Monday 17 November 2008

Politics of Fear & Racism - Umno Revivalism

*************************************
"What good fortune for those in power that people do not think."
"Besides this we always find two great catchwords, 'Freedom' and 'Democracy,
' .... The masses themselves naturally believe that under the term 'freedom' they possess the right to a quite peculiar freedom of motion - freedom to move the tongue and to say what they choose, freedom to move about the streets, etc.
A bitter deception!"

- Adolf Hitler
=================================

"What we need is a Leadership that is not only right where we are right, but right where we are wrong" - so said G.K. Chesterton. In Malaysia though, our politicians insist on ideas that reinforce the wrongs, even when the people are right!
Our politicians insist on classifying its citizens just like how the Apartheid legislation classified inhabitants and visitors into racial groups (black, white, coloured, and Indian or Asian). It is justified in Malaysia as some sort of "payback" for the apparent injustices (in the hands of "pendatangs") that they have had to suffer in colonial days.

Then came the silly arguments about a social contract that's a figment of their delusions - until recently it was a term that was used to threaten the people with the BN mantra, "Don't Question this or that"(this was also used by all the "second-class allies" within as well!). This, they did so well, that many Malaysians once believed that it was indeed a document in existence.
Those who once shouted out boldly claiming that the "social contract" was "ketuanan Melayu", or that the social contract is in the Federal Constitution, are today either silent, or engaged in plenty of wordplay to justify their ignorance.

After a short period of somewhat muted rhetoric over the increasingly discredited "Ketuanan Melayu" and NEP, of late, there has been an increase in the racist rhetoric by their proponents. With the upcoming Umno elections, at the forefront of it all this fascist spirit, is of course none other than our "beloved" fear monger & self-confessed racist - another has-been - who needs to build a platform for his political-OKU son, Mukhriz to challenge the Oxford newbie.
There are of course, other has-beens and leader wannabes like MMT, Khir Toyo, Rais Yatim and Ali Rustam who use the same line of argument, wherein they'd resort to their only "modal" of fear-mongering among Malays, to shore up their depleted credibility.

These days, their ideas seem to be more of a confession of their inadequacies.
Just listening to the racist rhetoric every wannabe Umno Malay leader or reading Utusan Malaysia & the twisted reasonings of Umno apologists would be evidence enough towards this. Latest was Rais Yatim's racist outbursts about alleged insults - "penghinaan" - that Malays have to put up with.
Ali Rustam's assertion that after 50yrs, BN is now ready to implement the NEP in full, and hence NEP shouldn't be abandoned - which means that it was never implemented properly at all!

Despite all the warnings of "don't question this and that", being well aware of their ideological & intellectual bankruptcy (i.e. beyond the idea of greed & envy), Umno now has resorted to getting intellectual mercenaries (like Prof Shamsul and Chandra Muzaffar) bent on currying favour, to do some spin-doctoring.
Lately, they had some "forum" organised by Perdana "Leadership" Foundation, (under the patronage of u-know-who) at which they dismissed totally a "Malaysian Malaysia" for a "Bangsa Malaysia"( which is apparently inaccurate, and better defined as Mahathir's "United Malaysian Nation")!
However, their reasonings towards a "progressive nation" just keeps going back to ideas of "Malay supremacy" and the out-dated and much abused NEP - even if it is repackaged as "Kesinambungan Kedaulatan Melayu". Anything that does not go along the lines of Mahathirist ideas is outright dismissed or criticised as "inaccurate". Whatever said and done, they will not accept that the "Ketuanan" ideas are just a delusional fantasy and has to be discarded - they would insist on a new spin to its definition - even if it means nothing in practice.

Let's take a look at how Mahathir reasons - As usual, he resorts to blackening his rival to make himself (read Umno) look good.
In his latest post on his blog, "RACISM AND 2008 ELECTIONS", he defends "Racism" and its relevance to Malaysian politics. "If it is because the Malaysian electorate had rejected racial politics, why did they vote for such parties as PAS, a very Malay Muslim party, and DAP, a Chinese dominated party. Even the Keadilan is made up of violently racist Hindraf Indians, ........", said he. He then goes on to attempt to paint Keadilan as a non-Malay party by saying that, "Keadilan talked about reforms etc., but the stress was on Hindu Rights and anti-Malay racism."!! I won't even attempt to say anything on this delusion of this worn out grey matter - it is a perception that is at best, laughable!

It beats me, how he came to the conclusion that Keadilan is made up of Hindraf, or how Hindraf can be deemed "violently racist". Obviously he needs to hide that fact that it was some other party that started the May 13th riots or have threatened the Malaysians with another riot, should they lose their domineering role. Or even the fact that they have threatened to bathe the kris in the blood of Malaysian tax-paying citizens. Maybe he's just confused - I just cannot say.
It must the guilt which haunts him, that he projects upon his political victims - the people he wishes to lead.
It doesn't matter to him or his idol-worshipping minions that his assessment of Keadilan is totally out of line, as they hardly consist of any Hindraf "members".

He goes on to say, "What we are witnessing today is an explosion of racial politics that is more bitter and blatant than ever before. Even the least observant cannot fail to notice how Malaysian politics now is more about racial inequities than about liberalism, human rights, openness etc."
Well then, my dear Mahathir - in your book, I'd be happy to be less than the least observant, for I do not see things that way.
The expression of discontent about inequities and Mahathirist corruption, is in the form of demand for liberalism, human rights, openness etc that you mention - and I feel sorry for those in denial, who cannot see such a truth staring at their face!
Maybe it's just the fossilized arrogance, pride & prejudice that clouds his failing vision.
He is today, blind to the fact that this "explosion" isn't so much that of "racial politics" or racism, but the anger/discontent towards the racist and fascist policies of Umno/BN.

He may be correct though, that the people did not reject sectarian politics outright, as Umno would reject any suggestion of its imbecility - but it remains a fact that the people were sick and tired of the fascist policies of Mahathirism in BN.
That they voted for other parties which he perceives to be sectarian as well, is simply because there were no better alternatives.
That the people still think along sectarian lines, is simply because BN/Umno ideologues (read BTN), with their control over the MSM & education, wouldn't allow Malaysians to evolve into a nation with one people with a common ideal.

Rustam Sani - Malaysia is just a state without a nation.

******************************************
Naib Presiden UMNO, Datuk Seri Mohd. Ali Rustam berkata,
"sekarang merupakan masa yang sesuai bagi melaksanakan
semua dasar dalam DEB .......
"


"cukuplaaaa woit .... jangan buat kerja tipu melayu lagi....."
- Sham Rais,
BUBAR MAJLIS PEGUAM....., KATA ABU ZAHAR - melayau
**********************************