The Malaysian Insider

im a malay muslim........n im againts this kind of approaches...........there is so much dat we can succeed as a malaysian not as uni races............the government,is the people............n here,in Malaysia,multicultural people is the multicultural government..............i wan to live n die among my fellow Malaysian...........

I am totally flabbergasted at the other component parties in BN for keeping silent on the repugnant actions of our so-called Rakyat PM! Is this how our Rakyat PM conducts himself in his moment of desperation? What about his slogan of "1Malaysia"?
The more our false Rakyat PM harps on the UMNO-PAS unity talks, the more the people are going to reject the insignificant component parties in BN! Don't MCA, MIC, Gerakan, SUPP, and the rest of the parties in BN have a voice? Or, are they so completely insignificant that their voice(s) won't even mean anything in the UMNO-BN government? If that is the situation, isn't it time for all of them to tell our false Rakyat PM-UMNO that "enough is enough" - and just become Independent parties and speak out?

Beware of Najib (read UMNO). When he is entrenched in power through 1 Malay (not 1Malaysia, he will be acting like what UMNO has been doing for the last 50 years ; making hay whiles the sun shines for UMNOputras

While we are trying to overcome the twin curses of race and religion afflicting every Malaysian our PM is trying to reinforce them further in our political landscape.We are really fed up with Umno polticians preoccupation with race and religion. Is equality such an alien concept to those clamouring for Malay unity that they naively believe that numerical superiority is the solution to harmony and progress for the country. If that is so, take a look at Thailand, Philipines, Myannmar and Sri Lanka. It is how you treat your citizens that holds the key to a stable and progressive country and not some numerical figure.

From 1Malaysia to 1Malay.

What is the point anymore? 1Malaysia is dead and I don't care enough to cry. I have to thank my Malaysia education for that.

One word best describes Najib: Disgusting

To watever,

Maybe we all have a different perception on "equality". Equality means all human beings are treated equally in all terms regardless of their cultures, history, language, skin colours or watever. Equality does not mean that human beings are ONLY being treated equally when we all practice SIMILARITY in everything.

The concept of nationalism is a century old perception of nationhood during the 19th century. However, we are now living in 21st century, where you could hardly find everyone in a developed country to practice similar culture, languages or their people having similar history or even skin colours. Whether we like it or not, globalization is everywhere. What you could observe during your incident at America is just a scene, you could see people speaking different languages (Spanish, Mandarin, etc) easily in other part of the world where these are not the national nor dominant language of that particular geographical area.

Malaysia is unique due to its multicultures and diversity. Even when our tourism board promotes Malaysia as a tourist attraction, do you see them promoting culture or customs of a particular race? Maybe you could argue that not all non-Malay Malaysians do not practice the so-called Malaysian cultures, but who are we to define which is Malaysian culture? Culture is a concept which means it is abstract, cultures are formed by humans, and thus, we create the cultures and we are not created by the cultures.

Nevertheless, do you really think that non-Malay Malaysian could not speak or written the language well enough? You might need to think twice, Malaysians have advanced way ahead of what you could imagine. Even many "Bumiputera" could speak or understand at least a portion of language other than Malay and English, and many "non-Bumiputera/or so-called kaum pendatang by some racist jerks" could speak and write the national language better than the others.

Satu sekolah? I am sorry to say that this is just a not-so-wise plan in terms of education or even nation building. Have you seen all our government top officials send their children at local "sekolah kebangsaan" or even send their children to local "university kerajaan"? Satu sekolah? Even this could not be achieved for "sekolah menengah kebangsaan", after PMR, bright Bumiputera are sent to MRSM (Malaysian junior college) while majority of qualified non-Bumiputera are denied, after SPM, more are channeled to Kolej Matriculasi while non-Bumiputera again, being denied. So, are our government practicing "Satu sekolah"? Any right minded person will certainly doubt such double standard.

Let us be frank, "Satu sekolah" is a concept that would not flourish in Malaysian society whether you like it or not. Diversity is our strength, not the otherwise. Hence, it is better for the government to support all schools, regardless of SK, SJK, SMK, SMJK and not support half-heartedly. Recognize the contribution and quality of Private Chinese Independent School as Malaysia has lost their talents to foreign countries as our government alienated them and yet, we are shouting "brain drain" in Malaysia.

Equality is a concept and a fundamental right that would allow Malaysia to progress and deter people from mis-use their entrusted power by claiming to protect the "special right" of certain people. In addition, American society is founded based on equality in all which is practiced by majority of the countries in the world. A citizen is a citizen, no classification based on "skin colours, language, religions, cultures, history, etc"

So, are we living in 21st century Malaysia, or otherwise?

Watever,

Let me ask you the following 2 questions:-

1. Are the Peranakans "Malay" enough to be accepted as "equals" by the majority of this country ?

2. If not, which areas are the Peranakans not 'Malay" enough?

Vote Umno out in the next GE. That would at least end Umno's power hegemony in this land.

Remember folks ... vote the Umno flers out of government in the next general election.

We should not try to put ourselves in a melting pot or dalca pot. Our differences should be allowed to be seen because they give characters to the people. Let be many languages and religions in the country flourish but the unity of its citizens must be based on the loyalty and love for this land of opportunities. It is time that we start to look at us as Malaysians be proud of the country.
Only the orang Asli can claim that they are the original inhabitants of this country. The rest are all immigrants. Some are older and others are new. Why our fore fathers migrate to this country? This country gives good and bearable climate, the land is fertile, rich in resources, the rulers are kind and accommodating and few natural disasters. Every race has contributed to make this country a success.
Of course there are communities that prefer to assimilate into the majority community by adopting the language like the Babas, Chitis, the Indian Muslims. Thais etc. The assimilation is done not due to compulsion but rather voluntarily for economic and political advantages if any.
Those who do not wish to assimilate can continue to practise their culture and pursuits with very little interference from other communities. This is something that we should treasure. Very few countries in this world including the so called developed world tolerate differences to the maximum that our people tolerate.
If the so called social contract is wrong then we should sit down and continue to write and amend the contracts to come up with a practical and relevant one according to the time and need of the country. No contract should be rigid and timeless.
Switzerland is one example where 4 major languages are accepted as official and the communities refer to them as Swiss and not German, Dutch, French or Italian. Their country is landlocked and not so rich in resources but the people are resourceful and excell in whatever they are doing. This is one example that we should emulate.
We should not have many road blocks to progress but should open more highways instead.

To watever,

I do not agree. Living in this colorful nation of ours, we stand as "unique" because of our diversified culture and living in harmony despite of our differences. Just because I like Japanese food or Korean food, does that make me less Chinese? Just because I like to eat nasi lemak, does that make me less Indian?

The reason we have stayed "divided" is because of the race card played by our politicians. Why can't we see our similaries among ourselves than our differences.

How is the Eastern European not being treated equally? Is the US government tell them because you have different culture and you speak with different accent; therefore, you do not deserve to be called American? Personally, I have known many people who migrated to US and never had I heard they are being treated differently by the US govenment. Perhaps socially....but that is because WE like to see outselves as being different.

In country like Pakistan, race was not the issue but then religion and ideology are the dividing wall between the people. Can you see, even when we have the same skin color, we will all only see our differences rather than similarities.

It is not about equality or inequality but the basic HUMAN RIGHT. Why should an immigrant who is a Muslim or converted be getting the BUMIPUTRA rights BUT non-malays who are born and raised here for many generations still being rejected of the MALAYSIAN RIGHTS? Are these muslim immigrants more Malaysian than those non-malay or non-muslim who eat nasi lemak everyday for breakfast?

The idea of race, religion, language and accent has been used for centuries successfully to keep people ignorant, divided and hence easily manipulated to the advantage of the ruler. Why should Umno, MCA or MIC or other BN cronies want to give them up if their family and children can enjoy the economic advantages of such policies. What is sad is that some writers who are clearly smart people fall to the ploy for they simply are either too insecure or arrogant to think beyond race.

Human have rights, right to be free from the boundaries set by the devious power hungry manipulators. One official religion, one official language, what bullshit? In the Malaysian context, why not make everyone use Mandarin compulsory? In one generation all New Malaysian can speak and understand the language of the most populous nation in the world and gain the huge economic advantage of such policy. We are so lucky that we have enough Chinese Malaysian to teach our poor fellow Malays and Indians. You see, an argument can always be made up. Why Not?

Why not indeed? Look at China, one language one race and you have the "gang of four".
Open your minds, I say.

A Very Wise View

By Datuk Dr. Agoes Salim

Part I

I THINK we are farther apart now than we were in 1969.

But you have to remember that I grew up going to an English school, to a university where there were people of all races. At that time, although we did think in terms of race, it wasn’t in the way people do now. We felt that we were Malayans. We socialised much better than we do now.

Bahasa Malaysia can be a unifying factor. But it can be a factor separating people, too.

As Sukarno would say, “The important thing is the jiwa.”
You don’t have to have a common language, if you have the same jiwa (heart, spirit, passion, devotion). This is what we don’t have right now.

In 1956, the historical society of Universiti Malaya went to India.

There were lots of Indians in the group, but they didn’t think of themselves as Indians, they thought of themselves as Malayans.

That’s the jiwa. But later on, because of certain reactions, suddenly people stayed away from this jiwa — they don’t feel as though they are fully Malaysian. They are made to feel that way.

When I was in the service, there were lots of non-Malays in the civil service, holding good positions. But do you see them now? If you go to the universities, where are the non-Malay professors?

After 1969, suddenly there was this drive to make sure that all university vice-chancellors and faculty deans were Malay. So, in the end, we chased away all the best brains among the non-Malays.

When schools say you must start school with a doa (Muslim prayer recitation), you push away all the non-Muslims. When I was at school, we never had any prayers. Whatever we learnt in religious class was a separate thing.

I think it’s more important that we bring people together, rather than pushing religion so hard that it alienates other people. This is what’s happening. I can’t blame the Chinese and Indians; why should they go to a sekolah kebangsaan (national school), when they have to do all these things?

UMNO = Untuk Melayu, Not Orang lain...

Untuk lebih jelas, Melayu yang UMNO maksudkan bukanlah semua Melayu, hanya UMNOputra sahaja.

What PM Najib had been trying to forged in his 1Malaysia overture COMES TO NAUGHT with his attempt to hold talks with PAS to create Malay/Muslim unity.

If that comes to fruition, children of future Malaysia would be led to believe that there are diferent types of unity in Malaysia:

- Malay / Muslim Unity

- Chinese / Buddhist / Christian / Muslim / Taoist / Hindu / Bahai / Others

- Indian / Hindu / Buddhist / Hare Krishna / Sri Ram / Christian / Bahai / etc., etc

- Kadazandusun / Muslim / Christian / etc.

- Iban / Muslim / Christian / Bahai / etc...

- Others / others...

What kind of UNITY is the PM trying to create in Malaysia? Only God knows.

We have allowed the race debate to fester and this will split and create further resentment than already is. We failed to recognize that what we exhort and what we are, are two different things leading us to a highly hypocritical stand. If we really want to transgress race and religion, we must not only exhort but practice it.

The crux of the question are these: Are we ready to be non-discriminatory? Are we ready to close chinese, religious, tamil school for the sake of unity? Are we ready to dismantle chinese, bumi and indian business network? Are we ready to employ people not because of their language, racial and religious background? Do we conduct business and transaction with one because they can speak the same language or from same race or religion? Are all these not discriminatory practices?

Main important question is our school system. If our children from young stay apart do you expect them to be one malaysian when they are adult? Why then people who support different school systems are not the perpretators of a racial regime?

We have so many prejudices. You answer yourself and see whether we are ready. Perhaps we should start with Malaysian Insider writers who purport this agenda. Do they send their children to vernacular or religious schools? Then we know where they and then the people stand.

Part II - Datuk Dr Agoes Salim

All the things are breaking down. Our school system is not as it used to be. We are producing supposedly so many students with so many As, but what do they know? Are we happy about it? The leaders seem to be happy about it.

We came up with the Rukun Negara because, after 1969, there was the feeling that the nation was breaking down. People had forgotten what it was all about. So, we thought we could bring people back together — unite them. That’s what the first part of the Rukun Negara is about: the objectives of the nation.

Unfortunately, we did practically nothing to promote an understanding of the Rukun Negara. And when schools make mistakes, nobody corrects them. That should have been the role of the Department of Information.

In the beginning, Tan Sri Ghazali Shafie did try to apply the test of whether something was in consonance with the Rukun Negara or not. But then, the government just forgot about this.

We are supposed to be a united nation, not only in terms of state, but also in terms of people: that they would all consider themselves as Malaysians, and that this was their country and their nation. We wanted all these people to share the wealth of the nation.

One of the things we thought contributed to ’69 was the economic disparities, joblessness.

The New Economic Policy was a policy for all Malaysians; not just for the Malays. But we wanted to restructure the economy so that the Malays would come out of the rural agriculture sector into the commercial sector.

We wanted Malay participation at all levels of economic activity. We wanted to uplift the Malays without reducing the position of the others.. — “eradicating poverty regardless of less”.

And this was supposed to be in a situation of growth. Not just sharing the existing cake, but the cake must grow, so that these people also have the opportunity to grow.

At the same time, we also hoped that the Malays would grow a little faster. So, they set this target of 30 per cent equity in 20 years. I was not much in favour of that because I didn’t think it was achievable. I felt that participation was more important than wealth.

We never thought that we would produce multi-billionaires. That was never the intention of the NEP. If some people can come up as everyone comes up, it’s okay. But it wasn’t supposed to be about some people getting contracts.

We did say that we should have Malay millionaires just as we should have Chinese and Indian millionaires, but not so much so that you don’t have to do anything.

You must differentiate between dominance and domination. As Tun Dr Ismail said, “We want to be dominant, but we don’t want to dominate.”
Dominant in the sense that we wanted the Malays to be everywhere; but not to dominate all the others.

But we seem to be dominating; and I don’t think that’s healthy for the nation. It’s not about taking your share and not caring about the rest.

Maybe putting all our children under on school system will promote unity and better understanding. Unfortunately, it will make them understand even better when the non-bumi youngsters realize that their friends are leaving for other "better equipped, better funded" educatonal system which is merely cater to certain skin colours, generally speaking. What should we answer when our children asking the reasons behind all these? So, who are the one who are separating the younger generation? Please enlighten me.

Physical proximity is definitely a strategy towards unity of a nation, without doubts. But, do our systems allow such consistency? Talking about vernacular school, how about MRSM, Kolej Matriculasi and MARA? Aren't they causing our young generation to stay apart during the most important phase towards adulthood? So, I guess mere physical proximity does not work for our country, what do you think about it?

As mentioned by some, sense of belonging is the best method to unite all Malaysians. But, will a youngster has a sense of belonging when he or she is alienated or discriminated along his/her path towards adulthood? If I am studying at an international school, does it make me less Malaysian? If I am studying at Chinese Independent High School, does it make me less Malaysian? If I am studying at Government School, does it make me more Malaysian then the rest? Are all Malaysians will be more Malaysian-ed if all vernacular schools, international schools, private schools, private colleges and universities being closed down and all the younger generations are brought up in "one national educational system"?

I doubt so.

1Malaysia=last nail in the coffin that will topple the BN government in the next elections!
Make sure you register to vote.

What's wrong with Chinese Unity? What's wrong with Indian Unity? will it sideline the Malay? No ! and what's wrong with Malay Unity? would it sideline Non Malay? No ! So what's the issue?

well I fortunately managed to find a bunch of hypocrites here eh

Like a person (no need to mention his/her name) who left a foolish comment above

While condemning mono ethnic institutions such as MRSM, matriculation colleges and UiTM for being a culprit for national unity, he/she shamelessly defend the existence of bloody racist institutions such as vernacular primary and secondary schools.

No wonder bumiputras keep their eyes cautiously on non bumiputras, cause they know they aren't kind of people to be trusted.