Saturday, May 12, 2007

May 13 - fascists' dream come true

On 09 Jan 2006, I posted The Real Cause of the May 13 Riots where I stated:

A guest writer over at Malaysia-Today blog, Nurihsan Majid in an article titled Time for a non-race based agenda, which basically is a political plug for the PKR approach towards the National Economic Policy (NEP), wrote the following:

“The NEP was launched to remedy the socio-economic inequality that led to the May 13, 1969 racial riots.”

Well, that’s patently incorrect!

While socio-economic inequality regrettably did exist, what had led to the May 13 racial riot was not that. It was true that the Malays grew disenchanted with then Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman’s Perikatan (Alliance) party, resulting in massive losses for his coalition.

The true reason leading to the riots was the ruling Perikatan party, or to be more specific, its dominant component, UMNO, losing so many seats that it was on the verge of surrendering Selangor to the DAP, and very nearly losing Perak to the PPP of the Seenivasegam brothers.

That was what caused the riots!

The Selangor UMNO could not cope with the thought of losing Malaysia’s premier state (at that time) to the Chinese-Indian parties …..


Well, in malaysiakini, Dr Kua Kia Siong, political activist, author, ex-ISA detainee and now principal of New Era College in Selangor, has published a new book on the May 13 incident arguing that the riots was a plot to oust then premier Tunku Abdul Rahman rather than the spontaneous clashes between Malay and Chinese that some had written as official history.

I wonder whether Dr Kia’s book would list those points that I highlighted, that the UMNO top echelon, was so stricken with fear that they would lose their dominant political positions. The Tunku became a convenient scapegoat for the Tun Razak camp.

In writing his book, Dr Kia had researched newly declassified British documents including foreign dispatches and confidential reports of 1969, now made available in the Public Records Office in London.

The May 13th racial riots, according to Dr Kia, has provided UMNO with a realisation that the civil disorder would become for them a useful event, a precedence, to be recalled to threaten anyone who voices opposition to their policies (eg. by waving book on May 13 and talking about tebuans, and keris dripping with blood). With that 1969 tragedy, the party embarked on a “dangerous trend of fascism” which continues until this day.

He lamented: “It was fascism in a way how these hoodlums behaved like the fascist movement with the help of the police. It is the worst thing that could happen to Malaysian politics and society.”


According to our learned doctor, the May 13 riots also brought wide-reaching impact on the position of Malay special privileges which has changed to the present “disgusting usage of ketuanan melayu (Malay dominance)”.

I had touched on ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ recently in Is God black, white, brown, yellow or green?, where I stated :

One could argue that the series of ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ propaganda and assertions have been nothing more than unscrupulous avaricious posturing by politicians to exploit a Malay fear of being displaced (economically, politically, etc) in their own land by other ethnic groups. In other words, it’s the politicians’ grubby greedy interests.


In that statement, I voiced my belief that it has been due to the greed (for power, etc) by UMNO leaders that the supremacist concept has always been propagated, rather than a real concern for the Malay people - there are of course a few sincere exceptions. 

Unfortunately the kampong folks have bought that polemical propaganda of bangsa wholesale, which explains in some measure why most Malays would vote for UMNO.

For example, recall the *9.2* million reasons why the Chinese Malaysians were insultingly 'accused' of wanting to 'divide' the Malays! And the man who would never apologise because he 'fought' for bangsa and agama! Wonderful teflon-ising formula!

Dr Kia reminded us: “We saw it not only in 1969, but in 1987, 1996 etc. It is the biggest destruction of our society.
He was referring to UMNO Youth’s role in the ‘Operasi Lalang’ clampdown in 1987 and the mob which stormed into an international conference on East Timor in 1996.

I wonder who was the Education Minister in 1987 who sparked off the events with a grossly insensitive policy, leading to the necessity for ‘Ops Lalang’ which saw the incarceration of many opposition party leaders, political activists like Dr Kia and Dr Chadra Muzzafar, and some token BN small frys?

I wonder who was the acting PM in 1996 when UMNO released its hoodlums on the Apcet II conference at a KL hotel to physically abuse and intimidate international and local delegates? [note: Dr Mahathir was away then on a visit to Ghana].

May 13, Ops Lallang, Aptet II, Mat Rempit Cemerlang*, and *yes, don’t forget reformasi* ........ all signatures of the same mentality.


* I've to admit I wasn't sufficiently clear on this - after visitor gua bay song commented on it, I realise I hadn't clarify that it's not the Mat Rempit in general but those converted into Mat Cemerlang to act as someone's Brown Shirts

11 comments:

  1. Clearly the May 13th incident was an event waiting to happen obviously due to unproportional accumulation of wealth by new immigrants by unconventional means that are most of the times illigitimate through vice, drugs and monopoly of businesses which often victimises indegious locals.

    Just like what indonesia experienced recently, ethnic cleansing is seen and accepted by most malays as the most effective method of ridding their lands of new arrivals that are often seen as greedy, unpatriotic and out to bleed the country for all its worth.

    It is expected that the violent cleansing of rich and exploitacious immigrants who are indeed minority would continue to resurface every couple of years, whether UMNO consents it or not.

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  2. May 13, Ops Lallang, Aptet II, Mat Rempit, and *yes, don’t forget reformasi* ........ all signatures of the same mentality.

    May 13 and Ops Lalang were methods employed by the ruling elite to maintain status quo.

    Apcet II - No comment

    Mat Rempit - Basically the product of neglect by the state on youths

    Reformasi - a multi racial effort at political consciousness.

    You lump everything into one basket. Things aren't all that simplistic.

    Try kon-sidering further.

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  3. at last the truth is out and the world will know of the ultras - Mahathir, Harun Idris in Tun Razak's camp who manipulated the social forces for their political gains.

    in the final analysis, the riots or rather slaughter was a regression back to the time of Hang Tuah et al.

    foreign correspondents have confirmed the massacre by UMNO and Malays in a frenzy to defend the political power.

    manufactured by the CIA maybe as it is similar to the modus operandi of the Iranian revolution also engineered by them.

    in Iran, the hugely popular and secular first democratically elected president was ousted by a people's movement.

    malaysians should not run away from the truth but accept the reality, and after the four stages of grief, MOVE ON to build an even better Malaysia.

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  4. quote
    Ops Lalang were methods employed by the ruling elite to maintain status quo.

    Apcet II - No comment

    unquote

    I ask again, who was that UMNO minister/acting PM?

    quote
    Reformasi - a multi racial effort at political consciousness.

    Puhleeeze lah - wake up from your fantasy

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  5. Hi KT,
    I do appreciate Dr Kua Kia Siong's efforts to delve into the history of the May 13 incident but I would caution readers to to exercise their critical thinking in reading the account.
    The information came from newly declassified secret British reports, most likely sourced from their Secret Intelligence Service - MI6. Much of it would be raw intelligence, and represents A VERSION of events.

    The MI6 has been proven horribly wrong on other world situations before, most recently the fiasco in Iraq.

    Don't treat their version of the May 13 incident as Gospel truth.

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  6. Actually the Mat Rempit culture in an overall distinction is an attempt for the common ppl(yes even the non-majority like chinese and indians enjoyed rempiting) to 'defy' the norm and enjoy a commaderie amongst groups of youngster and friends.

    What KTemoc cautioned is the ruling coalition attempt to 'harness' and reel in for their own agendas and cause. It defeats the the Rempit culture in all its purposes and 'enjoyment'. It's like street graiffiti artisits being caught and forced into 'reformation' as wall-painters! I respect the Rempit culture in its most basic element attempt, to 'question the system' but not to its destructive elements where ppl gets hurt or harmed.

    As for the recent unleashed documentation on the May13 events, I've always believed the root-cause to incite hatred and bigotry are politicians who zealously protects their positions and not yield to changes, no matter the 'collateral damages'. It might have came from the lease unreliable sources but there's always 'truth' if you look beyonds its report. Plus, its one of the only source which we as Malaysiana could source from while our own gov forbids us from dwelving into this historical event. Knowledge and informaton are the keys to unchain ourselves!

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  7. tks mob buddy - you said it for me well

    kittykat - western intelligence in recent times have been highly politicised, and hence highly suspect, unlike the earlier years

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  8. Many seem to miss the point that the mat rempit culture is very much a product of the Ketuanan Melayu-NEP propaganda. It is no surprise that mat rempits are practically all Malays and they overwhelmingly come from the lower rungs of the socio-economic ladder. I pity these Malay kids who are told from the day they come into being how they are a privileged lot because they are Malays. Imagine their horror after they leave school in search of a job when it dawns upon them that the Ketuanan Melayu propaganda they fully believe in does not translate into a comfortable life for them. Many of these mat rempits are doing dead end jobs such as motorcycle mechanics or dispatch boys. They know their chances of becoming part of the glitter they see around them in the big towns and cities are at best remote. The mental anguish of this realisation must be devastating for these Malay kids. Neither their 'Ketuanan Melayu' pride nor the NEP have brought them any benefits after they leave the cocoon of their schools. This is especially so in KL where they can see firsthand how the NEP is exploited by the well connected UMNO cronies. The battle in their hearts and minds to reconcile the reality around them with the propaganda they have been taught to believe all their lives must be gut-wrenching indeed.
    In order to assuage this anguish the mat rempits and their minahs resort to what some call 'mental masturbation'. The mat rempits blatant disregard of the law is a way of making themselves believe that they as Malays are somehow still special. At laest for one day every week they can feel like 'tuans'.

    With regard to the new revelations on the May 13 riots let's just say inteligence services are sometimes not very accrate in their revelations. Time will tell.

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  9. Razak set the precedent of what would be the pattern for all DPM - to plot against the PM. Dr. M plotted against Hussein Onn and succeeded. Razaleigh, Musa and Anwar plotted against Dr. M and failed. Its why there is so much credibility given to Najib plotting against Badawi.

    It was evident for those who remembered that UMNO Youth started and fan the riots. The fact is elements of UMNO youth keep reminding us that over the years (remember Deros crowd?)

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  10. You can't run away from the fact that the majority of unrest, be it in Asia, Europe, the Americas or Africa, is rooted in the disparity of wealth.

    The have-nots are ever willing to be led (exploited?) by those who promise a fundamental change of this disparity - be it through communism, socialism, affirmative action, discrimination - whatever.

    On the other side, the haves will fight with all their might to protect what they see as their's.

    Status quo favours the elite, change excites the poor.

    All other "causes" - be it ketuanan melayu, democratic or civil rights, social restructuring etc - are just convenient flags (or banners) for the have-nots to rally to.

    As long as people all over the world remain obsessed with their wants rather than their needs, peace and harmony will simply remain as idealistic words in a dictionary.

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  11. No wonder some are so antagonistic towardsthe IERCD and THE ROME STATUE.

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