This Malaysia Day, Malaysians are saying, “Enough!”‘ Enough of using the ISA as a political tool. Of using real people as pawns in their game. Enough of politicians who cause hate among Malaysians, then exploit it for what it’s worth. Enough to an entire nation being held hostage by the likes of Datuk Ahmad Ismail. Enough of Sabah and Sarawak being treated like second-class states. Enough of the blatant corruption, lies, mismanagement and downright incompetence. Enough, in other words, of Barisan Nasional rule - it is time for all right-thinking MPs to seriously consider crossing the floor as the moral thing to do.

This Sept 16, Malaysians have taken back Malaysia Day as a reminder of the struggle to make our country great again. ISA vigils are being held for the ISA detainees. The move to form a new federal government is underway. Even those from within BN, be they component parties or Cabinet ministers, are speaking out for what’s right.

In 1963, we became Malaysia under volatile circumstances. Hostile neighbours, a problematic Singapore and the difficulty in holding together a diverse, newly formed nation were just a few of the challenges we faced. It’s now 45 years later and the country is facing a different set of problems. Once again, we are called to believe in the concept of Malaysia, to believe that as different as we are from one another, we can come together. To believe that all Malaysians have a shared destiny, one that can only be fulfilled if we all stand brave in the face of the greatest of enemies, one that often tempts us to be less than what we are - ourselves.

Popularity: 13% [?]

I write this with a heavy heart after hearing the news that 2 ladies - a reporter Ms Tan and MP Teresa Kok were arrested under the draconian ISA. These 2 news came following the not too surprising arrest of RPK, the icon of the new Malaysia.

What have the 2 ladies done that deserve ISA?

The reporter was merely doing her job of reporting what Ahmad Ismail said, while the actual instigator was only slapped with a suspension from party politics. THIS is blatant injustice.

What about Teresa Kok ? What has she done that is deemed a security threat?

I suppose many of us are now thinking that it is all part of a ploy to scare the opposition and the majority of Malaysians. Some of us may believe it may be a ploy to incite their supporters to rally a protest march. In that case, it becomes fodder for BN to declare a State of Emergency and play their end game.

Will there be other arrests ala Ops Lalang? Is this how the current regime wants to retain power? THIS is blatant injustice.

My prayers are with RPK, Ms Tan and Teresa :-

May God give you the strength, the will and patience to endure hardship for your calling, our nation and for democracy and truth. May God grant your family the grace to endure along with you. You are not alone - God will be at your side. 

If we are not rouse from our slumber by this foul stench of injustice, I have this Franciscan prayer for us all:

“May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.”

Popularity: 17% [?]

The current news sensation is the ruckus and rants about somebody’s (who is a nobody!) racist remarks. Some is calling it a ruse to raise the temperature of the racists among us.

The Chinese press, Gerakan and even the English press are all caught up in this ruse and being played into the hand of a racists who are baiting the rest of us to react.

Some even believe it is the same machinations and incitement that lead to Operasi Lalang 20 years ago that led to the gaging of the chinese malaysians.

Out of all the commentaries (and even public reactions) i have been reading on this, I found this article most insightful of the current state of affairs.

(sorry i have not had the time to blog much, as I do work full time and is a father who actually spend time with my little child and at present a full time housekeeper!)

The real significance of Ahmad Ismail

By Nat Tan 

Does Ahmad Ismail represent a huge swath of Malaysian society, or is he a lone ranger? Examining this question may yield important answers about the current state of Umno in Malaysia.

After yesterday’s incident which included infantile supporters ripping up a photograph of Dr Koh Tsu Koon, we can expect some further shows of support for Ahmad by a number of individuals and groups.

It is worth recalling the NEP protest in Penang and Selangor soon after March 8, as well as the UiTM protests more recently. These gatherings, numbering usually in the low four figures or so, should have us questioning just how deep and wide the fears of Malay Malaysians currently run.

Concerns about uprisings were indeed widespread in early March, where many feared the period when Umno-led ultra-nationalists would have had the most reason and impetus to display extreme displeasure with the election results.

That cloud passed without a storm, a fact which left a distinct impression amongst Malaysians that we had come a long, long way in our 50 years of existence as a nation.

Legitimate Malay concerns

The passing of this storm should not be taken to mean, however, that widely felt legitimate concerns amidst the Malay middle ground do not exist.

In an era where globalisation swallows cultures whole, and amidst a backdrop where Islam appears constantly under siege, it is undeniably understandable to fear the loss of one’s identity.

Luckily for Malaysia, the current willingness to take a chance on a new government goes hand in hand with a lack of appetite for destructive behaviour on a mass scale.

Malaysians have proudly shown that they love their families and their neighbours too much to visit violence on one another in solidarity with a party that has done more than anyone else to frustrate its own stated aims.

We now face the possibility of another major political shift, and are once again faced with the same questions of whether a major uprising of discontent is in the books.

My feeling is that if it didn’t happen in March, it will not happen in the event of a change of federal government. A number of observations inform this view.

Umno no longer trusted by Malays

Firstly, we must not underestimate the power of a simple truth: that Malays have been betrayed not by any ‘kaum pendatang’, but by Umno itself.

The last few decades have seen damage done by Umno to itself and to the Malay community that can only be described as irreparable - a term not used lightly.

With the centrality of image to politics, the typical mansion-dwelling, Mercedes-riding Umno leader who built his or her fortune on the back of poor Malays is an enduring liability, as is its role in creating an increasingly dangerous and widening gap between the Malay poor and the Malay rich. Pakatan Rakyat’s constant reinforcement of this image has certainly hurt as well.

Umno’s stewardship has by its own admittance failed to realise the goals of policies such as the NEP aimed at raising the standard of living in the Malay community. With a raised ‘keris’ in one hand, the other hand is stealing everything of worth from Malays and Malaysians. Fortunately, Malaysians can now see in the cold light of day what been done time and time again by those hidden hands.

As a party, Umno has clearly degenerated from a service-oriented institution to a patronage based one. While this may have been vaguely, if immorally, sustainable with a totalitarian ideologue at the helm during good times, it is certainly not surviving inept leadership and even more severe levels of graft. Ahmad’s defiance is also clearly symptomatic of the dangerous power vacuum left behind in the leadership crisis currently affecting Umno and BN.

In short, with ever dwindling public support - especially in urban areas - Umno is indeed a sinking ship. Take away the myth of invincibility, as was done in March, and very little of substance remains.

Last ditch efforts by Umnoputras

This is not to say that the Umno hardliners are without any support whatsoever. Yes, there is a section of society - from all ethnic groups - who are simple, hateful racists. I don’t think they number greatly though; the group we should watch is far more sophisticated and dangerous.

We must remember that many, many people got rich via Umno connections - connections that soon stand to lose essentially all their worth (except perhaps if you live, say, in Johor).

In other words, there is a massive amount at stake.

The priority of those who stand to lose so much is, obviously, to retain power at all costs. For Umno, means of doing or so are limited by at least two impossibilities: moving towards true integrity, and moving out of a race-centric framework. The former would defeat the entire purpose and the latter, the raison d’etre of race-based parties.

In Umno, this means that as far as strategies go, they are back to square one: defending Malay supremacy against the ‘evil machinations’ of non-Malays.

I think it is wisest to view this desperation coldly. Rather than rush to defend the dignity and rights of non-Malays, which is all well and good, we should be thinking about how to manage any potential impact the rhetoric of Umno leaders like Ahmad Ismail may have.

Fortunately, it is unlikely to achieve much mileage or gain traction on its own merits, for the simple reason articulated above: people no longer trust Umno leaders - not even to defend Malay dignity.

That said, we should both expect and not be surprised by some level of support, recalling again that many individuals and their dependents (who provide bodies and numbers when called upon) rely on Umno not for the dignity or prestige of their ethnic group, but for the size of their wallets.

We should also not take this threat for granted, but manage it wisely.

Best way to defend Malay rights

Fluster, bluster, sound and fury will amount to very little. At the end of the day, the best defender of non-Malay rights is a Malay, and the best defender of Malay rights is a non-Malay.

It is thus the duty of myself and many reading to reinforce the notion as publicly and as often as possible that the central tenets of Malay economic well-being, culture, religion and way of life will always be held sacrosanct in this land and never, ever sacrificed to posterity or allowed to assimilate excessively and fade away.

The rest, I leave to my Malay brothers and sisters.

The clock ticks for Malaysia; race-based politics has been the biggest structural impediment to true Malaysian harmony by far, and the time has come to leave it far behind in the dust of history.

Popularity: 10% [?]