Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has so far gotten off very lightly.
“And even this event [departure of Shahrizat from the cabinet] is not an act on the part of anybody; Shahrizat was not sacked, nor did she resign, her status as minister merely becomes legally void when her term as a senator comes to an end on April 8, as under our constitution only a member of parliament or a senator can become a minister.” — Kim Quek, political commentator & author
Cartoon reproduced with permission from Zunar & check out his blog zunarkartunis.blogspot.com
When I made my first posting (21 Nov 2011) about the coddled cows, some readers reacted defensively as if any implied criticism of Shahrizat and her family was an attack on the Malay race itself and the opportunities for Malays to benefit from government help.
I’m sure Malays realise that Shahrizat’s family does not need financial assistance unlike say fishermen families in Terengganu or the urban squatters in KL. Yet the knee-jerk response was to lash back and regard the comments as coming from the enemy (Chinese) or the competitor (anti-Umno opposition).
The same attitude is seen with regard to the Kentucky Fight Chicken. Now imagine a situation (not necessarily at KFC but any other F&B service) if the customer was Malay and the staff Chinese. If the Chinese worker had punched the Malay customer, would we still hear the line that the customer had provoked the worker and deserved to be hit?
Would Malays care that the Chinese serving staff was overworked and underpaid? Or could such a thought even cross the mind to begin with?
I don’t know about you but I see a lot of honest, hardworking Chinese around. And they’re not necessarily well-off. How much do you think the mechanic at the motor repair shop earns or the girl selling handphones at Low Yat plaza?
If there are no longer any Chinese people around to be made the scapegoat and bogeyman, we’re still going to have the Shahrizat family monkey business.
Yes, please do try to imagine Malaysia emptied of Chinese citizens. And reflect whether in a country without a Chinese minority you’re going to respond any differently when complaints of police brutality or corruption in government departments arise.
Will the suspected wrongdoers then be spared scrutiny? Because it seems to me that now, every time something like the Shahrizat case happens, a defence mechanism immediately kicks in to protect one’s “own kind” and to shield “Malay institutions” (police, civil service, KFC workforce, etc).
Related:
Helen Ang 
perghhhh….pedas pedas….hahaha.
but i do agree that wrongdoing should not be condone whatever the perpetrator’s race is.
DS Shahrizat tu hanya terlibat daripada segi famili (which does not make it okay) tapi sefaham saya, dia tak terlibat dengan pengurusan lembu2 tersebut.
kita tunggu je lah macamana dengan perjalanan kes NFC ni.
helen,
u rock lah helen. Teruskan usaha murni anda.
yang salah tetap salah. yang benar tetap benar. tak kira siapa yang buat.
I somehow missed the discussion in this post and now wish to join.
First, I wish to echo this Melayu saying “yang salah tetap salah. yang benar tetap benar. tak kira siapa yang buat.”
Kesian the malays..always threatened ‘you know what will happen to you if chinese are not here?’..obviously the standard Malays will be jobless,cannot work as cleaners,cannor work as mat despatch,cannot get the boon siew motor rempting around,sit on the floor and probably have no pirate dvds…negative stereotypes againts the malays are so profound amongnhe chinese thatmsome literally believe that malays cannot do 1 plus 1…but chinese never think what if there are no malays?perhaps the malays are not worth being considered in the chinese imagination….if not evil.
“always threatened ‘you know what will happen to you if chinese are not here?”
the examples I gave of Chinese are mechanics and counter sales staff, service workers in F&B industry, honest & “hardworking” people
are the above descriptions of Chinese taukes whom are stereotyped as providing Malays jobs as cleaners & Mat Despatch — for which the Malay menial worker should be grateful? Don’t you think that the Shahrizat family & the 5-figure salaries paid to 20-something-year-old sons & daughters of the CEO better fit the description of [nouveau] taukes?
where in my posting does it imply that Chinese are the hierarchical bosses with a superior attitude which “believe that malays [are incompetent &] cannot do 1 plus 1”?
Malays are your own worst enemies if you persist with this perpetual deflection of blame. That’s why I asked you to try to imagine Malaysia without the race bogey & fear of Malay ‘rights’ being stolen away from you
There you go Helen– trying to stoke up controversy and get more readers to comment.
I know malays/bumis have problems. But let’s be reminded what NFC was originally intended to do– it was supposed to help establish a Bumi/Malay company to rear cattle for the Muslim market .
The intent was good; the execution poor and possibly criminal. But somehow mistakes made by Bumis/Malays are always made to be very big issues.
papagomo alerted to this last year:
http://www.papagomo.com/2011/11/lembu-oh-lembu-yang-untuk-tian-chua.html
“Psssttt….. Bila Melayu buat maka semuanya akan dikatakan tak betul, Cina buat ladang babi berebut puak pakatan ni Sponsor.”
He put it rather well.
This NFC reminds me of the Kedai rakyat 1 Malaysia (KR1M) which is also Bumi dominated enterprise. Who led the charge on that? DAP chinese bugs bunny impersonator Tony Pua.
Note I likened him to a mammal of family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha and not of Suidae family genus Sus (ie Pig). I know how sensitive you are when that particular omnivore is mentioned and compared with anyone in your community, though your community is generally the main consumer of its flesh in Malaysia.
I want to see DAP (and Helen) attack more privately owned Chinese companies or expose corruption among the Chinese, which is probably a bigger source of corruption.
What happened to criticisms against Ng Yen Yen?
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/10/28/yen-yen-denies-overpaying-rn270m-for-ads/
Why wasn’t she forced from office? Why hasn’t DAP been doing more to expose her poor management?
I wonder how long DAP impresarios will continue attacks against the Ministry of Transport for the flood problems at Penang airport (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/guan-eng-flays-mot-over-shameful-penang-airport/) ,
knowing that it’s headed by a chinese Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha . Plus from the article it seems like the federal department (MOT) that’s targeted and not its chinese leader.
Then there is Lim Liong Sik. Malaysian insider and many other opposition news sites bury his story .
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/court-orders-liong-sik-to-enter-defence-over-cheating-charges/
NFC is dominating the headlines! And, now even Helen’s blog!!
NFC is brought to the forefront because this is the same Yellow Journalism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism) that helen used to engage in when she was working at The Star and as a hired gun for a chauvinist chinese think tank ( see english.cpiasia.net).
See how fast she ran to The Star defense in the response to my comment:
https://helenang.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/erykahs-allah-tattoo-and-china-bull-in-muslim-shop/#comments
The chinese-dominated media and their allies sensationalise misdeeds by Malay management, but bury or dismiss chinese mismanagement or corruption. I wouldn’t be surprised if Helen does something similar in a response to my missive.
I am reminded just recently how I exposed another of her misdeeds and she then pulled out her ‘knowledge’ of islam and cried out that I committed ‘fitnah’ against her. Fitnah against a non-muslim?
How different is she from the hypocritical sanctimonious DAP who use Quranic texts to criticize others or feign religious kinship with PAS muslims??
Hey Helen, how about you convert to islam. I know several buddhists who hold Islamic beliefs. I had a Thai Buddhist who actually prayed in Putrajaya mosque when I took him there. At least then you can be more believable and gain true following among Malay Muslims. Or are you afraid that your ancestors will frown upon it? I hear in general that buddhist don’t actually have any problem with people converting to another religion.
______________________________________________________________________________
(1) “But somehow mistakes made by Bumis/Malays are always made to be very big issues.” Well, RM250 million is big, don’t you think?
(2) What’s the connection between consumption of pork & ‘babi’ insult? Malays eat chicken & fish, so by the same logic can I say that you have “otak ikan” (take it to be equivalent to otak udang)?
(3) Your fitnah against me: In another language & by another religion fitnah would still be fitnah. So instead of my saying ‘does Islam condone you to fitnah someone’, do you think it makes better sense if I pulled out a Buddhist verse & reminded you that as a Muslim you should obey the prohibitions of Buddhism? — Helen
Why don’t Chinese criticize chinese and the Malays criticize malays. In other words, criticize your own first. This is how it’s done in the US unless the criticism is justified to be targeted against others and not seemingly targeted at specific groups based on inherent characteristeristics such as race, creed, gender or orientation.
Republicans have been targetting Obama specifically for many issues. Even the bailout of the auto industry, the 2008 recession, and the implementation of something akin to universal healthcare are blamed on him . But the republicans bury or ignore Obama’s achievements like taking out UBL, raising employment rates and pulling out troops from Iraq. At least the democrats know to call a spade a spade and say it’s racism that motivates the predominantly white republicans to target him.
“Malays are your own worst enemies if you persist with this perpetual deflection of blame.” Helen writes. What a wonderful generalization from a person who claims to ‘reboot’ one’s thinking. I guess when you re-boot it’s the same chauvinist operating system.
Plus, you are sensationalising the NFC scandal. The MACC has so far only said it is RM49 million that is involved in the CBT. You use the techniques of Yellow Journalism to make it seem larger! Compare NFC with PFKZ (see below!)
I also see how you ignored the issues I raised against Ling Liong Sik, NgYenYen and Kong Cho Ha. I have noticed over the years that’s a stereotypical chinese method of argumentation. IF faults or mistakes committed by chinese are raised to another chinese, the other chinese will ignore it! They will pretend it’s nothing big. Hello, the PFKZ has been characterized as a 12.5 billion RM fiasco
http://pkfz-scandal.org/2009/12/11/how-many-malaysians-will-agree-with-attorney-general-that-phang-stephen-and-tan-are-%e2%80%9cbig-fishes%e2%80%9d-in-the-rm12-5-billion-pkfz-scandal/
Even chinadaily ( a chinese site) considers it a ‘multi-billion dollar port scandal’
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/xinhua/2012-03-09/content_5366321.html
Why mainland china is reporting on Ling Liong Sik’s issue is beyond me!
As for fitnah, we all know how you were investigated for sedition! Google :Helen Ang Sedition. Why not use words like ‘slander or defame’?? This parallels how chinese christians think that the word “Allah” belongs in their domain. Now the word ‘fitnah’ is also chinese common parlance? Are you trying to anglicize arabic/islamic words now Helen, like how DAP does it?? Is that your ‘jihad’?
BTW, I should report you to Mkini for allowing a link to a ‘free version’ of mkini to be published. Since you have control over the comments you should have deleted that, or else you can be accused of promoting a pirated version of that site. Did I just stereotype you for being a pirate ala Namewee? But I won’t report you. I am not so petty.
And, helen, I think you should learn better insults. Otak Udang. Seriously??
Let’s acknowledge each other’s merits and demerits and contributions to the development of this country.
The Malays found “pasir hitam” (tin ore), have been mining it, albeit crudely “dulang-washing” style, since before the Chinese and the British came, and trading it at the mouths or confluence of rivers, though in their barter-trading tradition. The Chinese brought in the water-jetting “Monitor” powered by diesel engines, and the British brought the huge “rumah berapong” tin dredges. Without the foreigners, the Malays will still be selling tin ore, a lot of tin ore deposits would still be around but we will not have so many of the modern amenities that now exist. I might be shot at but will put this out in light-hearted manner: you’ll never know what you miss if you don’t know what you miss – like I did when missing the discussion in this post!
The Chinese have acquired massive wealth, despite being 23% of the population are the wealthiest in the country for so long. But a lot has been from the sweat and tears of the Malays and others. They have been controlling the economy but the NEP has helped spread the wealth a bit, now the Malays have 18% or so of corporate wealth, not counting other forms of wealth, like commercial buildings and residential properties. Though not well spread, some Malays have become taukeys. Hence Malay-owned Hicom, Proton and even Gardenia bread have provided Malays with jobs and sustenance.
So long as there are the DAP types in this country, the Malays have always to think of and lambast at the slightest attempt to touch the Malay rights and privileges as spelt out and envisaged in Article 153. The DAP hogged the so-called Malaysian Malaysia slogan that is subversive to the Special Position of the Malays, and sparked the race riots of 1969 for trying to touch it in more ways than one.
That’s why there is a need for integration, unity and the creation of a united and cohesive Bangsa Malaysia (not of the DAP kind), through single stream schooling, the teaching of History made compulsory in schools w.e.f next year, etc.
More to come in due course.
As of now Shahrizat is blameless legally, but not so morally. It’s inconceivable that she was not aware of the condo and other purchases using the said loan. Even if the loan conditions didn’t limit its uses, she as a lawyer surely knew and should have advised the husband and sons on the appropriateness of the so-called “investment.”
I think it’s the anti-Malay words and deeds that the DAP propagated since their party inception that has permeated into the Malay thinking and reacting such as at the KFC. We need to persistently point out to the public the dangers of such DAP politics to avoid a flare up like in 1969. Sir Frank Swettenham who lived in Malaya for some 30 years until Governor Generalship had described the Malays being gentle but may be provoked into “amok”. He was referring to the spearing to death of the British Resident JWW Birch on the banks of the Perak River in 1875. That word became adopted into the English language and now exists in the Oxford English dictionary.
We need to remember that race relations are always fragile in this country and elsewhere. There have been race riots in other countries, too, but we must avoid another one in this country.
Having said about Shahrizat and the DAP, now to say more to my earlier comment:
Without the Chinese, the Malays would have developed the country, too, albeit at a slower speed. The British imperialist greed in getting raw materials for the mushrooming British factories during the industrial revolution of the 1850s had made them rely on and brought into Malaya the Chinese and Indians in the belief that they could do better work. There has been the ugly perception of “the lazy Malays” propagated until even a decade ago, when people have seen that with the help of, and the education under, the NEP, the Malays can get to know about progress and be properly motivated.
In came the Chinese with the “tongkat” provided by the British of mining licenses, mining land leases, licenses for gambling and all sorts of gaming (easy money for capital accumulation), licenses for rubber trading etc. In fact, even before that, Menteri Larut Ngah Ibrahim had even provided capital (he had a lot of money from taxes collected from some 250 Malay tin mining operations then) and mining land to Chinese he brought in from Penang to help modernize his tin mines (then only dulang-washing method) – but the Ghee Hin and Hai San fellows brought in secret societies, thugs and gangsters, killing one another, precipitating the Larut Wars I, II, III and IV, dragging in the Malay tin miners and resulting in the disappearance of the Malay tin mines.
When the DAP and others try to frown on the Malays for being on the “tongkat” under the NEP, they should remember that Robert Kuok had the sugar monopoly tongkat from the Government that made him a millionaire until only recently. And he has been busy putting his money abroad, including in China. Vincent Tan still has the lottery license tongkat issued by Daim Zainuddin, yet still wanted the football betting license that Najib decided not to issue.
So, let’s acknowledge the merits and demerits of one another’s community and their respective contributions to this country.
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I can understand your good intention, Helen.
Sometimes it works out that way.
Just like in any kampung, there are lots of honest hardworking Malay too. Unfortunately, it happens that they are middlemen exploting them.
For your sake, I won’t mention race.
Nanti dipanggil racist pulak memutarbelit seolah-olah orang Melayu ada masaalah.
Yang ada masaalah kaum lain saja nampaknya.
Syukur orang Melayu tak ada masaalah.
Well, had the chinese not been converted from stateless peoples to Malaysian citizens, the majority Malay Muslims would still be enjoying the ultimate lifestyle of mother nature friendly environment where farming, fishing and freshly prepared meals are the order of the day, with the bonus of beautiful natural scenery at your doorstep. Imagine the rivers, the waterfalls, the woods, the hills and rivers just a stone throw away.
No carbon monoxide for breathing, no preservatives in instant or frozen food, no traffic jams, no irritating “essentials” facial cosmetics, no power suit high heels or stiffling neckties, no incense burning, no paper ashes littering from 7 month festival, no sneaky lard as snack ingredients, no was was when eating at food stalls or restaurant, no loud chattering of foreign languages, no mad rush to grab grab grab ….
Just imagine, a wonderful world run at a steady pace in partnership with mother nature, no carbon prints ….
I must commend Helen for tackling the kind of issues that our so-called free alternative media tend to conveniently ignore.
Let me give my impartial perspective from outside the Malay/Chinese circle. I have plenty of friends from both races and understand their views.
However, the crux of the ethnic divide we have today is due politics. While UMNO always been a race-based party, it also believes in working with non bumis in the spirit of social contract and power sharing though it wants to remain as the big brother. It acknowledges the rights of non bumi cultural and religious rights just like it wants the bumi special rights to be respected and accepted. This is the BN way and right or wrong this has worked. So MCA strategy of being a defender worked well within this model.
However, the DAP model has been different. It does not accept the social contract and demands not equal rights but the rights to take it all via meritocracy (or DAP’s version of it). It views the NEP as evil and a repressive tool of the bumis. It paints the bumis as inferior and corrupted for benefitting from NEP. For DAP, the only good bumi is the one who support their vision of Malaysian for Malaysia.
The bumis have now developed a siege mentality because they see DAP has marshalled the Chinese support (around 80%) while dividing the Malays among UMNO, PKR and PAS. The last bastion of Malays are the political power and now this is under threat. Every Malay institution like special rights, NEP, royalty, religion and customs are being attacked and questioned openly.
So, I can understand why there is much sensitivity among the Malays today even though I agree with you that not everything should be seen as Malay vs Chinese issue.
I have worked in a predominantly White environment and I understand their version of ‘racism’. It’s very subtle. I am sure if Helen or other Chinese were to be exposed to an overwhelming White majority in the workplace, they too would feel it.
I have spoken to several Malaysian Chinese who have lived and worked in Australia and they know the feeling. Their voices would be drowned out and slowly they were pushed away.
NEP is a social contract or ‘affirmative action’ intended to defeat these following myths:-
Myth of Meritocracy — from the belief that there is a strong relationship between effort and success
Myth of Equal Opportunity — assumes that all Malaysians encounter the same obstacles in the workplace and economic arena and that there is level playing field
Myth of Fair Treatment — assumes that equal treatment is same as fair treatment, whereas differential treatment is considered discriminatory or preferential.
These 3 myths often are used together to mask disparities and to allow actions that undermines the efforts of weaker economic groups.
I hereby state that ‘affirmative action’ exists among chinese. They have special networking (guanxi) and favors conferred on their own people. I have seen many cases of chinese giving their people favorite treatment at work, even if it is not merited. Their ‘social contract’ is inbred in their society in order to help their own.
Now i could argue that the indians in malaysia also deserve to have the ‘NEP’ social contract extended to them. BUT, the indians share many social commonalities as the Chinese. And in many professional and social environments, indians work closer with the chinese than with the malays because they:
-are open to western norms
-share similar dietary norms (drinking alcohol for example, which is a known social lubricant)
-are both minorities groups that have their own political representation
To me, the NFC is just another case of an attack on Malay business ignorance. Khairy tried to defend NFC by saying its ‘iffy’ investments were intended to ensure high-rates of return (such as by buying condo property). But to me, he exposed his ignorance of company management. Those decisions had to undergo proper company management approval (director and stakeholder approval).
To me, the NFC scandal would just scare prospective Malay entrepreneurs and help maintain Chinese dominance in the field of animal rearing. But at the same time, it would teach those Malays that business isn’t as easy and profitable as it appears. Lots of time and effort is required to succeed. Shortcuts can lead to quick profits, but also go against the law or against ethics .
Now, that MACC has charged, why can’t we chalk it up to a ‘learning experience’, and move on? Or will it serve to promote the narrative that malays can’t succeed in business with being corrupt???
Good that Calvin pointed out above that the DAP “does not accept the social contract” but I think they also demand equal rights as the slogan Malaysian Malaysia clearly implies. Even the so-called “meritocracy (or DAP’s version of it)” has to take into account of the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak. There’s no two-way about it.
If DAP “views the NEP as evil and a repressive tool of the bumis”, then the Bumis will view them as being anti-Malay. I have said in my above comment about the Chinese also being given, still using and wanting the “tongkat”, and pointed out elsewhere that questioning the Malay and Bumi Special Position will invite counter-questioning of the citizenship aspect of the Social Contract. Also no two-way about that.
OverseasBumi has pointed out about corruption not knowing skin colour, race or creed. Perception of who are inferior depends on whether you are a DAP member or supporter, UMNO or one or the other of the political parties. I agree with the view that having political parties along racial lines is not good for integration and the creation of a united and cohesive Bangsa Malaysia but the BN appears to be an attempt towards that, only if there is such a thing as direct membership to it and favaourable response to it.
The so-called “siege mentality” came about from the lax attitude of the “flip flopping, auto-piloting and sleepy” administration under Abdullah Badawi. But I believe the time will come when Malaysians are mindful of the Sedition laws under a firm and assertive rule, civilian or military. Let’s hope it’s not military for we will lose our democratic rights and let’s even avoid discussing it as it might be touching on our Sedition laws.
Ini semua konspirasi yang dicetuskan oleh A.B.A.I (AKU BENCI ANWAR IBRAHIM)
Betul Helen, tak semua adalah serangan terhadap ‘Melayu’. Tetapi kenapa setiap kali ada isu berlaku atau kecil apabila melibatkan orangnya adalah Melayu, memberi impak yang besar. Simple calculation Helen. Populasi orang Melayu lebih daripada 60%. Lihat pula begini, 30% adalah Melayu ekstremis dan 30% lagi adalah Melayu liberal. Mana-mana 30% bahagian Melayu barulah bersamaan dengan kaum Cina (lebih kurang 28% shj). Jika ada Melayu yang bersuara membela, ia adalah 30% sahaja. Bukan lagi 30%. Saya tidak nafikan akan ada yg membela DS sebab mungkin separuh Melayu percaya dia tidak bersalah dan separuh lagi mahu dia bertanggngjawab sebab percaya dia bersalah. Dan saya tidak rasa dia dilepaskan dengan mudah. Kalau dia dilepaskan dengan pun mungkin sebab dia tidak mempunyai kaitan dengan NFC secara tidak langsung. Tapi impak mungkin besar sebab dia orang kerajaan. Suaminya baru sahaja akan dihadapkan ke mahkamah untuk tuduhan pecah amanah RM49.7 juta instead of RM250. So kita tunggu sahajalah. Yang salah tetap salah. Adakah dia yang masuk penjara baru Helen atau orang lain puas hati? Yang sah2 bersalah dan terlibat adalah suami dan anak2 dia sebab projek tu mereka yang jalankan.
Tapi kita mesti sedar yang yang mendedahkan benda ini pun bukan orang lain, orang Melayu juga. Bukan orang Cina. Kes KFC menjadi satu hit kerana diupload oleh orang cina juga bukan? Dan isu ini dibawa pula oleh DAP. Maksudnya di sini, hanya kaum itu sendiri yang menjatuhkan/memalukan/buat isu kaumnya sendiri. Bukan kaum lain. Mana ada scapegoat lagi. MCA jatuh sebab DAP. UMNO sikit je nak jatuh sebab PAS dgn PKR sendiri. Lagikan Zunar pun buat lawak terhadap orang sebangsanya sendiri. So apa nak hairan.Lagipun ini konteks yg berlainan Helen. Yang back up DS hanyalah Melayu dalam parti politik sama dengan beliau. Bukan semua Melayu. Seperti saya terangkan di atas. Jadi soal Melayu nak back up semua Melayu sebab dia Melayu adalah tidak berasas.
Dan untuk teori Helen mengenai kes seperti KFC tu, ya, saya rasa kalau situasi berbeza pun, masih akan bergaduh bertumbuk juga. Kalau pelanggan dan pembeli adalah sesama Melayu pun, mungkin perkara sama tetap berlaku. Here it just happen Melayu dgn Cina. So ada point la orang nk buat isu dan provokasi. Dan jika tiada Cina atau kaum2 lain selain Melayu pun, korupsi, pergaduhan sebab tak puas hati tunggu lama line up utk beli KFC tetap akan berlaku. It’s a nature between good and bad people. And there’s always people to agree and disagree with anything. Dan alasan tetap akan ada, kambing hitam pun tetap akan ada regardless of race. Dalam hal ini akan tetap jadi isu selagi selagi ada orang nak jadikan ia isu. Isu anpow putih, isu kepala babi di masjid. isu pakai kain ketat di surau masjid, isu kroni, isu kaum, mcm2 lagi la. dan walaupun jika kaum2 lain selain Melayu tiada di malaysia, tanah melayu, kaum melayu, Islam, tetap akan dipertahankan juga Helen. Sebab sekarang sudah ada isu baru, bukan tidak mahu orang bukan bumi memerintah Malaysia, tapi tidak mahu sahabat baik Israel perintah Malaysia. dan malaysia lebih mudah untuk menjadi Negara yang benar2 Islam.selain itu sudah tentu Melayu juga mahu jadi lebih agresif dalam ekonomi setanding China, se Islam seperti mereka di Tanah Arab.
Overseas Bumi, what is your take on Article 153. Do you think it is fair now in 2012 when UMNO had made used of it for the max for their own polical hegemony or how peopole like you had benefited. I know you love the chinese, because without the Chinese, the Malay would not be where they are. Malay needs the Chinese so how? The rumors in town is that that a Bumi company beyond Malaysian waters needs to be paid first before a non Bumi can be paid. Your Article 153 these days are beyond horizon. Is this your right or your god forsaken aparthied agenda? Sure you want to run these agendas’ who are we malaysian to question it as it all seems kosher for you. Why don’t you just come out and say outright that you Non Malays have no rights for humanity to progress in Malaysia anymore as we don’t need you anymore as you have lived your life span. This is not difficult, you have the law, the mechanicism and everything under the sun to chide and deride us. So why even bother as Non Malays have become such an insignificant equation for the semua tahu Malays that serves them materially as oppose to what is humane and real. These days you need an Overseas Bumi to elucidate the facts not one that serves what serves on the ground. The overseas bumi survives not because he is a bumi but humanity is whether you are overseas or in Malaysia.
See my reply to Calvin. I don’t think that I personally need Article 153 anymore and, of course,being overseas it can’t be applied to me. I am just like any other bloke albeit of a different skin color. If I return to Malaysia, I would certainly change my view
When I was Malaysia and when I used to be in the presence of a Chinese majority in a professional environment where i gained recognition through my achievements, I was apologetic about Article 153 and NEP.
However, in all cases I quietly questioned -what if I didn’t have NEP to help me? Would I be where be working among the chinese?
Now, being overseaes, I know my launching platform was still Malaysia. If there weren’t NEP, I reckon I would NOT be where I am today.
I was the top scorer in a majority chinese school, but no chinese came to congratulate me. In fact, one portly chinese teacher even wanted to lie to me and say I failed my exams, just to scare me. That was one of my first encounters of chinese crouching chauvinism , hidden racism.
In the US, where i onced worked and lived, Obama himself claimed he “undoubtedly benefited from affirmative action.” His words. I have family members who grew up nearly entirely in the US. They encounter different types of racism. Affirmative action is used there to balance out the inherent prejudices we have.
I don’t know if you are really in New York. You can claim to be. I can bet that in any ‘equal opportunity’ US workplace there would be a hidden ‘diversity at the workplace’ agenda which the HR implements but doesn’t publicise. Maybe, if you are working in such a company, you are benefitting from such a policy? Ask your HR.
In my opinion, Article 153 was written to help placate the majority. It doesn’t mean that chinese or indians or non-malays are ‘lesser’ because of it.
I
Perhaps as a last comment in this post, I wish to add to the replies to MalaysianinNewYork above.
The statement “UMNO had made used of it for the max for their own polical hegemony” and “because without the Chinese, the Malay would not be where they are” are wild allegations, much like those of the DAP. I wonder if it is simply due to his being away in New York or if it is the company he keeps in New York that makes him make such statements in his comment.
What does he mean by saying “Malay needs the Chinese”? He puts out “rumors in town .. that a Bumi company beyond Malaysian waters needs to be paid first before a non Bumi can be paid.” I wonder which town he refers to – if it’s parts of New York town, it could be the Jewish ghettos or the Italian mafias or the Chinatown secret societies, thugs and gangsters that he mixes with spreading the rumours!
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Yes, his language is certainly that of the the Chinese school product, asking if “Article 153 .. is your right or your god forsaken aparthied agenda?” Mentioning “kosher”, suggesting his association with the Jewish mafia there. The rest of what he says is gibberish and incoherent. He could be a cook in the Chinatown New York – the Australian TV programme Border Control showed a Chinese school drop out being shooed out of an Australian airport after admitting wanting to work as a cook in Australia. This fella with abusive thoughts and words got thru US Immigration and now tries to ride rough shods on the Malays in Malaysia from his hideout in Chinatown NY.
Did I say good deeds and words deserve the same, and the reverse is also true?
Bye for now, folks.
MalaysianinNewYork,
If UMNO has use it to the max, why 8 out of 10 of the richest person in Malaysia are chinese?
http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/01/malaysia-richest-billionaires-kuok-lists-malaysia-billionaires-11_rank.html
You are a typical kind of person (I believe you are chinese or indian) mentioned by overseabumi who live with your self indoctrinated myth that you are oppressed in this country.
Judging from the English that you write, I believe you do enjoy good education and probably is currently working in some big private corporation run majority by the Chinese.
People like you tak ada ubat. My suggestion to you is that if you think that you are so oppressed by the 153, then please migrate. Overseabumi can help you to get a job where you can learn the true faces of western equality.
Thanks bro.
Just to add — Even in the mid-east, where i have worked, there are plans like the “Emeritizaion” and “Kuwaitization” plans to ensure that local staff get hired and their skills developed..
However, most foreign employers still play dirty.
They ask the foreigners to leave their permanent positions, then they re-hire those same foreigners (usually white, indian subcontinent workers) as Independent Consultants! That way they can claim that permanent payroll meets the local staff quote requirements and the other work staff are just ‘temps’!
I work in a very specialised technical field. When I put a western name in my CV I got tons more offers from Western companies! Is that the western ideology that ‘malaysianinnewyork’ loves?
This explains why people like Helen use Anglicised names! Again, how different is she from DAP?
I have been following Helen’s post and I respected her for her stand. She is few rational thinking Chinese left in this country :-D. Some readers say she can be chauvinistic. Yes I do agree. But nobody should be apologetic on their stand and who they are. We can agree and disagree as long as we are truthful in our stand. And also do not walk into area where we do not have the authority to comment like what many non-Muslim trying to teach Muslim what is right and wrong.
I want to agree that we can’t be apologetic. But it’s hard. They (the chinese) flood the blogosphere, and in any argument, they are good at ‘derailing’ the conversation.
See http://derailingfordummies.com
These are argumentation techniques that i have personally seen and heard used by Chinese and Caucasians.
I have to say, Malays are generally not good at argumentation. Look at Darlyn Azlinda’s response. First thing she writes is “Betul Helen, tak semua adalah serangan terhadap ‘Melayu’”
Typical Malay response of ‘agree first, then comment’. This is too kind and ‘apologetic’ from the get-go.
I admit, when faced with a formidable adversary in a meeting where I am a minority, I find it hard NOT to be apologetic either.
I hope that you can give some thought to the environment of this blog that you seem to take for granted.
You know for a fact that you’ve never been censored — not a single comment, not a single word, despite all the taunts that you throw at me.
There’s no culture of Malay bashing nor Islam bashing here in the exchanges between participants, and this is an element that you can compare with elsewhere (local fora) online.
There’s also the comfort zone of everyone having the freedom of commenting in Malay and assured of being understood should he choose to comment in Malay (an in-built advantage for Malay native speakers).
If anything, ‘I’ am the minority in my own blog and the one subject to abuse — the most recent example from the past dozen or so reader comments is “Helen Ang pembodek UmnoBN“.
And if you’ll examine the rudest and crudest comments published in this blog, they’re mostly the ones directed at me personally (and not directed at Malays or Muslims).
In fact, this Chinese-operated blog is one of the most congenial environments for a Malay Malaysian reader to engage (is this not so or do you wish to dispute my assertion?) because I’m the buffer absorbing the blows from the commenters you typically complain about.
Your complaint: “They (the chinese) flood the blogosphere, and in any argument, they are good at ‘derailing’ the conversation.”
So, isn’t it ironic that you’re making yourself quite at home in a blog that is not flooded & overwhelmed by ‘those’ types who are good at derailing the conversation (I do get you perfectly on our shared grouse about the usual people prone to derailing the argument).
Have I treated your comments unfairly or since we’re debating communalism, do you wish to point to any examples where I’ve treated a Malay commenter unfairly?
Helen may not consider that there is ‘culture’ of Malay bashing on her blog, but whenever she raises a uniquely Malay issue (KFC workers& NFC is halal meat generally for the domain of Malays), inevitably someone can perceive it as a racial issue.
As I highlighted above, somehow Shahrizat is singled out by Helen and alternative media sites. I am not saying it is undeserved but how about Ling Liong Sik, Ng Yen Yen, Kong Cho, “Lynas” Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai?
As I wrote, LLS is involved in multi-billion scandal, yet Helen jumps on the DAP led bandwagon to continue attacking Shahrizat.
I like seeing shahrizat go. But how about the rest of the gang, especially of the chinese race? Focus on them also, not just DAP chinese.
All I ask is fair treatment. But as i wrote above, I guess that’s a myth. To expect certain parties to Ctl+Alt+Del is too much.
Despite all the crude anti-feminist racist name-calling from other parties directed at you, aren’t I the one who cuts deepest?
Din Merican, and even Sakmongkol didn’t ban me for nothing. I know how to expose politicians, and Helen is a politician in a journalist’s clothing.
I would go on TDM’s blog and attack him too, but there is something about his blog which I think makes it highly monitored. Papagomo and his ilk are brutes. I have tried criticising some of his entries, which appeal to the lowest common denominator, but the guy is just a neanderthal. Can’t reason with UMNO bullies like him. It just won’t go through.
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My dear,
LLS & CKC’s cases are in court. To comment would be sub judice & what in the world do you want me to say about LTL?! As for NYY, she’s already very much despised by the opposition supporters & since 80% of Chinese are DAP, there are plenty of them out there already venting on her. Would it be productive if I added to the nastiness & noise? You know that I try not to post more than once a day, so space is precious.
It may surprise you to hear me say this but I do process your comments for useful input. Your perspectives can be quite intelligent, incisive & insightful and yeah, sensible too.
And fair enough, I admit I’m a political operative (in role). Only I do it for my own purposes & not as ‘slandered’ by my detractors.
Helen
OverseasBumi, in a way, you are right. Most Malays are not good with argumentations, including me. And yes, I cant start a speech bombarding people straight forward. Orang Melayu memulakan sesuatu cukup lengkap, ada pendahuluan, isi kandungan, rebuttal then penutup. I thought it’s common to hear Melayu penuh ‘kesopanan’? Tapi now tak semua la.
Majority or minority, be apologetic is not a shame and it totally doesnt mean that you are lame or laid back. It’s better to be too kind rather than being a bad mouth, swearing and menyakitkan hati orang lain. Tapi itulah, kebaikan ni senantiasa dipergunakan dan senang ditindas. So I guess we need more Bumis like you.
p/s: Cross my fingers I wont start with ‘Betul…..’ anymore. LOL.
[Helen, minta delete balasan saya kepada MalaysianinNewYork, Sepatutnya saya balas kepada komen OverseasBumi. Thanks.]
Darlyn starts her response with
Don’t agree in the first sentence.
A very good example to Helen’s topic above is the criticism of MACC over the death of TBH. BH and NST spun it as an attack on Malay institution. I can’t find actual article from BH, only from TMI.
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NSTP’s archives are not available online except to subscribers (expensive subscription) but the BH piece can be read via other blog(s) aggregation — ‘Kematian Teoh timbulkan pelbagai spekulasi politik’ by Zainul Arifin, a top editor at the time, HERE.
OverseasBumi & grandmarquis. I think the grasping power on the issue in totality is always amissed as the former talks about himself and the later on the 10 richest man. I am not talking about your self professed achievement, individual who migrates to the western world from their own country and face discrimination, how perfect is the western world or what resembles the 10 riches man in Malaysia. I am talking about malaysians and its generation and their rights for what is fair and equal as a citizen. The generations that we have in malaysia continues to suffer because how politicians can poison our minds with race,religion and how conveniently we would defend it.
Where i live, how I live, how educated I am or an illiterate is all hogwash when humanity & liberty is transgressed for our own individual needs when it fits the agenda. So i ask you again, do you think in this modern day Malaysia we still need Article 153 for the benefits of the politicians.
OverseasBumi, affirmative action in US was for the minority not the majority. I don’t want to dwelve in this as this is an endless pit in Malaysia. As for grandmarquis, he rather brush me aside and tell me that I better migrate if Article 153 does not suit you. Now what to make out of this is one’s own prerogative.
Article 153 is a problem because it is used by the politicians to install fear factor to the all knowing literate Malay community as you said you did not need 153 to progress yourself.
i don’t think anyone in their rational mind would be opposed to uplift poverty stricken and marginalized community whether if there is Article 153 or not. If that is the objective then why we Malaysians still need Article 53.
Mr Dear fellow Malaysians, the fault lies is all of us irrespective of origin but we cannot go on defending something just for the sake of defending without having the consciousness for what is moral and humane under the current state of affair in our country for the current generation.
This discourse is not to proof anything to anyone but the ability for us between us to learn from each other as i am sure you have Malaysian at heart for its gited rich multicultural community as much as I have.
OverseasBumi, I see your qualify yourself with “In my opinion” the concept that Article 153 was written was to placate the majority. Let me correct you historically, that was not the case. That is a story for another day which soon will come to light.
Then you say it doesn’t mean that chinese or indians or non-malays are”lesser” because of it. I don’t know what did you mean in the term “lesser”, whether it is morally & principled or monetary but i can assume it is tha later.
Clause (9) in Article 153 says ‘Nothing in this Article shall empower Parliament to restrict business or trade solely for the purpose of reservations for Malays.’
What is the reality!!!!. You want me to spell it out in both public & private institutions in today’s term.
Wow!!!!, I must be on steriods to write so much, but what the hell, it is better late than never.
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DAP needs to state its stand unequivocally to the Chinese & other minorities on 153. — Helen
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MalaysianinNewYork,
Trying to compare Malaysia and America? Come on. In America, the minorities are marginalized. In Malaysia, the majority is marginalized. There is a huge different in this aspect. In America, there is no social contract because the migrant has simply rule out the native. In Malaysia the social contract is to avoid such thing to happen because if it happen, it would mean bloodbath like the case of Mei 69.
You say 153 is used by politician to install fear factor. Agreed. But fear will only come when there is a threat. Some politicians also uses the 153 to create a sense of delusion in the “rich” minority that they are indeed marginalized. Don’t you see that you are a typical product of such political hegemony?
Sure, grandmarquis,you are are the master for the rest of us. Threat can only come when there is fear.Threat in these days in Malaysia is the Malays because they can continue to wayang kulit when to defend anything that shows them the money not what was intended to to be created for a multicutural society. There will never be a bloodbath in malaysia, because irrespective of the origin, it is what is to be made for selfish Malaysians who continue to stake their consciousness and morality to defend in the name of religion, race and creed to fit their own agenda. Sure i am a product of the typical political hegemony because you Malays allow me to be so for how it benefits you as well. Friend you need a backbone when truth is what you pursue not the melodrama.
So back to my question do Malays need an Article 153 to ensure a superficial progress politically driven agenda because you just need to defend it when humanity & reality is a mitigating factor to enhance what it has been, or how it should be for all irrespective of the origin in Malaysia. Nothing personal, but we can talk cock all day, but reality, morality & consciousness is not gauged how you think about it but are you able to grasp it and act upon it for the betterment of Malaysians. If that is too much to digest, then live you life for how it should be for how spineless you can be only for yourself.
MiNY hasn’t been to California recently? I was there last December. Whites are the minority; Asians and Latinos outnumber them. The system as it is now actually benefits the majority Asian/Latinos.
Affirmative action in California is currently being re-adjusted to address the demographic shift. Apparently some Asians (oriental, as you know) are not too happy with it. See below
No I am haven’t visited California at the moment but rather caught up with Linsanity in NY. The linked affirmative action similar to this and many others exist built most get shot down when it goes to the court as the individual state laws needs to adhere to the constitution. See http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-15/us/us_alabama-immigration-law_1_immigration-law-immigration-status-alabama-law?_s=PM:US and you would understand how the system works.
You see the world is not perfect, but at least they fight amongst them even for illegal immigrants. US is more 200 years in independence with now over 300 million people. Malaysia is what 55 years and 28 million people (where probably around 7 million people from Dr M’s era from Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Phiippines assimilated as Bumis with 153 benefits as oppose to 3rd & 4rd generation Chinese & Indians in Malaysia). It is like comparing apples & oranges. Let’s not stray away from the topic in hand.
How can economic & social parity be achieved when politicians and reasonable majority malays themselves fail to see the rot Malaysia is getting itself into when she continue to marginalize the Non-Malay. Look back before 1980, racial polarization is at the minimum, but today everything is polarized under the pretext of Article 153 and religion as their tool. Is this fair? Sure you can come back with thousands of reasons but reality does not change in the present day. Frankly do you think the Non-Malays have been so unreasonable in their demand when it effects their growth in the socio-economic development in totality minus the elite 15% of the community that is made of Malaysian irrespective of origin where only here probably the only place where the One malaysian or malaysian First works to maintain their position.
Here in this platform we talk like regular Malaysians as egalitarian, our day to day encounters, affairs, thoughts and not one driven to see who religion / race is better like how the politicans do it but rather to digest not digress on basic humanity on logical common sense for a multicultural society that we are built on.
I am not interested on what happens in US or whether a naturalized US citizen cannot be a President, but i am interested how Khir Toyo a first generation indonesian immigrant can be a MB in the pretext of being a BUMI whereas 3rd & 4rd generation Non BUMI (defined) cannot be one.
At least in US, you have a process to be naturalized, but in Malaysia, is there such a process? We have red ICs Non Malays for 50 ought years who cannot be naturalized, we have thousands of stateless M’sian Indians yet if you are Muslim from the countries named above, you are privileged and handed over a blue IC and M’sian passport. I remember in one of my trip back home, a bloke from Iraq was in front of me in the autogate holding a M’sian passport. I casually spoke to him in Malay ( Apa Khabar Pakcik), he looked blank at me and responded “thank you “. Another incident, a Pakistan guy who needed my guidance and had been in Sabah only since 2000 shows me a Malaysian passport. I asked how come you got a malaysian passport, he said that his father a Pakistani had business in Sabah so he got a M’sian passport. Mind you this is all your Bumi privileged folks in the pretext of Article 153.
I am fearful for the Malays because soon the countries mentioned above will claim to be Malays in the pretext of the religion like how UIA Somalian students run untold scams in Malaysia. I even had several encounters with them in their scams.
So friend, the original Non Malays, ie the Chinese & Indians laboured & toiled the land together with the Malays to ensure prosperity for us all but today, using religion everyone else benefiting except genuine Malaysians. Article 153 has outlived its usage for the Malays and today it is more a political too that is being used by foreigners to maximize on it like the examples I had given above. Soon, you malays need to make a choice whether you prefer the foreigners or 3rd & 4rd generation Chinese & Indians.
I compared to California for instructive purposes. I think their experiences can be used by malaysian policy makers. It’s important to keep in mind, they are a state in a secular country.
In your last paragraph you claim religion is used to benefit a certain portion of Malaysian society and not others. Malaysia is a country where the majority are Muslim. This is a fact, and it is unlikely that the demographics would change any time soon.
I still think malaysia’s version of religious application and pervasiveness isn’t as overbearing as in mid east countries.
I have worked in Qatar during the fasting month. Nearly all food shops were closed during the day. All foreign outlets , MacD, Starbucks , KFC, were closed as required by law. No one, not even non muslims, were seen eating in public. I arrived by plane and was hungry and I told my driver that I was really thirsty. We found only one supermarket, an indian owned chain, that was opened. I bought water, but was prevented by my driver to consume it in his car, which was heavily tinted to minimize the effects of the 45 degC ambient temperature . He said if caught we could be fined/arrested, and possible deported.
Enforcement of religious laws in Qatar may be even applied to a ban on alcohol among World cup fans.
YEt, despite the strict implementation of religious laws on non-muslims, Qatar, UAE, Saudi and other GCC countries have many non-muslim expatriates working and living there. They have accepted the realities.
In Malaysia, after years and years why do so many non-malays think that malaysia would turn more secular? I just don’t see that hppening. Instead, I see malays becoming more religious.
So, for those who complain about Article 153, just think about the people. That part of the constitution protects malays and islam and vice versa. And it is reflective of the demographics.
Anecdotally, you claim to have seen many people originating from foreign muslim countries holding malaysian passports. Do you know how they got them? That deserves further investigation. I can claim I know of cases of Mainland Chinese girls who have come into malaysia with correct documents. Some even are ‘wives’ of malaysians.
The rule of law is based on the rule of the majority. If somehow you or the non-muslim minority can effect change in the malay-muslim majority mindset, then things might change. HOw to effect that change? Force more interaction between races/religions? Food, language and customs are barriers. Change popular media? Some muslims I know shun western or non-muslim media altogether. It seems intractable.
I say let PAS and DAP be best buddies, then let themselves expose the hypocrisies of their agendas. BN can also be openly criticized, then maybe they change, too. PAS has a non-muslim wing. Soon maybe UMNO will have a non-bumi wing? Who knows.
it seems strange that many 3rd and 4th generation Malaysin cannot understand the national language,especially the vernacular educated.
But the bangla’s can be competent in less than 5 years, wow it must be the water they drink!.
Kalau 3rd & 4rd generasi Non Malay Malaysian tidak bolek memahami bahasa kebangsaan, ini tidak membuktikan mereka ini akan meninggalkan adat atau konsep Malaysian. Konsep & adat Malaysian ini bukan baru memang sudah dipeluk selama-lama ini tanpa perbezaan ikut agama atau bangsa. Kalau saudara/saudari ceria kalau Bangla yang boleh jadi fasih dalam 5 tahun untuk berucap dalam bahasa Melayu and ini yang akan menentukan masa depan bangsa malaysia, apalah saya boleh buat selain daripada mendengar falsafah saudara/ saudari yang menyetujui kenapa Malaysian yang tidak fasih dalam bahasa Melayu tidak diperlu lagi.
Quote: “How can economic & social parity be achieved when politicians and reasonable majority malays themselves fail to see the rot Malaysia is getting itself into when she continue to marginalize the Non-Malay. ” – MalaysianinNewYork
Like I said, this MalaysianinNewYork believe that the non-Malay is marginalized in this country. I dare to bet that if a Malay from oversea and MalaysianinNewYork both come home, MalaysianinNewYork will get the job first even though he is suppose to be in a marginalized race.
Walk on the street KL and do you believe that the non Malay is marginalized? He questioned why I showed 8 out of 10 richest person are chinese. If he cannot understand the meaning, no wonder he still believe that non-Malay is marginalized in this country.
The state of some Malaysian is getting more and more confusing. You have a race that control 70% of the economy believe that they are marginalized. And you have a bunch of goons who believe that their leader is a saint, even though 2 charge with sodomy and a 17min length of sex video is floating. And you have a bunch of people believe that a party which consists of 98% of chinese is indeed a multi-racial party. And there are people who believe that the PM blow up someone, even though there is no a single trace of evidence. And they don’t believe the person is an actor in a 17 min sex video.
Is this the result of our education? I don’t know.