These colour-blind people appear to be facing a lot of problems in their own party. First it was Khalid. Then Zaid. And now Ronnie too appears to be facing the prospect of getting killed off by his own party.
NO HOLDS BARRED
Raja Petra Kamarudin
The Nut Graph came out with a very interesting piece called Uncommon Sense with Wong Chin Huat: Spotlight on DAP. The article starts of by saying:
THE media spotlight has turned to the DAP in recent weeks over the party’s sacking of Tee Boon Hock, Selangor executive councillor Ronnie Liu‘s special assistant. Tee had allegedly issued letters of recommendation using Liu’s official letterhead and seal to help family members secure contracts. Liu was severely reprimanded by a DAP disciplinary committee for the incident.
Meanwhile, Selangor speaker Teng Chang Khim faced disciplinary proceedings due to his “OMG, the real culprit is freed” tweet. Teng told the disciplinary committee he was tweeting about a movie character and not about Liu and Tee.
The Nut Graph asks political scientist Wong Chin Huat how he thinks the DAP’s leadership performed in these events, and what the DAP‘s democratic health is like as a whole.
You can read the rest of the piece here: http://www.thenutgraph.com/uncommon-sense-with-wong-chin-huat-spotlight-on-dap/
There are not many in the opposition who has managed to breach the racial-religious barrier. One who comes to mind is the PAS MP for Shah Alam, Khalid Samad.
PAS is a difficult party for the non-Muslims to accept. This is mainly because of the party’s stand on Islamic laws or Hudud, which the non-Muslims oppose. Understandably, what has been happening in many Muslim countries, especially since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, causes non-Muslims to become very suspicious of Islamic laws.
Khalid, however, has been able to reach out to the non-Muslims and most non-Muslims have no problem accepting and trusting this PAS MP. Maybe because Khalid demonstrates sincerity helps somewhat. He appears to be honest in what he says and does and he does not give the perception that he just cakap politik or is playing to the gallery.
I would even go so far as to say if Khalid were to contest in a predominantly non-Muslim constituency he would still win in spite of the PAS ‘baggage’ he is carrying.
But there are those in PAS who are not too comfortable with his colour-blind image and they want to bring him down, especially those in PAS Selangor, Khalid’s home state. Whether these people feel he is too popular with the non-Muslims and fear he might one day make a bid for a higher position in the party or whether they feel he is too ‘compromising’ to the non-Muslims I really do not know. But whatever it may be there are moves to topple him and to send him into retirement.
Such is the fate of those in PAS who try to be colour-blind. Their own party kills them off.
PKR is already a colour-blind party but there are some who are more colour-blind than others. One such person who comes to mind is Zaid Ibrahim. But then, because he is too colour-blind, this too has been used against him and there are allegations that he is not Islamic enough in his conduct.
What degree of colour-blind should he be then? If he talks too much about the Malay or Muslim agenda then he would be called a racist or chauvinist. But when he discards the Malay or Muslim agenda totally then he is called a traitor to the Malay race, or worse, a religious deviant.
You can never win.
Gobalakrishnan, also from PKR, is another I would label as colour-blind. He has greater support from the non-Indians than from his fellow Indians. Many Indians, in fact, have told me that they reject Gobala. But when he goes to places like Kelantan he is well received by the Malays there. I know for a fact that Tok Guru Nik Aziz will insist that Gobala sits beside him during ceramahs.
It appears like Nik Aziz loves Gobala more than those from the Indian community. Gobala is ‘struggling’ in PKR and can’t seem to get support from his own party, in particular the Indians. I suspect if Gobala were to join PAS and contest in Kelantan he would do better there.
Ronnie Liu from the DAP is probably another non-Muslim who can contest in a Malay constituency and still win.
I remember before the March 2008 general election there was a dilemma as to where Ronnie should contest. I spoke to some PAS supporters in Bangi and asked them whether they have any problem supporting a DAP candidate. They told me that Bangi is a Malay majority area and there was no way a DAP candidate could win. I then told them that the candidate may be Ronnie and they were pleased.
The PAS supporters offered to organise ceramahs and meet-the-voters sessions for Ronnie. They even set the dates but I told them to hold on because nothing had been decided yet. When it was finally decided that Ronnie would be contesting in Pandamaran instead, the PAS supporters were quite disappointed.
Gobind Singh Deo is another non-Malay whom the Muslims love. When we heard he was going to contest in Johor we went to see him to persuade him to forget about Johor and contest in Selangor instead. Gobind said that PAS wants the Puchong seat so that may be a problem -- there are no seats available in Selangor.
Initially, PAS wanted to contest in Puchong and if DAP took that seat then there would be a three-corner fight like in the previous election. And that means both opposition candidates would lose. But when they were told that DAP would be fielding Gobind, PAS gave way and handed the seat to DAP.
PAS did not surrender the seat to DAP. They surrendered it to Gobind. That is how strong Gobind’s support is amongst the Muslims. And Gobind won with a significant Malay vote.
Of course, there are still some problems in the opposition, especially on matters involving Islam. But there are some individuals who are able to overcome the race-religion barrier that is very much a culture of Malaysian politics. However, these colour-blind people appear to be facing a lot of problems in their own party. First it was Khalid. Then Zaid. And now Ronnie too appears to be facing the prospect of getting killed off by his own party.
There are many professionals and civil society movement activists who refuse to join any existing political party because they regard these parties as not being colour-blind enough. Maybe one day we shall see a new party emerge, set up by those who want to see the birth of a true-blue anak bangsa Malaysia, a bangsa or race that is colour-blind.
If that does materialise, maybe those from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat who feel that Malaysia is ready for politik baru or new politics, politics that is colour-blind, should reconsider their political future within this new third force.
Translated into Chinese at: http://ccliew.blogspot.com/2010/08/blog-post_2638.html
written by Atheist, August 25, 2010 16:09:34
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written by cruzeiro, August 25, 2010 09:34:28
It is no secret that there are a great many closet racists & religious bigots in PR, who have successfully put uf a front for political expediency.
Along with Zaid, you've ignored to mention the Jeffrey Kitingan issue in Sabah and the Dayak vote in Sarawak for the sake of "Muslim Political power" in these two predominantly Christian states.
But I guess, Haris Ibrahim has done some justice there at "Mahathir kicked Anwar out of UMNO, yes, but who will now kick UMNO out of Anwar?"
http://harismibrahim.w*******s...-of-anwar/
If Anwar thinks he can play Umno politics & reach Putrajaya, he's sorely deluded ....
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written by earthman, August 25, 2010 07:28:01
All praised and thanks to God for such a men.
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written by OverseasMsian, August 25, 2010 07:14:21
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written by antares, August 25, 2010 06:56:40
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written by pixieface, August 24, 2010 11:28:46
professionals out there who would consider contesting.
Encik haris, the ball is at your court. You are one of them. Truly colour blind.
Tell us when a fund is set up. I will definitely canvas for you.
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written by freedom to speak, August 24, 2010 11:07:09
Like you say, I am deeply disappointed with the turn of events in Pakatan Rakyat. Racial lines run deep within society (and Pakatan Rakyat too, although they preach otherwise). The cracks are beginning to show, and UMNO (APCO hand included) has just started their onslaught.
I have warned repeatedly on the power of media (APCO's forte). Many take these APCO guys, and gals lightly and are feeling the heat. Black Ops slowly starting to creeping in.
What can Pakatan Rakyat do to counter this?
Warning signs are appearing everywhere. Are we being lead/pushed into another "Emergency Rule"? Is there hope yet that we will get a free and fair GE-13? Will the results be accepted? I don't fear the government but the people. The people will be easily influenced into havoc and mob rule. They just need a trigger; be it race, religion, malay rights, language, monarchy, apartheid etc.
The heroes are being silenced. Malaysia needs these colour-blind heroes to break that racial divide. Please my dear citizens of Malaysia. I beg you to save this country and maintain PEACE. No more fear, we need peace! UNITY IS PEACE!
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written by batsman, August 24, 2010 10:40:51
Within a political party there are many opinions as to what the mood of the people is and what their limits are. Individual politicians then have to take the risk on what their best judgement tells them. If they make a mistake, they have to pay the price. The people can be hard task masters on the one hand and can be led by the nose on the other. This is because the people have to learn from experience too.
So what has happened so far is quite natural. There is no good or bad in this sense when judging the mood of the people. Good or bad only means wishy washiness in such particular cases. Everything depends on good judgement.
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written by Davy McChester, August 24, 2010 09:44:59
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written by cheekhiaw, August 24, 2010 09:20:57
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written by temanmu, August 24, 2010 09:13:28
Since there are no naturally blue skin tones amongst us humans, we should march with blue face paint to signify colour-neutrality! And together we will overcome the evil regime and save Bumi Malaysia!
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written by malgal, August 24, 2010 08:06:07
you have a problem with your hip joint, you see an orthoepaedic, race aside.
you have a heart condition, you see a cardiologist, race aside.
your gums are sore, you see an orthodontist, race aside.
the best person for the job, race aside.
maybe it's easier to be sick, than to find affinity with our assemblyman.
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written by Logger123, August 24, 2010 07:40:10
Remember the 2004 elections? The euphoria of Mahacrony removed from power, gave BN a never before 64% mandate. Color was the in thing, the common platform.
So can Malaysians really move to be color blind today? Judging by the strong words/comments used even here in MT, I really doubt it. Judging by some of the actions of PR representatives, I really doubt it.
Know when we'll become color blind? When we remove the word "keturunan" from the birth cert, the IC and all the borangs. When a Muslim can marry a non-Muslim. When emotions over my culture and religion vs your culture and religion is eliminated.
It'll be a really long journey, to a single Malaysia. But better late then never. At least we can all start to be color blind right now by being judicious or taking extra care in our comments! Lets start by doing unto others as we want them to do for us.
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written by educationist, August 24, 2010 07:11:44
It is indeed a very appetising prospect for recent events have shown that the PR cannot prevent itself getting entangled over colour issues , no need to comment on the UMNOputras!!
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written by arazak, August 24, 2010 06:54:17
And what else. . ., till now UMNO regarded their non-colour-blind leaders such as Ahmad Ismail as "pahlawan" or warrior. Freeloader non-colour blind Perkosa leader, Ibrahim Ali was given due attention and publicity. The UMNO stinking mouthpiece, Utusan Meloya too propagates racism and hatred between races on continuous basis.
Jibby can shove his 1 Malaysia up his arse if he still condones with what Utusan is doing and leaders such as Ahmad Ismail and Ibrahim Ali.
I am a tanned coloured citizen. . ., and I am teaching my children to be colour blind!
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written by hellosunshine, August 24, 2010 06:16:18
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written by panca, August 24, 2010 06:14:50
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This is where I draw the parallel to Malaysia. The difference is leaders in both FIFA and the governments there reject it, and in Malaysia it is singularly and forcefully promoted.