‘Non-Malay dilemma' 64 years after independence

The ‘non-Malay dilemma' 64 years after independence

After his defeat in the 1969 general election, which served as the catalyst for a sanguinary racial conflict, and his fallout with then-premier Tunku Abdul Rahman, resulting in his expulsion from Umno, Dr Mahathir Mohamad published a controversial book.

Titled The Malay Dilemma, it claimed, among others, that the Malays fell under the dominion of other races in their own land because of their tolerant and non-confrontational nature.

Now, as the nation celebrates its 64th year of independence, Chandran Nair delves into what he terms as the “non-Malay dilemma” - the other part of Malaysia’s ethnic equation.

The businessperson, author and think-tank founder said he was prompted to speak on this after watching comedian Harith Iskandar's recent interview with former CIMB group chairperson Nazir Razak.

To his credit, he said, Nazir lamented the state of affairs in Malaysia and outlined his vision for change.

Acknowledging race-based politics as one of the root causes, he added that the son of the second prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein and brother of the sixth prime minister Najib Abdul Razak appeared genuine in his desire to overhaul the manner in which the nation is governed.

However, Chandran said it was Nazir's response to a question from an individual who asked if non-Malays should remain in Malaysia or leave due to the discrimination against them, which struck a chord.

“The question seemed to take the host and Nazir by surprise. Nazir said he felt emotional and was saddened by this question. His response reminded me of the response of a couple of my well-heeled Malay friends who reel when I mention something similar.

“I tell them, 'You have no idea what it feels like to be discriminated against along racial lines in your own country do you?' They listen in a state of shock, as if they have just been exposed to a new truth, yet having been participants in political discussions for years.

“It is odd to me they have never considered this while witnessing and living in that reality that non-Malays endure all the time. It reminds me how easy it is to get used to discrimination if you are a beneficiary, like the white people in the US,” he added.

Chandran, whose plan to establish the Malaysian Anti-Racism Institute (MARI) has been put on hold due to the Covid-19 situation, believes that all Malaysians who have values and want to save the country from its decline should focus their attention on the Malay elites.

“Both the active participants and supporters of institutional racism as well as those who are silent beneficiaries. They have simply not thought about this obvious feeling of the non-Malays or conveniently chosen to ignore it, which is a moral abdication of sorts. It is a mixture of active denial and blissful ignorance. Neither is excusable,” he added.

'Dismantle what you helped build'

On the same note, Chandran said the issue highlighted the resilience of non-Malays to endure discrimination for almost half a century and continue to remain loyal citizens as well as key contributors to the country.

“But for how long? Where most countries in Asia have tried hard in this progressive era to discard all vestiges of racial discrimination given their experiences during colonisation and so forth, elite Malays in Malaysia have fought hard to entrench and institutionalise it.

“It is a reflection of a sense of inferiority and a belief in racial superiority. No other majority in any country has been as successful in institutionalising racism into all aspects of life.”

Chandran said the non-Malays had helped create this divisive order and must now work towards dismantling it.

“Sadly, the secret ally in this has been the non-Malay population who allowed themselves to be 'suppressed' into actually believing they are second-class citizens. This is particularly so of the middle class and elites.

“The latter could argue it is to get their slice of the pie and explain it away as 'the only way to survive'. One can understand the dilemma of the poorer non-Malays in allowing this to happen in the era of Malay supremacy as they have had to live with structural inequalities and their lack of socio-economic clout in a country where the call for change has thankfully always been through peaceful means.

“This is because non-Malays have fundamentally aligned with and recognised the need to have affirmative actions to uplift poor Malays – a need that is just as relevant at present,” he added.

MARI founder Chandran Nair

By being compliant, Chandran claimed that non-Malays allowed an elite Malay rent-seeking class to rise and usurp the political system and the major institutions while at the same time, institutionalising racism and normalising it.

He added that it also allowed racist elements to instil the fear of harm in them as well as created two generations of Malays who believe there is no need for them to compete on a level playing field.

“This has done great damage to the quality of education in the country and lowered the bar for meritocracy in many institutions including GLCs. It also forced many educated Malays who are fully aware of the immoral nature of this (even against the teaching of Islam) to be silent and thus complicit in furthering institutional racial discrimination.

“This has started a deep rot within the Malay society and now finally, a few elite Malays, retired politicians and business leaders are beginning to speak about it – sadly not when they were in positions of power.

“This is now beginning to divide the Malay community but with little open acknowledgement that the root cause is racist policies created by those who have no interest in uplifting others, including poorer Malays.

“But within this rift may be the seeds for change and educated Malays across the spectrum must enter the fray and stop acting like they belong to a tribe with a code of silence,” he averred.

'Civil action and people's disobedience'

Noting that the malaise is entrenched, Chandran believes that change cannot be made through parliamentary elections.

Therefore, he said the non-Malay dilemma is about which course of action to take in order to repossess their status as equal citizens.

“How do the Chinese find ways not to be treated as if they are the Jews in Europe and blamed for everything because they are viewed as economically better off. How do the Indians escape the downward spiral and reverse the discrimination so as not to be the Black Lives Matter of Malaysia?

“How do the indigenous communities regain their rightful positions and not be marginalised or be pushed into shrinking reserves like the Native Americans?”

First and foremost, Chandran said those who want change should not be cowed by threats of backlash.

“The dilemma is how to expose it so that all Malays understand what is happening thus compelling the racists to change. The Malay community must understand that racism will hobble them as a race, will impoverish the poor and is un-Islamic if they need reminding.

“For non-Malays, running to another country is the easy way out but not all can have the means to do so. Non-Malays need to oppose and dismantle it by getting actively engaged. The first step is not to fear the racists and stop behaving like a 'guest' in your own country.

“Non-Malays do not need to believe that the only way to dismantle it is through the political system as that is a sham and the events of the last two years have shown us that racism is what runs through the corridors of our entire political system.

“We have reached a point that the system has now installed a prime minister who is regarded as a racist with a track record to prove it,” he added.

Chandran mooted using civil action and people's disobedience as tools to effect the desired changes.

“Actions can start at work. If you work at a GLC ask the CEO why there are so few non-Malays. Challenge Human Resources. Do not remain silent. Malays in these organisations can ask the same question. Educated Malays in organisations like Petronas should be asking about the race-based hiring and procurement policies,” he added.



Chandran urged non-Malays to post stories of their dilemma as well as share inspiring accounts on overcoming institutional racism.

“Imagine 10,000 of these a month and shared across the country? They must avoid all forms of racist expressions but use it instead to bind all races together while outing the racists. They should invite their Malay friends to do the same and liberate them from their silence. This can become a movement that will force change.

“An encouraging sign is that there are some organisations challenging the racist system and calling out elite Malays. However, most are youth groups and do not get much traction or support from the establishment.

“There is an opportunity now to bring many of them under one social movement that has no leader as such but uses art, literature and even sports to promote the rejection of the existing system nationwide.

“Non-Malays must move away from their complaint attitudes and get engaged peacefully in outsmarting the racist elites. They need to challenge liberal Malays who stay silent and present their dilemma as a political issue and deny that institutional racism is at the heart of the system.

“When I was invited to watch another episode of Harith Iskandar's interviews, a well-known liberal Malay elite was the guest and never confronted the issue of racism when discussing the current mess we find ourselves in. The host did not challenge him. He should not be able to get away with it and neither should we allow it,” he added.

Chandran also called on non-Malays to fight the urge to become racist in order to protect themselves.

“They too should look within their circles and shed all aspects of racism. But as always, it is the majority who have the principal responsibility and must stop systematically oppressing the minority,” he added.

Chandran Nair - from fighting apartheid to reversing institutional racism in M'sia

+++++++++

MCA: Dr M perpetuating 'wealthy Chinese' stereotype will split M’sians

[27 Jun 2018]

MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong has criticised Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad for justifying pro-bumiputera policies by claiming that other ethnic groups – particularly the Chinese Malaysians – were already wealthy.

"During Mahathir's first tenure as prime minister from 1981-2003, he had exercised similar race-oriented policies.

"The premier would not ease up on reinforcing the fallacious stereotype that 'the Chinese are the wealthy ones' in order to rationalise the neglect of the interests of Chinese Malaysians,” he said in a statement today.

"Whenever he starts talking about 'the Chinese are rich', he is knowingly attempting to segregate us Malaysians.

"He is playing with fire by uttering such fictitious remarks," he stressed.

Wee was responding to Mahathir's interview with Channel News Asia, in which the premier claimed that Chinese Malaysian students overseas were more well off than Malay students.

"When I was in the United Kingdom, I met a number of Chinese students. They were there because their parents were able to pay for their studies.



"But I find that Malay parents, by and large, cannot afford to have university education for their children," Mahathir was quoted as saying.

Not along ethnic lines

In his statement, Wee stressed that wealth disparity does not always occur along ethnic lines.

"It does not matter if it is a Malay, Chinese, Indian or any race, each race has members on both ends of the income spectrum.

"A sensible government ought to comprehend that it is paramount that all citizens are treated fairly; the needy and vulnerable should be provided with a solid social protection network regardless of their ethnicity," he said in a press statement.

Wee also disputed the belief that pro-bumiputera policies had eradicated racial animosities.

"Be reasonable and think: how can one expect policies set forth by apartheid ideologies resolve any ill-feelings that exist in a multiracial society?"

'Don't use Chinese as sacrificial lamb'

Wee also questioned if Mahathir's statement was to test the waters for the reintroduction of the same economic model he practised 22 years ago.

"This is yet another strong indication of the comeback of Mahathirism, and a failure to rid Malaysia of racial politics.

"The majority of the six million Malaysian Chinese in 2018 is working class, not dissimilar from how most Bumiputeras are wage-earners.

"The Chinese mostly depend on frugality, hard work and self-reliance in an attempt to accumulate wealth," he said.

The Chinese Malaysian community, Wee added, also values education above all else, and strives to give the best education to their children regardless of how little money they possess.

"As such, I urge Mahathir to stop using the Chinese as a sacrificial lamb in his attempt to further his racial ideologies," he said.



Meanwhile, DAP's Tanah Rata assemblyperson Chiong Yoke Kong (photo) also stressed that poverty cuts across ethnic lines.

"Even though there are Chinese Malaysians students who can further their study abroad, but there are many Chinese students who also cannot afford to even study at local colleges or universities due to poverty," he said.

As such, Chiong said the issue of poverty must be addressed holistically and not along racial or religious lines.

"Poverty exists among all races regardless of they are Malay, Indian, Chinese, Orang Asli, Kadazan or Iban.”

Chiong also noted that poverty exists due to corruption and the oppression of the people by those in power, which he claimed was aggravated during Najib Abdul Razak's tenure as prime minister.

He added that conflicts due to wealth disparity were not between ethnic groups, but between the haves and have-nots.

"Wealth disparity among race is only a political rhetoric that is always misused by politicians to point figures at a particular race.”

*********

Dr M’s sons are rich, so all Malays are rich?

[1 May 2014]

YOURSAY ‘ Using your yardstick, since your sons are rich, then all Malays are rich?’

Dr M: Chinese are rich and Indians are lawyers

Milosevic: I wish I could be as poor as former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his family.

I wish all the so-called marginalised Indians and displaced plantation workers, who find themselves resorting to criminal activity and murdered in jail, would come clean and tell us that they actually have medical and legal degrees, and apologise for making the government look bad.

I wish Mahathir would liberate himself from his frozen ideas contained in his book ‘The Malay Dilemma’, and show us that old men need not act like King Lear, and can update their ideas.

I wish he could see that he is a major factor in the making of inequality that American economist Joseph Stiglitz mentions, and a major driver of hudud, although he is against hudud, because of the way he ruled the country.

Capable, clean secular governments, which escape Stiglitz's path, will never produce societies where religion surfaces as the salvation ideology.

He declared Malaysia an Islamic state as he undermined clean, open, secular government. Is there a hudud punishment for this?

Aries46: Mahathir took all of three days to conjure how to hit back at US President Barack Obama and all that he managed was to berate perceived inequalities in the United States as against the institutionalised racism and discrimination in Malaysia that Obama referred to.

Inequality is a reality in societies that practices meritocracy and to equate that to the reprehensible apartheid-like policies here amounts to deception.

Mahathir’s diatribe is also flawed in that Obama speaks as a black president in white majority US whereas non-Malays here are almost obliterated from all higher level public service appointments, let alone the premiership.

Mahathir's rebuttal amounts to comparing apples with langsat. Mahathir also has no right to use the economic position of the non-Malays to counter the extreme policies of Umno.

Non-Malays toiled hard for their success and don’t owe him or Umno any favours. In reality, the so-called wealthy Malaysians are a fraction of the population and the majority is struggling at the lower levels with stagnated wages.

Absalom: Mahathir, your reasoning about Indian doctors and wealthy Chinese is deliberately myopic.

For every Indian doctor, there probably are 1,000 displaced estate workers, hardcore poor and disadvantaged. Same with the Chinese, and same with the Malays, although maybe the ratios are different.

You just want to justify your previous lopsided policies, wastage and crony capitalism, and your present wealth because you most likely now belong to that one percent.

What is wrong with equality and treating the minority as equals for the purpose of uplifting the disadvantaged?

Don't pretend to speak for the Malay masses because they may only be slightly better off under all the affirmative policies which saw you and some cronies leap-frog to become multi-millionaires and even billionaires.

Ian2003: Mahathir, please understand this - Obama says that Malaysia will not succeed, and not Malaysians will not succeed.

There is a difference here. Many Malaysians are successful in their individual right as you have clearly pointed out but we are sad that Malaysia as a nation is falling behind other countries.

Even Vietnam is catching up and if we do not unite as Malaysians but are kept divided by race and religion, I wouldn't be surprise that even Cambodia may overtake us one day.

Speaking Sense: What Mahathir doesn't want to admit is that in Malaysia, the Umno government is actively and deliberately discriminating against non-Malays and non-Muslims.

The non-Malays and non-Muslims may have done well, but it is only because they work hard, despite Umno's all-out efforts to create an unequal playing field for them in favour of their own cronies.

There is inequality in other countries, true - but these inequalities are not because of their governments' deliberate unfair policies, which is the case in Umno’s Malaysia.

Ksn: If the Chinese are rich, they did it by sheer hard work and the risks they took. If a few Indians are professionals, it is the result of the sacrifices their parents made for their studies.

They did not wait for handouts from public funds, tax paid mostly by the Chinese and Indian professionals.

By the way, exactly how many Chinese are rich and how many Indians are professionals? I am under the clear impression that Indians are all gangsters. Neither MIC nor its masters Umno Baru helped the Indians displaced from the plantations, hence their pathetic state now.

You said those who did not come to Malaysia are not so fortunate. How ignorant you are of China and India. Your perverse logic disgusts Malaysians that you were the country's PM for 22 years.

Oriole: Mahathir, your question shows how out of touch you are with the real state of affairs in this country. It also shows why you are most unfit to speak on these matters.

Your policies were largely responsible for the worsening lives of the poor regardless of race. But your arrogance has led to such blindness. The current state of the nation is the nation's condemnation of you.

LAWofKARMA: Mahathir, using your yardstick, I would say since as a Malay, you are staying in the super rich area, and your son, a Malay, is super rich and is in the list of top 10 richest men in Malaysia, then all Malays are super rich.

So in Malaysia, the Chinese are rich, Indians are rich and Malays are rich. Only the Orang Asli (the real bumiputera) are poor. Do you agree, Mahathir?