theSun | TUESDAY DECEMBER 9 2008
speak up!
Generating too
much heat
Scene: Restoran Lotus, PJ
Chong: I am not sure I like what’s
going on. This open debate about
whether we should continue with
the NEP, why the Malays should
have special rights, why there
should be only one national school
system, etc, etc. I don’t like it. It
is generating too much heat, too
much racial anger.
Mohan: And then there is this
“Ketuanan” thing.
Azman: It’s just a boast.
Mohan: It is not a debate. It is
one sided mostly. It has come up
because some Malays are trying to
be more Malay than the Malays.
And so they have to say things that
will appeal to the sentiments of
the Malays. It is all because these
few Malays want to win support
in order to get into the Umno
supreme council ... the Umno
elections.
Chong: I agree with you Mohan.
That’s why someone said things
like “let’s do away with vernacular
schools and have only one national
school”.
Naturally, some Malays say
“OK”. But some non-Malays say
“no”. Some Umno candidates
say Malay
rights are
entrenched
in the
Constitution.
The non-
Malays say WhatTheySay
it is unfair by Zainon Ahmad
and against
the spirit of
the social contract agreed to by the
nation’s founding fathers.
Mohan: For how long more are
we going to have this.
Azman: Until March.
Chong: Yes, one year after the
March 8 tsunami. Having lost so
much support, it seems to have
done very little to win them back.
One year of doing nothing. Luckily
the government is functioning.
Mohan: Is it? With all this
transition business, is it indeed?
Azman: That’s why I disagree with
the postponement from December
to March. And because of that,
Chong and Mohan, you are going
to hear more unpalatable things.
Already, the most mild-mannered
and seemingly reasonable Malay
ministers are turning into ultras.
Just to win support. Thus, I say
why prolong this chaotic frenzy.
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What do you think, Cikgu? of this country that some handicap
Zain: I agree with you. In fact, must be given to the Malays if they
these people who are talking about
Malay rights or bumiputra rights,
are going to have an equal say in
this country.”
Stop raping
do they know what they are talking Mohan: He said that. Special our hills
about? If they care to refer to the position is just a handicap. Which
(Federal) Constitution, they will means it is only temporary and not and forests
find no Malay rights or bumiputra permanent.
rights mentioned in there at all. Chong: But, then again, how YET another hillside tragedy
Only “special position” of the temporary is temporary. with lives lost because some
Malays and the bumiputra are Azman: Cikgu, tell them what you people are not interested in
mentioned. told me about what the founding safety and hills are disturbed
Azman: They are accorded special president of Umno, Datuk Onn for development.
position because they were the Jaafar, said about how a national of Who is going to answer
Rulers here first before the others the Federation of Malaya should be for this? The JKR, town plan-
came? They ruled here. When referred to. ner, forestry department or
the foreigners came, they signed Zain: Ah, yes. On Feb 24, 1960, the state exco?
treaties with them. Isn’t that right, Onn, then an MP representing There is no end to the
Cikgu? Kuala Trengganu Selatan, tabled “massacre” of our trees and
Zain: Right. That’s one way of a motion for the people of the forests.
looking at it. Federation to be referred to as Many of our green belts
Chong: Cikgu, does the special Melayu. He said that would are all but gone and this
position accorded to you and simplify matters and make has brought about drastic
Azman make both of you superior everyone equal. He said he had climatic changes causing a
to us, Mohan and I? Is that the earlier asked prime minister lot of damage to the environ-
“Ketuanan” they are talking about? Tunku Abdul Rahman how he ment.
Zain: What hogwash is that! would refer to a person from We have sudden thun-
“Ketuanan” it seems. Let’s look at the Federation. The Tunku said derstorms and flash floods,
what the late Tun Dr Ismail Abdul he would call a person from the and chaos in the city with
Rahman, our much respected Federation of Malaya a citizen massive traffic jams.
former deputy prime minister, said of the Federation of Malaya. The Many citizens are living
about “special postion” during a Chinese wouldn’t mind being in fear below hillside de-
debate in the Dewan Rakyat on referred to as Malayans. But velopments because some
April 21, 1960. Speaking in English, Malayan is a hateful word for the developers do not follow
he said: “I think it cannot be Malays as it harkened back to the safety guidelines and take
denied that the special position of days when the British colonial short cuts.
the Malays is not in contravention government forced the Malayan It is time that the Hous-
of the equality of the rights of Union on the Malays. He said the ing Ministry ban all hillside
the citizens of this country. Sir, I national dress was “baju Melayu”. development or the next few
think it is well known that I have The national language was Melayu. years will bring even more
lately taken up the hobby of golf, The federation was a federation of environmental disasters.
and I think it is well known in “negeri-negeri Melayu”. And the We also need to get
golf, if you want to compete on name of the country is Persekutuan good consultants to save
equal footing, you must have a Tanah Melayu. Therefore, he said, our hills.
proper handicap. It is only right, rightly a national of the country
and I think it is endorsed by all should be called a Melayu. The William S. Thomas
non-Malays who become citizens motion was rejected. Shah Alam