By Suresh Kashuerin, Free Malaysia Today
It’s incredible that one line in Malay in the Namewee video – You tak baca? Siapa buat Malaysia kaya? – (You didn’t read? Who made Malaysia rich?) could cause such uproar among the guardians of Malay pride. Is it a case of “siapa makan cili rasa pedasnya (if the cap fits, wear it). Where were these same guardians of Malay pride when school principal Siti Inshah Mansor abused her Indian and Chinese pupils in outrageous language? There wasn’t even a peep out of them. She wasn’t accused of racism. In fact, she’s even being treated by the Education Ministry with kid gloves despite non-Malay uproar. It wouldn’t be surprising if she’s kicked upstairs soon as one of those modern-day heroines in Malay celluloid.
Then, there was the later case of a principal up north who advised the Chinese pupils of the school to go back to China since AirAsia flights were now every cheap. This was after they were caught eating at the school canteen by the principal during the fasting hours. They were accused, in some kind of warped logic, of not respecting the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
What their own gnawing hunger has got to do with Ramadan and respect was not explained to the errant students.
Now, there’s a real possibility that this Namewee character will be charged soon with sedition. This emerged after police, who don’t seem to have better things to do with their time, grilled him for three hours. Sedition, put simply, is the act of stirring up rebellion against the state.
Within any context, a racist can be defined as one who denies others their place in the sun. Déjà vu? If one stands up for his or her place in the sun, without denying others their rights, the question of being racist does not arise.
In Malaysia, the definition of racism is the reverse.
Ibrahim Ali and Mahathir Mohamad of Perkasa routinely twist and turn every issue into a racial issue in order to play to the gallery and force the Malays to circle their wagons under one platform, that is, Umno. They are hailed as great heroes standing up for Malay rights.
Their hidden agenda is to mask the “thievery” that goes on under the guise of development. Government procurements and contracts cost twice, thrice and even up to 10 times what it should cost the taxpayer. So, behind the rhetoric and polemics generated by Ibrahim and Mahathir to pull the wool over the people’s eyes, they are in cahoots with their “comrades in crime” who steal the people’s sweat from the public treasury.
When Hindraf Makkal Sakthi kicked up a fuss over the continuing marginalisation of the Indian underclass in the country, they were accused of being racists. The New Economic Policy (1970-1990) pledged, among others, that poverty would be eradicated irrespective of race, religion, class and caste.
Elsewhere, when Hindraf pointed out that Article 153 of the Federal Constitution provides for the legitimate aspirations of the non-Malays and non-Natives, they were accused of questioning Malay special privileges. In fact, Article 153 doesn’t mention special privileges at all.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim himself, ironically fighting on a platform of change and reform, accused Hindraf of being racists and questioning Malay rights and privileges. He was playing to the gallery, like Umno, to project himself as the great protector of the Malays but at other people’s expense.
Hindraf was further accused of stoking racism when it stressed that Article 153 only mentions a reasonable proportion for the Malays and Natives in four specific areas, namely intake into the civil service; intake into government-owned institutions of higher learning and training privileges; government scholarships; and opportunities created by the government to do business.
written by albert zacharias, September 05, 2010 00:16:42
What namewee is trying to imply is all Malaysian make our country kaya...not just the Malays, or Chinese or Indian. Therefore all are important and no one should ask another to balik to their own country if they have one.
I am born in Malaysia and Malaysia is my country. Faham????
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written by carlitos, September 04, 2010 20:08:34
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written by joejoe, September 04, 2010 16:34:03
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written by Hanuman, September 04, 2010 14:52:09
When told that the leader of a Malaysian Chinese party even supported that Namewee be charged with sedition, they were flabergasted. To them Mr. Soiled Leg should not only NOT be the president of the party as his name had been smeared but by condemning an artist for his unique communication technique without justifications and playing to the gallery and emotions, he is just NOT FIT to lead the party. How can the whole political system and government machineries be used against a hapless youth? Isn't that ridiculous? Where's the freedom of speech as enshrine in the constitution? Why are we so sensitive? Mind you, Namewee is not the only one who's expressing the frustrations, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Malaysian who don't like whats going on in the country but they are not as creative as Namwee. Cries of racism and threats using the May13 disaster and Kris to remind the minorities are very offensive and obnoxious.
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written by sonofmalaysia, September 04, 2010 12:11:53
then I chanced upon this jaw-fropping report about China, (a must read ! )
http://www.gizmag.com/up-close-and-personal-with-saics-yez-concept-car/15808/
One country is sinking and getting more shitty and gloomy by the day, the giant country is on unpresedented , earth-shattering rise !
If China allows MAlaysian Chinese to balik China, it may not be so bad !!
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written by truthbespoken, September 04, 2010 11:23:02
It was nothing more than a one-to-one allegation of racism, directed from Namewee to the bloody headmistress. So, why should the whole UMNO machinery now be up in arms against one poor young fellow who is fired with truism through idealistic expressions against racism in its crudest form in the country? Why be so heavy handed and threaten to use the sedition charge on him? Why not the headmistress who was the actual culprit? Why was she let go so easily to the utter dismay of most Malaysians? Race again or using Namewee as the scapegoat to shut up other concerned Malaytsians? Then Nurul was absolutely right! UMNO wants to change Malaysia to Malaysaja!
Damn it, desist from the discriminatory actions against Namewee and all immediately! Malaysians won't want to give a damn whether the racist headmistress wants to suck bananas anymore! Malaysians just wanted to be treated fairly as Malaysians! Watch out, UMNO! The whole world has been observing closely on the apartheid practices being carried by your UMNO government on minority citizens! We know more truths hurt but it must be told!
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written by malgal, September 04, 2010 11:08:37
rock on namewee.
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written by pixieface, September 04, 2010 11:06:18
And the most racist of all are the amenoes, and the list goes on.
Good, carry on the racism card and amenoes will be dunged once and for all.
And the most dangerous racist is an indian posing as a malay.
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I remember the writing of an elder:
One can only cringe in embarassement when others pose questions like the one below asked in relation to the apparenly uncivilised behavior of some AMNOites: