MALAYSIAKINI.COM
3:55pm Mon Nov 25th, 2002

LETTERS
Cleaner gov't, not more racial stereotyping
Dr Stefen Tan

The commentary ‘Mahathir's legacy and future of Malaysia at stake’ (Straits Times, Nov 22) is an insightful analysis of the malaise in Malaysian politics. When politicians such as Umno MP Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar question the loyalty of non-Malays (‘Unfair to leave defence of nation only to Malays’, Straits Times, Oct 23) we see a crude use of the racial card to win votes. Eric Mudasi gave an effective rebuttal in malaysiakini (Non-Malay heroes who fell for country). The attacks on the Dong Jiao Zong by the new Deputy Information Minister Zainuddin (DAP, Dong Jiao Zong in deputy minister Zam’s crosshair) and the RTM news segment Bahaya Cauvinisme (Dangers of chauvinism) also bring back a sense of deja vu. Why ascribe opposition to the language switch to chauvinism? Have we forgotten that there is opposition from members of all races?

Personally I support a gradual re-introduction of English as one of the mediums of instruction provided the fears of a “hidden agenda” alleged by the opposition are allayed. But I disagree with the methods use to quell dissent.

Now I commend Zam for “dedicating his life to fighting extremism and chauvinism" but he’d better have the right target. As he rightly points out, religious extremism is our enemy. A form of it is Wahhabism, an alien fanatical Saudi ideology espoused by Jemaah Islamiah and practised by Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.

In providing an environment which religious extremists can exploit, Umno has itself to blame for its years of overly zealous ‘Islamisation’. Trying to be more Islamic than an Islamist party is like trying to be more Catholic than the Pope. It doesn’t work. Secularism in government doesn’t make it anti-religious. Religion should be a private matter between oneself and God. An extremist religious government will remove discursive space. Just ask the Afghans or some of the Arabs.

As both Musa Hitam and Dr Patricia Martinez indicated in the above commentary, many rural and urban middle-class Malay Malaysians have run off to join PAS because of disillusionment with Umno. This does not necessarily mean they support an extremist ideology. It means Umno has to clean up its act. The way forward is a cleaner and more just government. Pandering to racial sentiments is not going to work anymore. The birth rates of the ‘other’ races are declining each year.

It may soon be opportune for Umno to consider merging with the other Barisan Nasional component parties to bring about true multiracialism and banish the scourge of racism. Perhaps even include Keadilan and the DAP someday. Then we can focus on and withstand the new scourge of religious extremism better.

I know I’m asking for a miracle but that may be what it takes.


SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/200211250033560.php