The social media outrage squads are going after Deputy
PM Zahid Hamidi for highlighting Mahathir’s Indian ancestry. Big deal. Anwar also made jibes against Mahathir’s parentage in the past – hardly anyone threw a fit then.
Still, a broader question lurks behind this latest farce: Does Mahathir’s race matter?
(extracts):
Still, a broader question lurks behind this latest farce: Does Mahathir’s race matter?
I think it does for one simple reason – Mahathir spent his entire political career turning race into our national obsession. And to a large extent, he was frighteningly successful.
During Malaysia’s infancy as an independent nation, Mahathir was already a seasoned practitioner of racial politics. He was instrumental in removing our first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman from office, accusing him as being pro-Chinese and insufficiently pro-Malay. [...]
With progressive forces like Tunku sidelined in Umno, Mahathir had a free hand to advance his racial agenda. Lest we forget, he wrote a book titled ‘The Malay Dilemma’. Eventually becoming PM himself, he predictably oversaw a massive expansion of race-based policies. Malaysian politics would be changed forever.
Fast forward to the 21st century, Mahathir became the most high-profile supporter of Perkasa, the Malay pressure group many blame for stoking racial and religious tensions. One analyst even compared the group to the Ku Klux Klan. [...]
It feels as if we’re reliving Mahathir’s battle with Tunku, the congenial PM who was seen as too accommodating to the non-Malays.
So, forgive me for gagging a little over the sudden outpouring of sympathy for Mahathir.
During Malaysia’s infancy as an independent nation, Mahathir was already a seasoned practitioner of racial politics. He was instrumental in removing our first PM Tunku Abdul Rahman from office, accusing him as being pro-Chinese and insufficiently pro-Malay. [...]
With progressive forces like Tunku sidelined in Umno, Mahathir had a free hand to advance his racial agenda. Lest we forget, he wrote a book titled ‘The Malay Dilemma’. Eventually becoming PM himself, he predictably oversaw a massive expansion of race-based policies. Malaysian politics would be changed forever.
Fast forward to the 21st century, Mahathir became the most high-profile supporter of Perkasa, the Malay pressure group many blame for stoking racial and religious tensions. One analyst even compared the group to the Ku Klux Klan. [...]
It feels as if we’re reliving Mahathir’s battle with Tunku, the congenial PM who was seen as too accommodating to the non-Malays.
So, forgive me for gagging a little over the sudden outpouring of sympathy for Mahathir.
Can Indians join the party he now heads as full-fledged members? Nope, only bumiputeras and the Orang Asli are eligible. Immigrants from Kerala, even naturalised, are definitely out.
There’s a reason why Lim Kit Siang once called Mahathir “the number one racist in Malaysia.” Kit Siang may be singing a very different tune these days but many of us rightly remain unconvinced.
There’s a reason why Lim Kit Siang once called Mahathir “the number one racist in Malaysia.” Kit Siang may be singing a very different tune these days but many of us rightly remain unconvinced.
Ultimately, Mahathir is best described by Professor James Chin of the University of Tasmania.
“[Mahathir] is the single most important roadblock to anyone in Malaysia who wishes to break free from an ethnic-based (and increasingly Islamic-based) political system,” Chin wrote in his book, ‘Malaysia Post-Mahathir: A Decade Of Change’.
He added, “For Mahathir, Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) is the cornerstone of Malaysian politics and of political stability in Malaysia. In his view, Najib’s 1Malaysia not only undermines Malay supremacy but gives false hope to the non-Malay community that they may get political equality.”
Chin is absolutely right. Accordingly, it’s amusing to watch Pakatan loyalists employ all kinds of acrobatics to defend Mahathir from alleged racism. Mahathir made race the bread and butter of his politics.
“[Mahathir] is the single most important roadblock to anyone in Malaysia who wishes to break free from an ethnic-based (and increasingly Islamic-based) political system,” Chin wrote in his book, ‘Malaysia Post-Mahathir: A Decade Of Change’.
He added, “For Mahathir, Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) is the cornerstone of Malaysian politics and of political stability in Malaysia. In his view, Najib’s 1Malaysia not only undermines Malay supremacy but gives false hope to the non-Malay community that they may get political equality.”
Chin is absolutely right. Accordingly, it’s amusing to watch Pakatan loyalists employ all kinds of acrobatics to defend Mahathir from alleged racism. Mahathir made race the bread and butter of his politics.
So why shouldn’t we remind him of his own heritage? Mahathir’s race matters only because he made race matter.
..... Mahathir mistrusts commoners and feels control rather than democracy leads to prosperity.
He surmised races are better served by accepting racism as an inescapable human trait. By acknowledging one’s inalienable bigotry, all citizens can accept the limitations of Malaysian life.
We are many nations in one country in Mahathir’s mind, and by toeing the line of power differentiated by each race’s fixed value, detriments are avoided.
By fixed value, he meant as he always has since a young lad, Malay supremacy.
Equality to him was a foreign concept, disrespectful to cultural truths and birth-rights. In Mahathir’s universe, there is no natural law, just possible outcomes when managing an unfair anatomy.
By fixed value, he meant as he always has since a young lad, Malay supremacy.
Equality to him was a foreign concept, disrespectful to cultural truths and birth-rights. In Mahathir’s universe, there is no natural law, just possible outcomes when managing an unfair anatomy.
The heart matters more than a calf no matter how many miles its strides serve the body. The body is one, but the heart is superior to the lower half of the leg. This is irrefutable in any triage room, therefore it should hold in a political chamber.
This also relies on him being categorised as a heart and not a calf. He would never support a system where he was not by definition, on top.
His opponents now attempt to downgrade him from being a heart to just merely a calf.
In this race-saddled society, which he preserved with diligence during his tenure, this is his nightmare.
This also relies on him being categorised as a heart and not a calf. He would never support a system where he was not by definition, on top.
His opponents now attempt to downgrade him from being a heart to just merely a calf.
In this race-saddled society, which he preserved with diligence during his tenure, this is his nightmare.
yes its a padan muka for tar, hussain onn, mahathir, anwar n any melayu that choose to go against umno, but at least they have a choice not to submit, however u n pg n all of us not even have that choice, we were born to either suffer or oppose umno racism policy, yet a traitor like u choose not to give yr vote to lks/dap shd he contest against a racist umno, at the same time u wan to defend a thief from a racist party. if i have a chance to meet yr family, i would frankly tell them u r shame to them. stay in aussie n dun come back, pls.
ReplyDeleteyou are either piss-poor in your reading or are pretending not to understand or remember what I have written, as follow:
Delete1) the "padan muka" ha nothing to do with tar or hussein onn, but definitely with mahathir as he has been a racist driving a racist political agenda thus it's "padan muka" that zahid called him an indian which he hates.
of course it's racism on zahid's part but no one is more deserving of a racist smear than a racist mahathir.
that's what my "padan muka" means, dumbo so do not drag in the names of beloved tunku and the honourable hussein onn
2) where is it that I wrote I won't vote for dap??
in fact I have been emphatic in that while i will continue to vote for dap i will NOT vote for one man, lks.
stop your usual lies - it's worse when you fabricate those lies.
3) I would paraphrase you by saying if i have a chance to meet yr family, i would frankly tell them you have been a lying shame to them, a dishonour to your ancestors and they should disown a villain like you
simpleton, mahathir only exploit a153, exactly like how u defend najib...."exploit", ring a bell? pandora box is in the consti, tar have a role in this, hussain onn love quota, mahathir just follow n again, exploit on it. i am here to educate u not to slice history into a mere 22 years n exploit on it, ada paham?
Deleteu clearly said u wont vote lks, is lks not from dap? dun twist, like i said n say this again, voting in msia is a zero sum game, u rather see umno win due to yr hatred toward lks.
most of my family member is from mca, a useless n racist party that shd have scrapped long time ago, i feel shame to tell they used to support a corrupted n racist regime. i hope they wont continue to support a thief, like u do.
Hussein onn loved "quota"?
Deletemy uncle who was in the armed forces was able to buy a house reserved only for bumis because of hussein onn - the pm then considered all armed forces personnel as bumis -
that housing estate was taman mudun in cheras.
lks may be in dap but that doesn't mean i would automatically vote for him as I would ABU Saifuffin Abdullah - blind voting is to me just not thinking, like hy, wakakaka.
lks has turned away from the dap ideology to collaborate with his so-called greatest enemy - such a turncoat just loves power than principles. you are more the type to vote for such a traitor because you love mahathir
for the coming ge-14 i want to see mahathir buried forever more, and if lks gets voted out, so be it, another 1999 as the chinese had once taught him kau kau
u can have great chances to bury mahathir even b4 ge14 more than any other msian politician. if u coukd bury him along with umno/bn, i am perfectly fine.
DeleteHussein onn loved "quota"?
DeleteYes he did.
People forget (conveniently , for some with a hidden agenda) that the Bumi quota system predated Mahathir.
The worst, most restrictive, racist quotas for entering Malaysian universities, getting business licences, actually occurred in the late 1970's, when Hussein Onn was the Prime Minister.
You uncle's experience was a rare exception made for Armed Forces personnel, which was not the experience of the vast majority of non-Bumi Malaysians
the bumi quota was during TAR's time but was slated for only 15 years. Then may 13 occurred and Razak created the NEP with a target 30% for bumis. Hussein Onn was a PM brought in under emergency requirements when razak died unexpectedly. it was mahathir who made the nep into a 'never ending policy'
Deleteko ni memang buta sejarah, the highest quota set was during hussein onn era, 75%. no one dare to end nep, y not u ask yr najib to try so? its a no ending policy the day it started. only a bias writer like u blame it on mahathir alone.
Delete....continue
ReplyDeleteumno winning formula is racism, n the probability of winning is 100%, hence no one could resist this path, even pas under hadi tat struggle for religion realised in order to succeed, they have to follow the same formula, tat is y they r now turning into a bunch of racist, in fact they bring shame to their religion, but they still bs as if they r really struggle for tis n tat, so what is the point to claim padan muka to mahathir or anyone used to be in umno?
the reason i support ph, that include mahathir, is not bec i believe they r not evil, like how u perceive dap, lks n lge as if they the savior in the past, i never have any fantasy or delusion toward politician. my belief is how we can make politician to realise peoples vote could make a diff. thats all i wan at this point of time. there r weakness in democracy n voting, but tis is a subject for another day.
Hadi is a racist?
DeleteIn Kelantan/Terengganu there are so many Chinese and Indian shops who can open for business and progress; even in Malay kampungs!
For Hadi/PAS, Islam is the agenda, and you call that racist? If you can accept Communism, Socialism, Liberalism, Atheism and others, why then can't you accept Islamism?
Perhaps, Buddha and other religions allow the opening of bars and brothels, and sins of gambling and fornication?
Is believing one can go to heaven in one's own way, a racist?
It is you and your bigotry mind that makes you think Hadi is a racist.
What kind of argument that CAN ignore glaring facts & lie through it!
DeleteMaybe a zombieic type!
'In Kelantan/Terengganu there are so many Chinese and Indian shops who can open for business and progress; even in Malay kampungs!'
U punya surat khabar, ada jadi kertas jamban ke?
Ya-loh, subject to occasional zombieic rules that appear lunatic & single-mindedness - just for the 'good' of the ummat!
Many can accept SNY religious doctrines as long as those doctrine followers keep them to themselves.
Mana ke - 'In Kelantan/Terengganu there are so many Chinese and Indian shops who can open for business and progress; even in Malay kampungs!'?????
Samax2 apa yang terjadi di bolihland sekarang lah!!!
Morons!!!
my brader, i never claim hadi is racist, i said he turn into a racist for the sake of vote n power. hadi now employ the same umno narrative n rhetoric in many of his speech. perhaps u cant tell the diff is due to yr mingle btw the umno racial ideology n pas islamic wisdom, which i notice is common among malay intellectual.
Deletestop lying that i will vote against dap and lge but you're right that i will vote against lks if he comes into my constituency
DeleteHadi IS a closet racist disguised as a nationalist using religion to con the blur-sotongs. PERIOD!
Delete