History Shows UMNO's Racial Bigotry To Remain in Power at All Costs

Read here full article in Malaysiakini

Quote:

"...It is crucially pivotal to realise that this 'Malay overlordship'(read here for more and HERE) has almost NOTHING to do with the MALAYS, and EVERYTHING to do with UMNO.

Umno clearly has NO respect for other ethnic groups. Umno clearly has NO respect for other religions .Umno clearly has NO respect for women. Umno clearly has NO respect for peace or the most noble Malay precepts of sopan-santun and budi bahasa .

The question then becomes: why prop up and be led by supremacist, uncouth bigotry, when you can help lead a bravely multi-ethnic movement committed to equal justice and development for all?

One simple X in the right box is all it takes to give Malaysia new life. Not a million, not a thousand - just one.

That X belongs to you, and to no one else."

Excerpts: Read here for more

".... re-examine Umno and ethnic politics in the country we love so much - May 13th, and Umno's anniversary.

UMNO's Dirty Role in May 13

The clearest lesson taught by Dr Kua Kia Soong's ground-breaking analysis of the 1969 riots as well as countless examples of violent ethnic conflict in Africa and elsewhere is simple:

'..that ethnic tensions are almost invariably a function of politics, NOT the other way around.'

.May 13 has been used ad nauseam to suggest that only the BN mould of politics is viable for Malaysia - where ethnic groups are so divided that they must forever be separated politically.

Kua's findings clearly provide context and proof that it wasn't inherent 'racial hatreds' that sparked off the riots, but Umno's quest for political dominance at any cost - completely debunking the myth that primordial ethnic divisions necessitate a body politic divided along those same lines.

'Political dominance at any cost' perfectly encapsulates the mindset that has reigned supreme in Umno from May 13, 1969, to Ijok 2007.

From 1969 onwards, Umno has used the riots to justify supremacist Malay overlordship instead of just and equitable Malay-led governance.

It is crucially pivotal to realise that this 'Malay overlordship' has almost nothing to do with the Malays, and everything to do with Umno.

Our first-past-the-post (and ridiculously corrupt) electoral system allows almost no recognition whatsoever to the massive numbers of voters - both Malay and non-Malay - who have rejected Umno's bankrupt brand of politics wholesale.

Since massive numbers of people, both within BN and without, clearly and passionately object to the awful excesses of Umno, a closer look at what keeps Umno in power needs to be taken.

Umno bigotry

The 'core' of BN is said to be the concept of 'power-sharing'.

.... (But) sharing the occasional parliamentary or state assembly seat is NOT the same as sharing power. .... the non-Umno BN component parties have been reduced to nothing but office boys or budak suruhan.

Voting patterns confirmed this perception both in Ijok, and to a different extent, in Machap.

....(BN) component party representatives are made to shut up and suck it up in the face of blatant bigotry, intolerance and gangsterism.

Umno clearly has no respect for other ethnic groups: not content with being racist at home, a politician chosen to be a minister no less, Jamaluddin Jarjis, went all the way to California to make derogatory and demeaning statements about Indian Malaysians.

Umno clearly has no respect for other religions: even a simple, civilised dialogue between religious group is cancelled (whether it was merely 'postponed' remains to be seen).

Umno clearly has no respect for women: just when you thought MPs Mohd Said Yusof and Bung Mokhtar Radin couldn't possibly be any more bigoted, they resorted to insulting remarks about menstruation in a feeble and humiliating attempt to deflect attention from how corruption is causing leakages in more than one way throughout the 'hallowed' halls of government.

Umno clearly has no respect for peace or the most noble Malay precepts of sopan-santun and budi bahasa: everyone saw the pictures of Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin trying to find the best balance between an ape and a hooligan in Ijok, while his underlings beat 16 stitches into opposition supporters' heads.

All these very recent events are in keeping with the 'finest' traditions of Umno - dating back from the manipulations of Harun Idris and Abdul Razak Hussein in 1969, through to keris-waving by both Najib Abdul Razak in 1987 and Hishammuddin Hussein in 2006 as well as statements from Khairy in Jeram about Chinese vultures waiting to take advantage of Malay weakness and so on.

The Cowardice of UMNO's Partners in Barisan Nasional

The simple question is: where are the rest of the BN MPs in these debacles? The even simpler answer is: silent.

It is probably inaccurate to conclude from this that BN MPs are universally inept, cowardly or clueless.

(Let's)analyse the systemic constraints under which they operate.:

The better representatives go into politics to make a difference in people's lives. (So) they join the establishment - an establishment that has frightened generation after generation into believing that they must cower before big brother Umno and never offend them at any cost.

.....however, many of these better politicians and representatives yearn day and night for an end to the Umno regime.

The question then becomes: why prop up and be led by supremacist, uncouth bigotry, when you can help lead a bravely multi-ethnic movement committed to equal justice and development for all?

To the opposition hard-core, this question tends to inspire a need to hit one's head against the wall in frustration. .... some of the clearest obstacles involve incumbency and credibility.

The Opposition has difficulty focusing on marketing itself as credible alternatives to the government.

(But) in the last few decades , the ever-growing stable of high profile, highly educated and extremely accomplished individuals and technocrats in the opposition are fast communicating to Malaysia that they are more than capable of being entrusted with the reins of government.

All that remains then is breaking the mental barriers of incumbency.

Many voters understandably have a sentimental connection to MCA, MIC, Gerakan or their particular elected representatives from those parties, and may NOT be terribly keen to vote them out of power - however much this comes into conflict with how much they despise Umno.

The longer view of politics will reveal our leaders will always consist of the likes of Mohd Said and Bung Mokhtar unless Umno is dethroned.

I trust that any truly well-meaning component party member or politician will not seriously try to defend an Umno dominated system over one led by proponents of progress without any stain of discrimination - it would very simply be attempting to defend the indefensible.

Voters have the only power that really matters, and they know it.

BN propaganda over the years has tried time and time again to fool those voters into believing that one vote doesn't really count, and that they're the only winning horse to bet on.

One simple X in the right box is all it takes to give Malaysia new life. Not a million, not a thousand - just one. That X belongs to you, and to no one else.

COMMENTARY:

By Sri Arjuna Dewata: Read here for more

"....The May 13,1969 incident and the massacre of the innocents in Kuala Lumpur was precipitated by two main personalities (in UMNO).

One was a very ambitious and flamboyant minister who thought that everybody else was far below him in terms of knowledge and stature (internationally and domestically).

Whilst the other senior member was undergoing a major test of his continued credibility following a major scandal with a leading film star.

The Tunku was still gloating around, enjoying the good life and his undisputed popularity with all the Malaysian races.

The two men - in a hurry to grab the reins of power - were joined by others hopefuls like the charismatic Harun Idris. Many were cajoled and driven by promises and their racial sentiments.
The incident amply demonstrated to us that Umno subscribed to a political doctrine that when their own house was in trouble or when their credibility is threatened, they would not hesitate to resort to cruel and draconian tactics to create bigger problems as a distraction and to re-establish their grip on the people and the country.

In the past, this had taken the form of the May the 13 riots and the use of the Internal Security Acts (very frequently used by ‘King Ghaz’ [Ghazalie Shafie] and Dr Mahathir Mohamad).

The recent waving of an unsheathed keris at the last Umno general assembly was a stern reminder of this. To be fair to them, sometimes they also apply the same doctrine on each other as they scramble for power within Umno."

CONTRASTING LEADERSHIP: Raja Nazrin and Our Political Leaders

by

Dr. Bakri Musa

Read here full article by Dr. Bakri Musa

Raja Nazrin


Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein Onn

Quote:

"...The merit of democracy is that we get to choose our leaders, in contrast to a monarchy where the leadership in inherited. With the choice and competition of democracy we should expect better quality leaders.

Yet in the person of Raja Nazrin we have a hereditary leader who is way ABOVE our elected political leaders.

We could NOT attribute the difference to education. (In) comparing UMNO Youth leaders like Hishammuddin and Khairy Jamaluddin to the Raja Muda, consider this. The pair attended top British universities, as did Raja Nazrin. Khairy, for example, went to Oxford and came back to marry the prime minister’s daughter in lavish multiple ceremonies that dragged on for days. There was nothing modest or simple about that wedding. Raja Nazrin too was Oxford educated, but he opted for a modest uncomplicated ceremony, and asked that donations be given to charity in lieu of extravagant tributes and bodek advertisements in the media.

Nor could we explain the difference to their upbringing or breeding. Hishammuddin is the scion of a distinguished political family. His grandfather, Datuk Onn Jaafar, was ahead of his generation in seeking integration among the races and the creation of a pluralistic vibrant Malaysian nation.

The challenge for Malaysians is how to encourage the Raja Nazrins and dissuade the Hishammuddins among our leaders. Picking our leaders based on their political or familial pedigree is NOT reliable, as demonstrated by Hishammuddin.

Sending future leaders to august universities like Oxford is NO guarantee either. As with Khairy, that would only feed their over-inflated ego and sense of competence. "
-Dr. Bakri Musa

It is the mark of great leaders that they are able to read their followers well, and then to inspire them by appealing to their better side. Raja Nazrin Shah, the Raja Muda of Perak, is not yet a sultan, yet he has excelled on both counts.

His recent royal wedding to Zara Salim Davidson was elegant in its simplicity, and dignified by its moderation. Simplicity and moderation did not make the ceremony any less regal; on the contrary, they enhanced it.

We were, for instance, thankfully spared the all too-common debasing of our fine cultural tradition of the mas kahwin and wang hantaran (dowries) into a crass exchange of cold cash.

In a culture where the elite has difficulty differentiating between the public treasury and private coffer, the prince’s declining to accept public funding for his wedding is unprecedented.

The fact that he is receiving widespread praises and adulations reflects the underlying silent disgust Malaysians have for the rampant and obscenely ostentatious displays of wealth that is fast becoming the norm among our elite.

Only our Malaysian politeness prevents the citizens from expressing their loathing for such vulgar displays and the assault on our collective sensibilities. Unfortunately, our leaders mistake that to be tacit approval, if not explicit encouragement. How wrong can they be!

A few months earlier, the Crown Prince gave a speech where he passionately declared, “Malaysians of all races, religions, and geographic locations need to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have a place under the Malaysian sun.” (Read here speech by Raja Nazrin)

He was specifically addressing young Malaysians, but his speech inspired all. It was without doubt the most widely quoted address. That was remarkable. It was as if Malaysians were yearning for their leaders to say something sensible, and at last they found one who did.

In style, tone and words, his speech was a refreshing contrast to the usual screaming, race taunting, and keris-wielding antics of those who have pretensions to be our next leaders. While Raja Nazrin appeals to the finer qualities of our fellow citizens, these other leaders derive their strength by instigating their followers’ sinister side. Raja Muda’s speech touched our hearts; these other leaders’ rhetoric chilled our spines.

Hereditary and Political Leaders

The merit of democracy is that we get to choose our leaders, in contrast to a monarchy where the leadership in inherited. With the choice and competition of democracy we should expect better quality leaders. Yet in the person of Raja Nazrin we have a hereditary leader who is way above our elected political leaders.

We could NOT attribute the difference to education.

At the risk of flattering UMNO Youth leaders like Hishammuddin and Khairy Jamaluddin by comparing them to the Raja Muda, consider this. The pair attended top British universities, as did Raja Nazrin. Khairy, for example, went to Oxford and came back to marry the prime minister’s daughter in lavish multiple ceremonies that dragged on for days. There was nothing modest or simple about that wedding.

Raja Nazrin too was Oxford educated, but he opted for a modest uncomplicated ceremony, and asked that donations be given to charity in lieu of extravagant tributes and bodek advertisements in the media.

Nor could we explain the difference to their upbringing or breeding.

Hishammuddin is the scion of a distinguished political family. His grandfather, Datuk Onn Jaafar, was ahead of his generation in seeking integration among the races and the creation of a pluralistic vibrant Malaysian nation. Onn resigned from UMNO’s Presidency over this very issue.

Hishammuddin’s father, Hussein Onn, was noted for his integrity and intolerance of corruption. Despite intense opposition and at a considerable cost to his popularity, Hussein refused to block the prosecution for corruption of a popular senior UMNO figure. Unfortunately, none of these sterling qualities filtered down to Hishammuddin.

Demonstrating Good and Upright Leadership

In his speech, the Raja Muda emphasised that “good and upright leadership must be demonstrated.” He was echoing the qadharat hassanah - leadership through personal example - of our Prophet Muhammad, s.a.w.

When the Raja Muda declared that he wanted a modest ceremony, he meant it. He politely declined public funds and asked that the money be expended on the poor instead. The royal wedding guests included students and orphans. In so doing, he inspired others to do the same.

All too often our leaders are good only at spouting trite phrases. “Work with me, not for me!” is an oft-repeated quote of Prime Minster Abdullah.

Yet, when the citizens were in dire need; as during the massive Johore flood; he saw no need to cancel his scheduled overseas vacation. He asked Malaysians to be frugal yet would not hesitate in buying a luxurious corporate jet at public expense for his use. Never mind that no other Commonwealth Prime Minister has such a privilege.

He compares himself to the Saudi King and the United States President. The humility and modesty of a modern Imam!

When the Raja Muda said that political, social and economic incentives must reward good behavior and penalize bad, I wished our Prime Minister would listen. Consider Klang Town Council member Zakaria Mat Deros and “Close One Eye” Melaka MP Muhammad Said. Far from being punished, they are being rewarded, and rewarded handsomely. That sends precisely the wrong message, and undercuts the Prime Minister’s very message (and campaign promise) of public integrity.

Encouraging the Raja Nazrins and discouraging the Hishammuddins

The challenge for Malaysians is how to encourage the Raja Nazrins and dissuade the Hishammuddins among our leaders. Picking our leaders based on their political or familial pedigree is not reliable, as demonstrated by Hishammuddin. Sending future leaders to august universities like Oxford is no guarantee either. As with Khairy, that would only feed their over-inflated ego and sense of competence.

Instead, what we should do is heed the advice of Razja Nazrin - that is, reward our leaders when they do good, and penalise them severely when they stray. Our ultimate weapon as citizens in a democratic society is to grant or deny them our approval at election times. Elections, however, come once every four or five years, and the election weapon is a crude one: approve or reject. There is no subtlety.

There is much that we can do in between elections to voice disapproval of our leaders.

The obvious is of course to let these leaders know when they do something we disapprove. With the democratising effect of the Internet, any citizen can now have a potentially powerful megaphone to reach as wide an audience as possible. The worse that we could do is to justify their stupidities or be their apologists. That would only encourage them. If we do nothing but remain silent on the sidelines, our leaders would eagerly interpret that as approval. They would then continue to act with impunity and become, in the word of my kampong folks, tak sedar ekor (lit. not knowing where his tail is; fig. get carried away). Alternatively, when they do something worthy of our approval, we should be generous in our praises.

I read a deeper meaning to the Raja Muda’s refusal to accept public funding for his wedding.

He is a genuine prince, and his marriage is the product of true love. Like us, he knows that the flattering public displays of devotions and tributes in those effusive newspaper advertisements are phoney.

There was nothing generous in the Mentri Besar offering money that is not his to the prince.

Unlike our political leaders, The Raja Muda intuitively knew that the path to the citizens’ hearts is not to have them spend money on him but for him to spend money on the citizens.

As Raja Nazrin Shah and Zara Salim Davidson begin their life together, I join millions of others in wishing them many years of blissful marriage. May they bring happiness to each other, and may Allah shower His Mercy and Blessings upon them. May their example of charity, grace and moderation rub off on all of us - leaders and followers alike.

Why the UMNO-Led Govt is Fearful of Dr.Kua's Book on "May 13"

by

Philip Bowring

Read here full article by Philip Bowring in Asia Sentinel

Read here earlier posting, "The Legacy of the May 13, 1969 Race Riots"

Quote:

"... it is hard to see how a multi-racial, multi-religious Malaysia can flourish if events such as May 13 can only be discussed in private, while the public is fed a distorted official version in order to sustain the legitimacy of UMNO politicians.

(Dr Kua's) book presents the view that 1969 race riots were instigated by ambitious Malay politicians. Now it seems the book will be banned by the government. "
-Philip Bowring

Thirty-eight years on, the traumatic ethnic riots of May 13, 1969 in Malaysia remain as much a subject of official censorship as the events of June 4, 1989 in China.


Now a new book by a Malaysian Chinese academic is on the point of being officially banned for suggesting that May 13 was the occasion for what amounted to a coup against the independence leader and Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman by his United Malays National Organisation colleagues who were pushing pro-Malay policies.

Officials of Malaysia’s Internal Security Ministry Tuesday confiscated 10 copies of the book from a Kuala Lumpur bookstore, advising the store not to sell it as it may be banned. According to a letter issued by ministry officials, the book is suspected of being an “undesirable publication.”

What happened on May 13 remains highly relevant to UMNO’s position as the leader of the Barisan National, the alliance of race-based parties that has ruled the country since independence 50 years ago.

“Declassified Documents on the Malaysian riots of 1969” by Dr. Kua Kia Soong, the principal of New Era College, is based not directly on Malaysian sources but on now-open British documents held at the Public Records Office in Kew Gardens, near London.

These consist of contemporary British diplomatic and intelligence reports which suggest that the riots were not spontaneous acts of communal violence, as is constantly alleged by UMNO, but were fanned by Malay elements, with support from the army and police, wanting to discredit the accommodating prime minister and impose a much more rigorous Malay agenda. One British document concluded that the goal was to “formalize Malay dominance, sideline the Chinese and shelve Tunku.”

The official Malaysian government version of events was that the riots were sparked by opposition parties “infiltrated by communist insurgents” following huge opposition gains in the election.

Although the UMNO-led Alliance, the predecessor of the Barisan National, retained an overall majority, it lost its two thirds majority and its control of Selangor state was threatened. Certainly there was much celebrating among the mainly Chinese opposition parties at the election result, which angered Malay politicians who sensed their political dominance was under threat.

By the time the riots were over, official figures said 196 people had been killed, 6,000 made homeless and more than 700 buildings destroyed or damaged.

Non-Malays in particular have long believed that though there was violence on both sides, it was a mostly one-sided affair with some Malay politicians, notably Selangor Chief Minister Harun Idris, encouraging mobs to attack Chinese areas and that the security forces initially did little to prevent violence. This is largely confirmed by contemporary reports such as those of Far Eastern Economic Review correspondent Bob Reece.

Kua’s thesis suggests that there was a grander political design behind the episode, which from the beginning was intended to create a new political agenda and new leadership. He attributes this to a younger Malay group dissatisfied with the aristocratic, pro-British the Tunku.

In any event, the Tunku effectively stepped aside as emergency powers to rule by decree were (temporarily) placed in the hands of a National Operations Council headed by his deputy Tun Abdul Razak – father of current deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The Tunku remained prime minister until September 1970 but had little authority any more. In 1971 he also stepped down as president of UMNO after virulent criticism by the Malay “Young Turks,” headed by Mahathir Mohamad, the future Prime Minister.

The same year the government enunciated the New Economic Policy and began aggressive affirmative action programs to advance the economic and educational level of Malays.

However, while the consequences of May 13 may be clear, there are disagreements about Kua’s thesis even among those who attribute the riots to Malay politicians. For example, Dr Syed Husin Ali also a respected academic and deputy head of the opposition Keadilan Party, has suggested that while some UMNO figures used the events as an opportunity to sideline the Tunku and set out a pro-Malay agenda, it was not planned as such.

In other words, Razak and others took advantage of the situation which arose after the election and the appearance of Malay mobs to grab the reins of power from the Tunku, with whom they were dissatisfied, but that it was not premeditated. Syed also takes issue with Kua’s view that they represented an aspirant Malay capitalist class when most had traditional and feudal links.

Bookstores have been advised not to sell Kua’s book and a formal ban looks likely on the grounds that it will stir up racial animosities, which it could well do in the short run.

However, from a broader perspective it is hard to see how a multi-racial, multi-religious Malaysia can flourish if events such as May 13 can only be discussed in private, while the public is fed a distorted official version in order to sustain the legitimacy of UMNO politicians.

COMMENTARIES:

Dr Toh Kin Woon, Penang executive councillor member, Read here for more

"..Kua's book on the May 13 racial riots is based on erstwhile classified records and information that have since been declassified. It is NOT therefore a book that is concocted but is based on historical records. It looks like the fear of many is coming true in that the government only wants its official version and views on various issues such as the struggle for independence and May 13 disseminated. ..."

Azly Rahman: Read here for more

"..What is wrong with this country?

I thought we are more mentally advanced than the many a war-torn nation that summarily execute journalists and truth-tellers? I thought this is the year 2007 and that we have declared to produce tens of thousands of those with PhDs ..We must banish unintelligent leaders who are still living with a May 13, 1969 frame of mind. From whom do these prohibitions and banning serve?

What's wrong with those who are thinking of possibly calling for the ban? Can't they read and analyze and write their own rebuttal of the historical account of May 13, 1969?. We were even afraid of our respectable social scientist Dr. Lim Teck Ghee's Asli findings on the New Economic Policy, written with such a refreshing and constructivist perspective.

We have installed a government of active ignorance, interested in the advancement of poor understanding of human development.

We need a new brand of leaders who will move this nation forward and create a new republic of virtue, morality, peace and justice for all races.

Dr Lim Teck Ghee: Read here for more

"...The action by some officials of the Internal Security Ministry in confiscating the book should be condemned by all Malaysians. This act of censorship bears the hallmark of an authoritarian, insecure and hypocritical system which paints the picture of a free and democratic Malaysian society for the outside world whilst actively engaging in suppression of basic rights, including the freedom to information.

This ill-advised measure is revealing of the desperation by certain groups within the government to suppress any other analysis of the May 13 racial riots except that which is in conformity with the distorted official version. ..."

Tunku Abdul Aziz: "MPs Should Respect the Sanctity of Their Own Institution"

by

Tunku Abdul Aziz
(Tunku Abdul Aziz is the former President of Transparency International and former Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on ethics)

Quote:

"... Members of Parliament owe it to themselves, and those who have voted for them, to respect the sanctity of their own institution.

In practical terms, this means they should act and behave in a way that brings credit to themselves and honour to our parliamentary democratic form of government.

It is simply too childish and no self-respecting person should allow those infantile words to tumble out of his mouth, no matter how heated an argument or grave the provocation.

It is all about self-control, self respect and discipline.

A person’s behaviour in and out of public life says a great deal more about his personal values and standards than all the external trappings of office he surrounds himself with.

These, unfortunately, are not isolated incidents. They have happened before.

Honourable members (of Parliament) must stop the habit of scoring cheap debating points however great the temptation might be."
-Tunku Abdul Aziz

IT IS bad enough, judging by the normal standards of civilised behaviour, for Fong Po Kuan, the MP for Batu Gajah to be degraded and humiliated in Parliament recently by the MP for Jasin, Datuk Mohd Said Yusof, and the MP for Kinabatangan, Datuk Bung Mokhtar, by their decidedly "over the top" remarks.

It is a sad commentary on our value systems that some of our politicians who should know better are falling over themselves to justify what I can only with difficulty describe as loutish behaviour.

To add insult to injury, a certain minister has tried, somewhat clumsily I thought, to play down and trivialise the incident by dismissing it as "This is part of parliamentary debates. Both MPs uttered the words during the heat of their debate, and you cannot control people’s emotions."

Citizens have every right to feel utterly let down by his cavalier, and worse, his callous attitude towards the rights of women to protect their dignity.

The statement attributed to the same minister, "To apologise to Fong is not on. I don’t agree... I am sure they did not have an agenda against Fong" is extremely unfortunate, to say the least, in the circumstances.

This latest display of unbecoming conduct has further eroded public confidence and respect for parliamentarians, and, sadly, the institution of parliament itself.

These, unfortunately, are NOT isolated incidents. They have happened before, and honourable members must stop the habit of scoring cheap debating points however great the temptation might be.

It is simply too childish and no self-respecting person should allow those infantile words to tumble out of his mouth, no matter how heated an argument or grave the provocation. It is all about self-control, self respect and discipline.

Members of parliament owe it to themselves, and those who have voted for them, to respect the sanctity of their own institution.

In practical terms, this means they should act and behave in a way that brings credit to themselves and honour to our parliamentary democratic form of government.

A person’s behaviour in and out of public life says a great deal more about his personal values and standards than all the external trappings of office he surrounds himself with.

At the end of the day, we are really talking about gallant and gentlemanly behaviour towards others, particularly the ladies present.

This case should be a lesson to all who make it a habit of ignoring the vital need to think before they speak.

It is less a primer on gender and human rights issues, and more about what is and what is not acceptable behaviour, especially in a setting such as that of the Dewan Rakyat that seems to scream out for a demonstration of decorum and restraint.

There is no substitute for decency of thought and deed. Anything else falls short of minimum civilised standards of human behaviour.

Malaysian men have for far too long been accustomed to getting away with their appallingly chauvinistic attitude towards women.

They are coming in for a severe shock if they think that the world is prepared to wait submissively until we men are ready to change our approach to, and outlook on, life as being defined more and more by the new empowered women, women who are today providing strong and effective leadership in all the important spheres of human activity.

They have put up long enough with the male-dominated and manipulated world, and are bravely challenging man-made rules, long accepted cheerfully as the natural order of things, as an article of faith.

Today they are taking them completely apart. When, after a month in a New York kindergarten, my 5-year-old girl came home one afternoon and said, "Papa, you do not respect my human rights" because I would not let her have another sweet, I knew the world would never be the same again.

In the US, they start learning about human rights and dignity at a very young age.

I was never more conscious about human rights, gender and race issues as I was in the United States. No where else in the world is there greater awareness of "political correctness" as in America. This is all part of your social skills.

When I was setting up the UN Ethics Office in New York, I had assigned to me a number of highly qualified female colleagues with whom I got on extremely well.

One day, after our departmental meeting, and while they were gathering up their papers to leave, I happened to glance at the New York Times on my desk, and saw a picture of Nancy Pelosi, the new Democratic Party leader of the US Congress.

I was struck by her poise and beauty and remarked that she was "beautifully preserved for her age".

There was complete silence, dropped jaws everywhere, and I asked what I had done wrong.

I was told, almost in a chorus that my remark was sexist; I should have complimented Pelosi on her intellectual attributes and not on her physical ones!

Imagine how a remark such as that directed at our MP for Batu Gajah would have been taken in America. I dread to even contemplate.

I very much hope that the Speaker of the House will in future pay careful attention to the language used and cut a member short before he, or she for that matter, gets too carried away.

People, me included, love to hear their own voices and think that their most excruciatingly inane remarks are somehow clever and humorous.

Had the speaker intervened and made an appropriate ruling in a timely manner, perhaps the "leak" would not have turned into a flash flood.

At the end of the day, MPs must rely on their conscience and self-discipline to see them through a difficult day in the House.

Let us all learn from this unholy row and observe the basic rules of harmonious human relations which call essentially for good manners and consideration of other people’s feelings.

Racist Remarks About Malaysian Indians by Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in US

UPDATE: 9th May 2007

Jamaluddin Jarjis Apologised to Dr. Sheena Moorthy over His Remarks

Rocky's Bru reported: "....Jamaluddin Jarjis yesterday offered an apology to student Sheena Moorthy over remarks he made during a lunch with about 40 students, including Sheena, in Los Angeles last week. The minister told a gathering of a few hundreds students here that he had said some things in jest; nonetheless, he wished to apologise to "the student in LA" if he had offended her, an aide told me on the phone.

JJ did right to apologise, in my opinion. It is a quality missing in many politicians. Even journalists. Till today, for example, people are still waiting for Kalimullah Hassan to apologise for the June 11 column he wrote in The Sunday Times [read here].

Khairy Jamaluddin also hasn't apologised for his racial slurs he made against the Chinese last year [incidentally, Rustam Sani mentioned KJ's refusal to apologise in his posting today; read here]...."

CASE CLOSED

--- end update---

Quote:

" As an American with extensive and long ties to Malaysia, I am shocked and astounded at such behavior coming from a Cabinet Minister.

Shocked that this boorish oaf would be so stupid as to actually say something like that - and in a foreign country to boot.

And please, keep the primitive, fascist theories of race at home and do not send any more idiot ministers to our country."
- Scott South

"....Did he have some axe to grind with Malaysian Indians in particular, and chose to apply some crude, boorish remarks to a hapless lady student there as a way of relieving the pent-up stress in his mind? .."
-Anon

ANOTHER INTELLECTUAL FOOL aka CABINET MINISTER


Dr. Jamaludin Jarjis
Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation

Excerpts of the Letter from Dr Sheela Moorthy: Read here for more in Malaysiakini

" I am a Malaysian currently living in the USA. I am supporting the education of my sister who is enrolled at CalPoly, California.

I am writing this letter is to express my disgust and anger regarding comments passed by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Jamaludin Jarjis during a working visit to California recently.

Jamaludin Jarjis was present at a gathering organised by the Malaysian Consulate for the students to meet him.

He made several derogatory remarks about Indians in general, about how they were brought in as 'buruh kasar'.

At one point he asked my sister about how many Indians were in her batch of students.

My sister answered him saying there were two of them.

The other Indian student was fair-skinned and was actually sitting at the same table as the minister. He went on saying that he must be a 'high class’ Indian.

(He) then pointed at my sister and said that she must be a ‘low class’ Indian as she was darker skinned.

I am appalled that we have people like this sitting at the helm and trying to run a multi-racial country.

I urge all Malaysian to stand together and voice out against weeds like this who give our country a bad image. "

I demand an apology from him and I want him to take responsibility for his words and I believe that malaysiakini is one of the venues to voice my dissatisfaction. "
-Dr. Sheela Moorthy

COMMENTARY:

• Scott South in Dubai: Read Here
  
  "...a Malaysian cabinet member visiting California pointed at a Indian Malaysian student there and said ‘she must be a low-class Indian as she was dark-skinned’.
  
  He apparently made other comments about a lighter-skinned human being being ‘higher class’. This is incredible.
  
  As an American with extensive and long ties to Malaysia (I have a Chinese Malaysian wife, for one thing), I am shocked and astounded at such behavior coming from a cabinet minister.
  
  Shocked that this boorish oaf would be so stupid as to actually say something like that - and in a foreign country to boot.
  
  Was he possibly play-acting his twisted assumptions about racism in America? I don't care; he should have kept his mouth shut.
  
  From now on, I hope I don't see any more comments by Malaysians about supposed racism in America.
  
  And please, keep the primitive, fascist theories of race at home and do not send any more idiot ministers to our country . .."
  
  
• Prof. P. Ramasamy: Read here
  
  "...Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should look into the disparaging and racist statements made by the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Jamaludin Jarjis, when he was in California recently.
  
  If Jamaludin had made these remarks, then Abdullah should sack him from the cabinet. Will Abdullah have the guts to do this? ..."
  
  
• M. Luther : Read here
  
  ".. If indeed Jamaludin Jarjis had uttered those words, he should immediately apologise.
  
  That Jamaludin Jarjis had to touch on these issues away from home - and in a country where the citizens scorn on racism and fanaticism - shows that he has not grown up.
  
  His bigotry will only fuel racial hatred and this is dangerous.
  
  As a leader, he should realise that he is playing with fire.
  
  Jamaludin should thank his lucky stars that he was not in India, Indonesia or Pakistan, or else he could have started a riot.
  
  More often than not, such ministers would immediately be out of job. But, in our country, don't dream about him leaving the cabinet. His fellow brethren will rally behind him and back him all the way. That's the reality of Malaysian politics.
  
  MIC and other Indian organisations should take him to task. I personally will question this racist minister when he lands in Sabah...."



• Anon: Read here
  
  ".. Jamaludin Jarjis is a highly-educated person, who started off as a lecturer in UTM.
  
  He has a First Class Honours degree from Manchester, UK, in electrical engineering, then a Masters and finally a PhD from McGill University in Canada.
  
  Yet he has this racist impulse in him - education has failed to make an imprint on his outlook and his manners, it seems.
  
  Since his constituency is Rompin, Pahang, perhaps that is where he could feel some (political) pain.
  
  I would urge Dr Sheela Moorthy to write to the Umno, MCA and MIC branches in Pahang and their head offices. Alert the Member of Parliament for Ipoh Barat, M. Kula Segaran (DAP) who has taken issue with racist remarks by Umno MPs in Parliament in the past. .."
  
  
• Bernard Khoo (Zorro Unmasked): Read here
  
  "....Jamaludin Jarjis said whilst in the US that the Indians were brought into Malaya as "buruh kasar". He applied the icing by saying that fair-skinned Indians are of higher class than the lower class dark-skinned Indians.
  
  SOMEBODY, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE BADAWI BOYS?
  
  MR. SAMY VELU, CHAMPION OF MY INDIAN BROTHERS, OVER TO YOU....WE ARE WATCHING.
  
  IF YOU DO NOT DO SOMETHING OF CONSEQUENCE, YOU ARE WHAT EVERYBODY KNOWS YOU TO BE: JUST A BIG MOUTH, ALL SOUND AND FURY, SIGNIFYING NOTHING.
  
  SURELY, YOU CANNOT SAY THIS IS AN ACT OF GOD!...."