Kebijaksanaan Kaum Cina Berpolitik - A Reply

[UPDATED: 19 April 2009]

Utusan Malaysia/Mingguan (UM) published a "rencana" by BISIK-BISIK AWANG SELAMAT titled Kebijaksanaan Kaum Cina Berpolitik (Chinese's Ingenuity/Wisdom/Brilliancy in Politicking?). I would say I was slightly pissed off. ;) So, I decided I will lift my “apolitical barrier” just this once. :D I hope Awang is reading this. ;)

It was the title that draw my eyes, Kebijaksanaan Kaum Cina Berpolitik. Initially I thought he meant to praise certain Chinese, perhaps even from both sides, in their ingenuity in their political campaign. After I read the whole article, I knew my initial thought was wrong. But then, it’s my fault to think too highly of Awang. I don’t know if Awang is his real name. Heck, I don’t even know if Awang is male or female!

First he wrote that BN losses in the two Bukits are expected. Okay, he didn’t write that. He said it wasn’t surprising at all. Then he supplied why BN lost:
(1) Strong anti-BN sentiments;
(2) (Wrong?) Candidates (from BN? Or Better from opposition?);
(3) Local issues and Hate sentiments played by the oppositions including slander and personal attacks;
(4) BN Chinese (he didn’t say this but he mentioned MCA and Gerakan, both Chinese majority BN component parties) didn’t work as aggressive and as long-hour as opposition (Chinese?).

“Bukanlah kita mahu menuding jari kepada mana-mana pihak tetapi itulah realitinya dan ia menuntut post mortem yang berani.” he wrote. (We don't want to point finger on anyone but that's the reality and it demands a bold post mortem).

I hope he means ALL four list above as the causes of why BN lost, not just the last one, as the title states. BTW, why the need for another post mortem if the main causes are the top 3 above? Would BN win if the BN Chinese work 24-7 and more aggressive? Personally, I doubt it.

“Umno memang perlu berubah tetapi parti komponen yang lain juga perlu berubah. MIC sudah tentu memerlukan perubahan lebih besar terutama kepimpinannya.” He continued. (UMNO needs to change but the component parties also need to change. MIC must need bigger change especially the leadership (level).)

Wow! He must have certain disagreement to the leadership of MIC, even though MIC leadership is their internal matter. I wonder what gives him right to question other people’s household bickering. Granted, he only thinks for the good of the bigger house (BN), one “rotten” house can bring down the whole lot. But then I think MIC members were as happy as they can be, with their own party election finished, they should be no problem right? But then I don’t think Awang will be satisfied by that.

Next, he wrote, “Dengan prestasi hambar itu maka MCA, Gerakan dan MIC tidak berhak untuk membuat pelbagai tuntutan apatah lagi bagi jawatan Timbalan Perdana Menteri kedua.” (With the disastrous performance, MCA, Gerakan (BN Chinese?) and MIC (BN Indians?) have no right to make any demand especially the DPM post).

So, who will represent the Malaysian Chinese and Indians if not the BN Chinese and BN Indians (even though they may not get the vote of majority) then? Well, he didn’t say that (again!), I have just taken him out of context. But then, it may seem like that right? Who then can make the “demand” or request on behalf of the (mostly opposition?) Chinese and Indians? Surely not from the opposition Chinese or Indians. I don’t think Awang will agree to that either.

Perhaps Awang will supply his suggestion in his next “rencana”. I just hope he won’t say something like:
(1) Chinese/Indian cannot demand anything;
(2) “The Government” will be able to “understand” your need and will be provided as we see fit.
(3) Why? I and certain race are enough to rule all of you! Don’t need all the other “non-my-race” (With evil grin and wicked eyes.)
No, I hope none of the above. ;)

Then, he suggested that UMNO not to heed or give in all demands by other component parties because it won’t help BN to rise again. He further assured that UMNO is still strong despite all the pressures and restrictions (from other component parties?). To give in to the demands is a blunder, he wrote.

Of course, giving in to any unnecessary demand is not only unwise and stupid, but also may be a cause of “Pembaziran Duit Rakyat,” (wastage of people’s money), not to mention being seen as weak! I would say if BN wants to rise again, it will need a TOTAL rebranding, any subtotal effort will just gets them back to square one. I wonder what Awang think about this?

He also mentioned that Malay votes for BN had increased while non-Malay vote shrink. He further claimed that usually non-Malay voters made many demands during the campaign season but their votes were still going to the opposition. He then listed all the “evidences” for his claim including:
(1) RM 1,000,000 for CHINESE schools;
(2) RM 400,000 for TAMIL schools;
(3) Reserve lands claim (Chinese/Indians only? Or including others?);
(4) and tens of other things.

Awang forgot to mention that usually certain candidates previously also made many promises but never deliver them. Oh, I didn’t mean it’s just from certain political party, I mean just about everyone that did this. Of course, perhaps Awang would like to list ALL the promises the opposition fails to deliver first. But Awang, please list ALL the failed promises, okay? Not just from ONE side only. ;)

Ah, we are straying from the story of course. I was telling about the mau pai (Chinese term means counterfeit/bogus/fake) “Aku Janji” (I Promise) by certain voters. So, Awang, an opposition voter cannot demand anything if they don’t vote for BN? Do you mean BN should punish them if they still vote for opposition by not granting their “demands”?

You said, “Apa makna ini semua? Bukankah ia menampakkan BN terus dipermainkan oleh pengundi bukan Melayu. Pada Awang, keputusan kedua-dua pilihan raya kecil itu dan beberapa yang lain sebelum ini adalah isyarat jelas kepada BN supaya jangan lagi terperangkap dengan muslihat sedemikian.”

(What’s the meaning of all this? Doesn’t it show BN was being toyed by the non-Malay voters? To Awang, the results of the two by-elections and few others before this are the signs so that BN must not fall prey with such trickery anymore.)

Wow! You based your claim on the election statistic (increased non-Malays vote for opposition and the reverse to BN) and then went on to say the non-Malays were toying with BN after flip-flopping on their votes thus earned them the “trickster” status? I would say that was an EXCELLENT mathematical deduction! It confounded me how you could see straight to the core of the problem:

“BN lost because of these “trickster” voters (pengundi bermuslihat.”

“Usahlah mengharapkan sangat perubahan sokongan bukan Melayu. Inilah kesan pendekatan politik pemimpin PKR, Anwar Ibrahim yang berjaya menggugat kuasa politik Melayu. Anwar membuka laluan dan Pas membantu.”

(No need to hope for change of support from the non-Malays. This is the effect of the political approach used by PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim that succeeded in threatening Malay political power/authority. Anwar opened the path and PAS helped.)

” Sebab itu, pengundi Cina dan India sanggup memakai logo dan mengibarkan bendera Pas yang diterjemahkan menerusi peti undi. Ia bagi menjayakan agenda DAP dan PKR yang lebih dominan dalam pakatan pembangkang terutama dalam senario politik Perak.”

(That’s why Chinese and Indian voters dared to wear and waves PAS logo and flags, and then translated through the ballot box. It is to realize DAP and PKR agendas (both) who are the dominant ones in the opposition especially in the political scenario of Perak.)

What Anwar did (gaining support from non-Malay) is for the sake of his politic. What is wrong with that? Politic is what you do to achieve certain goals set by the politicians. But then I understand your fear of “diminishing” political power of the Malay. I thought “Malay Supremacy” (if there is such) was protected by the Constitution.

No even Anwar will forsake his Malay status (I think) even though he is more a Malaysian than a Malay (no offense to any Malay). But then WE ARE all more Malaysian then our races indicate. I am a proud Sino-Dusun (that is Bangsa “Dan lain-lain” (Other races) in the official government forms) but I am more proud to be a Malaysian than my race. That doesn’t mean I am less proud of me being a Sino-Dusun, or a Sabahan. I am a Malaysian, a Sabahan, a Sino-Dusun, and a human.

I will not comment further on the rest of your “rencana”. I think, (1) had you not chosen that title I would just let it go. But then you deliberately tried to provoke, I believe certain people, not me of course, and I decide to reply. Yes, I am a nobody. So what? (2) Had you been more diplomatic in your article, I’ll forgive you, but then you were indiscriminately throwing the word Kaum Cina here and there throughout your “rencana”. Now, I was wondering if you have previously experienced of falling out with another Chinese that you deliberately wrote this piece of faecal matter!

Have a nice day! ;)

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bashir ahmad commented: (The link on his name goes to MalaysiaAktif.com. Sigh, I thought I could comment on his blog in return.)

Ky Chua, you said it:

``What Anwar did (gaining support from non-Malay) is for the sake of his politic. What is wrong with that? Politic is what you do to achieve certain goals set by the politicians. But then I understand your fear of “diminishing” political power of the Malay. I thought “Malay Supremacy” (if there is such) was protected by the Constitution.''

You're no different from Awang. I'm not sure how many Malaysians think they are Malaysians first and Chinese, Indian, Kadazan, Malay etc. second. I believe it's easy to say I'm a Malaysian first. Anybody can claim so, but their hearts are just like you and Awang.

It's for the same reason that the Singaporean Chinese will never allow a Malay to be their Prime Minister. And their present Prime Minister (a Chinese) is honest about it. So what's wrong if Awang is being honest also.

KY answered:

Dear bashir ahmad, Thank you for your view. Though it may not be to my liking. ;)

Perhaps I'm no different from Awang in our conviction. However, when I wrote that (being a Malaysian first), I truly did (and still) believe what I had said.

Nothing is wrong with Awang being honest. In fact, I am (partly) grateful of that. The only thing I objected to his article is he should be specific which Chinese he means. And the title is a little bit too "racist" to my taste. Did he mean it in good faith, or with malicious intent? It was a little too vague.

Malaysia is different with Singapore. Here, if Anwar won, he would be the PM. Or even if a Chinese become a PM, I think it should be a Muslim Chinese (no offense to non-Muslim non-Malay). Then, there's King's decision to be considered.

Finally, should a non-Muslim non-Malay is to be PM, the criterion should be can s/he protect the interest of Islam & Muslim? If s/he can, with the blessing of the King and Rakyat, s/he can be PM.

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DeePo commented: (Comment partially shown.)

haha....who reads utusan msia anyway?

KY replied:

DeePo, I hope it's really you, ;) since anyone can use the name DeePo. No comment on that. I believe most columnists/journalists (in this case, "rencana"-ists) are responsible people. Some, I think went the other way. And then, there are responsible Editors/Chief Editors, and others, I bersangka baik (think kindly of them), simply overlook certain articles. ;)

So, read Utusan anyway. They have plenty of good stuffs, especially the Education, World, Science & Technology sections. I improve my BM by reading Berita Harian & Utusan Malaysia.

Then I practice my BM with the BM-speaker, mostly Malays, few other races, but there was one I fondly remember, an Indian BM teacher, Cikgu Mahaletchumi, she spoke BETTER Malay than most people. She was one of the students of, er, should I say, "Supreme" Master/Scholar of Malay language, forgot her name. ;)

BTW, when did this post become BM discussion? :D

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DeePo said:

KY...it's me...hahaha....both papers are good...in term of other things (except this supremacy-thingy)..but when read about the statement on racial issues, it really disgust me a lot....i just dun understand why always blame this ''kaum2 lain''....reading it always boil my temper...hahaha....lastly, i rarely read it...unless for entertainment corner..haha...

KY replied:

TQ for confirming your identity. ;) Same here (that sentiment of yours)! :D I remember my former teacher (may he rest in peace) once said:

"Kaum di Malaysia terbahagi kepada EMPAT kaum iaitu:

1. Kaum Melayu
2. Kaum Cina
3. Kaum India
4. Kaum BANGSA LAIN-LAIN."

(Races in Malaysia comprised of FOUR races: Malay, Chinese, Indian, and OTHER RACES.)

I miss his sarcastic comments... [Added: 19 April 2009] I forgot to add my former teacher was a peninsular Malay but had a very open-minded and compassionate nature.