Can we afford to let ‘budaya dengki’ (culture of jealousy) turn M’sia into another Bosnia-Herzegovinia?

Is it wrong to start reflecting over the future of Malaysia if people are still willing to be duped by their political masters in order to create further division in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society?

(Focus Malaysia) – AT a time when DAP and UMNO are working closely in the unity government, suddenly there are accusations calling UMNO and the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition a lapdog of DAP.

Why does Bersatu’s Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal turn around to finally speak some sense about the Venn’s shoes, and why is MCA suddenly so full of praise for the Bersatu Youth chief, when barely a year ago, the same Chinese-based party hit out at Wan Fayhsal?

It’s all about politics and votes

This past one month is targeted at building up tension between the races. This is despite ministers from both UMNO and DAP are part of the unity government currently helmed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX).

For the DAP, their focus now is for the country to re-pay debts from the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Bhd) scandal and to once again revive the country’s economy instead of squabbling over the number of seats.

Despite having the biggest number of lawmakers in the last general election compared to all other political parties that make up the unity government, DAP was willing to accept only four ministerial positions.

UMNO with fewer lawmakers has three more ministerial positions than the DAP. Its president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is also one of the two Deputy Prime Ministers (DPM).

The DAP did not even demand for the DPM position which was for the first time since the formation of Malaysia in 1963 given to an East Malaysians Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

The slander that both UMNO and PH are lapdogs to DAP is therefore most unreasonable and done with the intention to break up the unity government. This has prompted DAP’s national publicity secretary Teo Nie Ching to lodge a police report.

Poison letter by one man that led to Tunku Abdul Rahman’s resignation is the same poison that is now still being spewed out every other day on social media and attempting to create unrest in the country. This netizen is asking who the dalang (puppet master) is.

The same netizen has also commented that the puppet master knows very well the budaya dengki is a very strong force that drives people to do things that are even forbidden by Islam.

In retrospect, one wonders how two issues involving the Allah inscription have surfaced of all times during the holy month of Ramadhan. Even before the dust have settled on the socks, the logos of both Venn’s and the Nike AirMax shoes took the stage.

Judging from this video, the Nike AirMax’s link has, in fact, gone as far back as 2020. Therefore, one wonders whether the Californian rock band Allah-Las would be the next issue to be played up; and if not, could it be because it has no relevance to Malaysian politics?

What’s next, Akmal?

After the face-to-face meeting of UMNO and DAP leaders with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim King of Malaysia yesterday (April 9), it is hoped that sanity would return.

However, some questions remain to be answered on the first day of Eid al-Fitr: Will UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh now humbly call off the boycott and pay KK Super Mart for the losses it incurred after he has kicked up the ruckus?

Will he seek forgiveness from those whose feelings he had hurt when he wielded the sword?

Merely saying that he upholds the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s (YDPA) decree is not good enough. Being quick to demand KK Super Mart and others to apologise, the Merlimau state assemblyman should immediately do what is right for him as a Muslim and the UMNO Youth head honcho.

Soul searching

During the holy month of Shawal, is it not the best time for the other perpetrators to stop instigating the races against each other?

Is it wrong to start reflecting over the future of Malaysia if people are still willing to be duped by their political masters in order to create further division in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society?

We cannot afford to become another Bosnia-Herzegovinia.

If the budaya dengki (culture of jealousy) does not cease immediately with the perpetrators – whether paid actors or politicians – allowed to play with fire, it may turn into a disaster once we allow the budaya benci (culture of hatred) to take shape.