Risks of religious fervour

(from Malaysian Mirror)

This speech by Lee Hsien Loong is widely circulated on the Internet. As always, there will be those who miss out on it. This is published here specially for them. It may be late but it’s still a good read anytime. "To live peacefully together, we need good sense and tolerance on all sides, and a willingness to give and take. Otherwise, whatever the rules there will be no end of possible causes of friction." PM Lee, on how fragile religious and racial harmony is in Singapore and how crucial it is to be tolerant SO what are these risks? Let me just highlight three of them. Aggressive preaching - proselytisation. You push your own religion on others, you cause nuisance and offence. You have read in the papers recently about a couple who surreptitiously distributed Christian tracts which were offensive of other faiths, not just of non-Christians but even of Catholics. They were charged and sentenced to jail. But there are less extreme cases too which can cause problems. We hear, from time to time, complaints about groups trying to convert very ill patients in our hospitals, who don't want to be converted, and who don't want to have the private difficult moments in their lives intruded upon. Intolerance is another problem - not respecting the beliefs of others or not accommodating others who belong to different religions. You think of this one group versus another group, but sometimes it happens within the same family. Sometimes we have parents from traditional religions whose children have converted. The parents have asked to be buried according to traditional rites and their children stay away from the funeral or the wake. It's very sad. From a traditional point of view, it's the ultimate unfilial act but it does happen occasionally. Exclusiveness is a third problem - segregating into separate exclusive circles, not integrating with other faiths. That means you mix with your own people. You'll end up as separate communities. We foresaw these dangers 20 years ago. We passed the Bill, Maintenance of Religious Harmony, in 1989/1990. Before we did that, then PM Lee Kuan Yew and the key ministers met all the religious leaders. We had a closed-door session at MCYS. We spoke candidly. We explained our concerns, why we wanted to move this Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. The religious leaders spoke up candidly, they gave us their support. We moved with their support. We continue to keep in close touch with them, to meet regularly. I do that personally, exchange views, keep the line warm and the confidence on both sides so that I know you, you know me. If there is a problem, we are not dealing with strangers but with somebody we know and trust. Once or twice, I've had to meet them over specific difficult cases. No publicity, relying on mutual trust and the wisdom of our religious leaders to defuse tensions. I'm very grateful for their wisdom and for their support. Because of this active work behind the scenes, we've not needed to invoke the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act for 20 years. But it's something which is important to us which we must keep for a long time. Four basic rules We can never take our racial and religious harmony for granted. We must observe some basic principles to keep it the way it is. First, all groups have to exercise tolerance and restraint. Christians cannot expect this to be a Christian society, Muslims cannot expect this to be a Muslim society. Ditto the Buddhists, the Hindus and the other groups. Many faiths share this island. Each has different teachings, different practices. Rules which only apply to one group cannot become laws which are enforced on everyone. So Muslims don't drink alcohol but alcohol is not banned. Ditto gambling, which many religions disapprove of, but gambling is not banned. All have to adopt 'live and let live' as our principle. Secondly, we have to keep religion separate from politics. Religion in Singapore cannot be the same as religion in America, or religion in an Islamic country. Take Iran, an Islamic country. Nearly everybody is Shia Muslim. Recently, they had a presidential election which was fiercely contested between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi, and the outcome was disputed. Both sides invoked Islam. So Mousavi's supporters had a battle cry - Allahu Akbar (God is Great). In Singapore, if one group invokes religion this way, other groups are bound to say: 'I also need powerful support. We'll also push back invoking our faith.' One side insists: 'I'm doing God's work.' The other side says: 'I'm doing my God's work.' Both sides say: 'I cannot compromise. These are absolute imperatives.' The result will be a clash between different religious groups which will tear us apart. We take this very seriously. The People's Action Party reminds our candidates, don't bring all the friends from your own religious group. Don't mobilise your church or your temple or your mosque to campaign for you. Bring a multi-racial, multi-religious group of supporters. When you are elected, represent the interest of all your constituents, not just your religious group in Parliament. Speak for all your constituents. Thirdly, the Government has to remain secular. The Government's authority comes from the people. The laws are passed by Parliament which is elected by the people. They don't come from a sacred book. The Government has to be neutral, fair. We are not against religion. We uphold sound moral values. We hold the ring so that all groups can practise their faiths freely without colliding. That's the way Singapore has to be. You may ask: Does this mean that religious groups have no views, cannot have views on national issues? Or that religious individuals cannot participate in politics? Obviously not. Religious groups are free to propagate their teachings on social and moral issues. They have done so on the IRs, organ transplants, 377A, homosexuality. And obviously many Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists participate in politics. In Parliament, we have people of all faiths. In the Cabinet too. People who have a religion will often have views which are informed by their religious beliefs. It's natural because it's part of you, it's part of your personality. But you must accept that other groups may have different views informed by different beliefs and you have to accept that and respect that. The public debate cannot be on whose religion is right and whose religion is wrong. It has to be on secular, rational considerations of public interest - what makes sense for Singapore. The final requirement for us to live peacefully together is to maintain our common space that all Singaporeans share. It has to be neutral and secular because that's the only way all of us can feel at home in Singapore and at ease. Common spaces Let me explain to you with specific examples. Sharing meals. We have different food requirements. Muslims need halal food. Hindus don't eat beef. Buddhists sometimes are vegetarian. So if we must serve everybody food which is halal, no beef and vegetarian, I think we will have a problem. We will never eat meals together. So there will be halal food on one side, vegetarian food for those who need it, no beef for those who don't eat beef. Let's share a meal together, acknowledging that we are not the same. Don't discourage people from interacting. Don't make it difficult for us to be one people. Our schools are another example of common space where all races and religions interact. Even in mission schools run by religious groups, the Ministry of Education has set clear rules, so students of all faiths will feel comfortable. You might ask: Why not allow mission schools to introduce prayers or Bible studies as compulsory parts of the school activity or as part of school assembly? Why not? Then why not let those who are not Christian, or don't want a Christian environment, go to a government school or go to a Buddhist school? Well, if they do that, we'll have Christians in Christian schools, Buddhists in Buddhist schools, Muslims in schools with only Muslim children and so on. I think that is not good for Singapore . Therefore, we have rules to keep all our schools secular and the religious groups understand and accept this. For example, St Joseph 's Institution is a Catholic brother school but it has many non-Catholic students, including quite a number of Malay students. The Josephian of the Year in 2003 was a Malay student - Salman Mohamed Khair. He told Berita Harian that initially his family was somewhat worried about admitting him to a Catholic school. He himself was afraid because he didn't know what to expect. But he still went because of SJI's good record. He said: 'Now I feel fortunate to be in SJI. Although I was educated in a Catholic environment, religion never became an issue.' Indeed that's how it should work. I know it works because I understand that Malay students in SJI often attend Friday prayers at Baalwie Mosque nearby, still wearing their school uniforms. SJI thinks it's fine, the mosque thinks it's fine, the students think it's fine, and I think it's fine too. That's the way it should be. Another example of common space - work. The office environment should be one which all groups feel comfortable with. Staff have to be confident that they will get equal treatment even if they belong to a different faith from their managers - especially in government departments, but in the private sector too. I think it can be done because even religious community service organisations often have people who don't belong to that religion working comfortably and happily together. This is one very important aspect of our meritocratic society. Thus we maintain these principles: exercise tolerance, keep religion separate from politics, keep a secular government, maintain our common space. This is the only way all groups can live in peace and harmony in Singapore . Aware and responsible church leaders This is the background to the way the Government looked at one recent issue: Aware. We were not concerned about who would control Aware because it's just one of so many NGOs in Singapore. On homosexuality policy or sexuality education in schools, there can be strong differences in view but the Government's position was quite clear. But what worried us was that this was an attempt by a religiously motivated group who shared a strong religious fervour to enter civil space, take over an NGO it disapproved of, and impose their agenda. It was bound to provoke a push back from groups that held the opposite view, which indeed happened vociferously and stridently. The media coverage got caught up and I think the amplifier was turned up a bit high. This was hardly the way to conduct a mature discussion of a sensitive matter where views are deeply divided. But most critically of all, this risked a broader spillover into relations between different religions. I know many Singaporeans were worried about this, including many Christians. They may not have spoken aloud but they raised one eyebrow. Therefore, I'm very grateful for the very responsible stand which was taken by the church leaders. The National Council of Churches of Singapore issued a statement that it didn't support churches getting involved. There was also the statement by the Catholic Archbishop. Had these statements not been made, we would have had a very serious problem. The Government stayed out of this but after the dust had settled, I spoke to the religious leaders, first the Christians and then the religious leaders of all faiths, so that everybody understood where we stood and what our concerns were. So we can continue to work together to strengthen our racial and religious harmony. Unusually serious subject This is an unusually serious and heavy subject for a National Day Rally. Normally, you talk about babies, hongbaos, bonuses. No bonuses tonight but a bonus lecture on a serious subject. We discussed this in Cabinet at length and decided that I should talk about this. I crafted the points carefully, circulated them many times. Different presentations in Mandarin, Malay and English, because different groups have different concerns, but a consistent message so that there's no misunderstanding. I also invited the religious leaders to come and spend the evening with us tonight. They can help us to help their flocks understand our limitations, to guide them to practise their faiths, taking into account the context of our society. Please teach them accommodation, which is what all faiths teach. I look forward to all the religious groups continuing to do a lot of good work for Singapore for many years to come. Finally, let me share with you one true story which was published recently in an Indian newspaper, The Asian Age, and picked up by The Straits Times. It was about a young man from Gujarat , a Muslim, who migrated to Singapore after the Hindu-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002. A train carrying Hindu pilgrims was stopped in Ahmadebad and set on fire. The circumstances were unclear but 50-odd men, women and children burnt to death, trapped in the train. The Hindus rioted. They had no doubt what the cause was. One thousand people died, mostly Muslims because Ahmadebad has a large Muslim community. So this young Muslim decided to come to Singapore after the riots. We call him Mohammed Sheikh. It's not his real name because he still has family there. The article said: 'During the bloody riots, he watched three of his family members, including his father, getting butchered. His family had to pay for being Muslim. 'Besides losing his family and home, Mohammed lost confidence and faith in the civil society. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life cursing his destiny. He wanted to move on.' So seven years ago, Mohammed came to Singapore and got a diploma in hospitality management. Now he is working in an eatery and he hopes to open his own business one day. He told the interviewer, had he stayed in Gujarat , 'I would have been hating all Hindus and baying for their blood, perhaps.' Now 'he loves it when his children bring home Hindu friends and share snacks'. He told the interviewer proudly, 'My children have Christian, Buddhist, Hindu friends.' He even hopes to bring his mother to Singapore so she can see for herself that people of different races, different faiths can be friends. The interviewer asked him what Muslim sect he belonged to and which mosque he went to in India. He said: 'I don't want to get into all that. Now I am just a Singaporean. And I am proud of it.' This story reminds us that while we must not neglect to strengthen our harmonious society, we are in a good position. So let us rejoice in our harmony but let us never forget what being a Singaporean means. It's not just tolerating other groups but opening our hearts to all our fellow citizens. Our future If we stay cohesive, then we can overcome our economic challenges and continue to grow. This is how we've transformed Singapore over the last half century - solving problems together, growing together, improving our lives. From the Singapore River to Marina Bay, we've totally transformed Singapore over the last half century. 1959 was a moment of great change but nobody at the Padang in June 1959 imagined the change in today's Singapore. We will continue to improve our lives, provided we work together and remain a harmonious and a cohesive society so that in another 50 years, we would have built another Singapore, which is equally unimaginable today. The key is to stay united through rain or shine.

All Hail - The Racist Speaks!!!

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"The Chinese educationists do not even want
Chinese children to be near Malay children...
they mustn't get into contact with Malay children...
that is why they rejected our vision school"
- Mahathir

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Critical pedagogue Ira Shor defines critical pedagogy as

"Habits of thought, reading, writing, and speaking which go beneath surface meaning, first impressions, dominant myths, official pronouncements, traditional clichés, received wisdom, and mere opinions, to understand the deep meaning, root causes, social context, ideology, and personal consequences of any action, event, object, process, organization, experience, text, subject matter, policy, mass media, or discourse." (Empowering Education, 129)

In the interest of national cohesion, I would support a single stream education system- however, only conditionally - if they were to introduce true meritocracy first, with some affirmative action for the deserving in the national school system.
It would be a travesty of justice and human rights for them to take away the relatively excellent Chinese education, only to dish out the substandard racist, bigoted and lazy system promoted by Umno. I wouldn't touch on the Tamil school system, as it is common knowledge where it stands ......

Before the proponents of vernacular education get rabid on me, allow me to say that I do not dispute the fact that education in any language can be good, and you can be proud of your education - that's good. However, at some point, the children should have to be able to relate to the general society which would comprise of those in mainstream education. That is where the problem starts
The simple fact remains - streaming education without equal opportunities is hardly a uniting factor.

Many don't understand why a single stream is essential - they get defensive and start accusing those against it of being biased, extol the virtues of "vernacular" education, the need to preserve identity/culture and what not. As far as I'm concerned, I believe that they miss the "big picture" and choose to parrot the political rhetoric - the very same which Mahathir mouths today.

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"Where is the life we have lost in the living?

Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
Where is the knowledge we have lost in information ?
The cycles of heaven in twenty centuries
bring us farther from God and nearer to dust."
- T.S. Elliot
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First and foremost, one needs to understand the role spoken & written language plays in society, and how it translates to identity, and then to cohesion/unity. What many don't realize is the fact that what you speak and whom you speak to can very well determine what you think. Consequently, the racism that permeates the education system segregation in terms of race & & language, is the fortress of a race based politics, which in turn would translate to polarization, racism, bigotry & apartheid....

As a "compromise", I'd support the introduction of the English stream - (for I believe that it would outclass all other systems and render them invalid), should there be genuine meritocracy - as it is politically "Neutral". English education isn't the "silver bullet" to cure this social ill.
It would take much more than just an education system to do that. It wouldn't eliminate racism (that would be wishful thinking) ...... but it would minimize the effect of racist propaganda, and slowly but surely it is bound to evoke trust among the younger generation who would learn to see the value of pluralism.

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Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said on Sunday that
racist comments from “one or two Umno leaders” should be ignored
because the majority of members in the party were not racists.
- Veera Pandiyan, "Weed Out Racists, Not Ignore Them"
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Just as Tengku Razaleigh implied, I believe that English shouldn't be viewed as a foreign language, as it was the language upon which Malaysia was built. It is every bit Malaysian (or maybe more so) as Mandarin, Tamil, Hokkien and even Malay. It is our heritage, which we should cherish - instead of making it the bogeyman used to "unite" the people through xenophobia. It may be a bit far fetched for now- but under ideal circumstances, they should make it THE medium of instruction, as it is the only "neutral" language. It can be done, if there is political will - and politicians like Mahathir and Muhyiddin do not inflame racist passions.

In "Where is the Spirit of Merdeka?", I had written -
"The spirit of Merdeka has been subverted by racists and the religious zealots over the years, and has been replaced by chauvinism – racial and religious..... Unfortunately, we are a society so paralyzed by symptomatic solutions one has to wonder whether we will learn anything from this mindless atrocity.......

Taking the above to another level, this "atrocity" which Mahathir (taking on the agenda mooted by his son) seeks to perpetrate, is one of the mind - they seek to enslave our children to the indoctrination by a certain "Biro". They wish to take over the freedom which can guarantee a good education for our children. They have no intention of introducing true meritocracy into the system, nor do they wish to improve the standards.
They want Malaysians to remain divided, "stupid" and gawk in awe at the elite community who get the best education for their children through various methods which money can buy.

Mahathir, in accusing the Chinese from preventing their children from mingling with Malay children has brought forward a simplistic argument which would appeal to the Malays, while promoting distrust and hatred for the Chinese - thus perpetuating the divisive politics of UMNO.
The Education Ministry's "1-Toilet" campaign aside, it is no wonder that Najib tells us to ignore the racists .... It appears that Mahathir is to be Najib's "1-Malaysia" alter-ego, proposing racist agendas to please the racists of Umno and ruffles feathers, while he smoothens them out (by telling them to "ignore" racist comments)!

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"It will not do to cling to the cause and wish the result away.
Reality does not play mind games.
What is more, to anesthetize the mind in order to abort what comes to birth
when wrong ideas are conceived and borne in the womb of culture,
will only kill the very life-giving force of the nation that nurtures the idea."
- Ravi Zacharias
---------------------------------

Many don't seem to realize that they have already fallen victim to the racist mindset unwittingly, when they support vernacular education - education isn't about race or culture or even language for that matter(although the traits can be there).
Education isn't "knowledge for knowledge's sake" - It's about knowledge in the interest of sustainable development & progress towards nationhood. It truly beats me how vernacular education assists us towards achieving nationhood, when it is already divisive to begin with.

These proponents don't seem to notice that they're being led by their noses, when they support the very thing that keeps in place the race politics which they deplore. These vernacular schools are the fortresses of the race-based politics of Malaysia, which is destroying the fabric of the nation.
Indeed - they happily cling to the cause, and wish the results away ....

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If you think of yourselves as helpless and ineffectual,
it is certain that you will create a despotic government to be your master.
The wise despot, therefore, maintains among his subjects
a popular sense that they are helpless and ineffectual."
- Frank Herbert
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Related:

• Critical pedagogy

• Tamil Schools: Pride & Prejudice

• Facing the Music - Education Malaysia

• Education - Malaysia Style ...

• PPSMI- A Pro Choice Argument.

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"1-Malaysia" in Blinkers- Dancing to the Fascist Racism Tune.

"It is time we shed the crude nationalism
which refuses to acknowledge things “not invented here”.
This country had a great start in life because we had inherited
a system of laws, rights and conventions that had been refined
over more than seven hundred years."
- Tg. Razaleigh, The Infrastructure of Institutions

Isn’t this exactly why normal people become racist when they see
this sort of shenanigans happening right in front of them?
-James Chin, How you become a racist ...

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There was a time when Malaysians would burst with pride when they speak of their country. They sand the song "Berjaya" with much gusto back then. They watched the "Merdeka Day" parades with awe. "Satu Negara, Satu Bangsa" was the catchword.
Those were indeed the good old days when Malaysians were full of hope for a bright future, in a young nation, forged out of an agreement with the colonial "masters" who were keen on a "new world order.
Tun Razak started a "new order" himself through May 13, 1969 - although with a racist twist to it. Things were fine for a while, with plenty of idealistic rhetoric about a "just" system to benefit all and sundry.

Fast forward to 1981 and onwards - enter the Mahathir era .....(imagine a scratching record here for sound effect). We had "Bersih, Cekap, Amanah", "Look East Policy"and what not which resulted in the dismantling of "colonial institutions" with a newfound spirit of Malaysian-ness. We had Razaleigh in S46, fighting a losing battle against the forces of Mahathir, and then the constitutional crises .... and something had to be done - real fast to repair his injured fortunes.

First, we had to abandon our links to the past - which gave us the excellent civil service and a credible judiciary, which could spoil it all for "our man".
The Mahathir tentacles spread quite fast into the Media, Judiciary, Police, Army, Petronas and even JKK to get a grip on the nation.
He wanted a "Malaysia Incorporated" his way.
It resulted in mega projects and privatization of things like Proton, TNB, Perwaja, Telekom, Indah Water, Alam Flora, PUAS/Syabas, IntraKota/RapidKL, SUKOM, KL Tower, KLIA, KLCC, MSC and what not. The health services would've been added to the list of viable companies/services appropriated by pirates aligned to Umno.

Malaysia was flush with money as a result of apparently never-ending flow of FDI which required immigrant labor to do the "dirty jobs", while Malaysians enjoyed the fruits of Mahathirism. Many an instant millionaire "entrepreneurs" were created out of thin air with the many indirect taxes imposed upon the people who were flush with cash - Tolls, APs, import duties on foreign cars, and the creation of a virtually collapsing public transport infrastructure to increase the sale of over-priced tin cans called the "national cars". Price of real estate sky-rocketted. Massive urbanization was encouraged, while rural agriculture was destroyed. Big businesses were encouraged in Mahathir's "think big" ideas, while small enterprises were destroyed or collapsed.

Malaysians were glowing with pride when they said, "Malaysia Boleh" (note: in some business circles today, it is a code-word for bribing officials/ politicians). It also heralded a period of unsurpassed state of apathy in Malaysia, when the people squandered away their rights for the apparent goodies which the Mahathir regime doled out. Everyone was on the take, and life was good.

Then came 1997 - and many a dream was shattered, and reality hit many Malaysians .... you're not gonna get anything, nor are you immune to brutality of the regime, unless you're aligned to Mahathir's Umno Baru.
With the shrinking of the pie, Umno has pursued an agenda of unbridled corruption, racism and religious bigotry ever since. Everything needed a government hand/ patronage to work. Everything was dished out with a few factors in mind - Money, Influence, Race, Religion or Political affiliation - these were the only criteria needed to be filled for any venture (with plenty of 'grease', of course)..... if you were on the right side and believed in "Malaysia Boleh", you made it. Merit had nothing to do with anything anymore ...

Nope - You cannot get a permit for this or that, unless you practice "Malaysia Boleh". You cannot sort out your legal issues unless it is "Malaysia Boleh". You cannot get a seat in the University unless it is "Malaysia Boleh". You cannot get a contract unless it is "Malaysia Boleh".
The other criteria was of course - "Bumiputra", or just plain good ol' "Malay" status (in which case, it didn't matter if you had "Bumi" status") ...... or you're out on your bare ass!!

From education, justice, security, finances, industry, services, business - they all needed a government crony to make it. The government/ cronies were in on everything - even religion. They dictated to you on even what you do behind closed doors! Malaysians started getting a dose of what Mahathirism or rather, Fascist Apartheid was all about.
After all, apartheid was about "separate development", while fascism was defined by Mussolini as "All within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state", and "Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power".

The best (nauseating) part of it all is - despite all the troubles that have hit them, Malaysians are still singing and dancing away to this music of Racism ... albeit, to the "1-Malaysia" rhythm. They go on like parrots, "Indian this Indian that"; "Chinese this, Chinese that"; "Malay this, Malay that"; "Bumi this, Bumi that" - while being totally and happily ignorant that it is the very pretext upon which the plunder of the nation's resources is perpetrated, and they are impoverished.
You'll see plenty of shamelessly (or unknowingly) racist rhetoric - about how the "pendatang" or the natives of Sabah/Sarawak would need to accept the Ketuanan Melayu ideology, and assimilate.(read the naive batsman's - 'PAS, the Chinese, the Malays and the Sabahans' on Malaysia Today, while thinking that he was being very "intellectual").
Or else, you're only fit to be classified as being ungrateful for the good life that Umno (and not all of us who together worked our asses off for the country) has given you ...

That's "Ketuanan Melayu" for you, with a fresh coat of the "1-Malaysia" paint .......

Note:
Heard that Rosmah Mansor was in Sentul yesterday giving out hampers, goodies, free makan, and cash to the poor - and many who were asked to come for them to make up the numbers went away empty-handed, and ashamed that they were lured to the event.
A point to note is that many "Indians" were given these goodies, while many more Malays were left seething in anger, seeing what was happening - that's "1-Malaysia" for you .....

Political Persecution 101 - BN Goons In Action!!

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You're still with us, Buddy .....

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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dedicated to Zac (1964- 1993).
Rest in Peace Brother .....

Related:

• Remembering Zac ....

Racism 101 in "Higher Education" Ministry's "Earthmen" Policy.

The ministry said in a reply on July 14 that Undau’s appeal was turned down because “the candidate is categorised as non-bumiputra (father is Iban and mother is Chinese)” based on a definition used by the Student Intake Management Division, Higher Learning Department and Higher Education Ministry.
Their definition is as follows:
1• If either parent of a candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/Orang Asli as defined in Article 160 (2) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.
2• Sabah – If the father of the candidate is a Malay who is a Muslim/native of Sabah as ...defined by Article 161A(6)(a) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.
3• Sarawak – If the father and mother is a native of Sarawak as defined under Article 161A(6)(b) of the Federal Constitution, the child is considered a bumiputra.
-Marina, you’re no bumi

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Here are the implications of the above "1-Malaysia" "education" policy:
(before you start, bear in mind that under the Umno's Ketuanan Melayu definition, West Malaysian "Bumi" genes are supposedly superior)

1. If you're from West Malaysia and a Malay/Muslim/Orang Asli, your children will definitely get "earthmen" status and enjoy the economic benefits - that's even if you're a second generation Malaysian like Khir Toyo (and some say, even Mahathir!)

2. If you're Sabahan, then only your son's genes can carry your "earthmen" status - the women can go fly kites if they don't marry a Malay/Muslim/Sabahan native. Sorry, darlings - Mr. 1-Malaysia (through the "education ministry") says that you just ain't good enough ....

3. You Sarawakians - you're just screwed bigtime!! ALL children of intermarrying couples LOSE their "earthmen" rights.

4. Consequently, there'll be an increase in West Malaysian "earth" genes running around, while there'll be a proportional decrease of those in Sabah, and more so in Sarawak - that's provided you subscribe to Umno's racism, and become a racist bigot who would only seek partners in your own community.

This is such an excellent method of segregating the population, while perpetuating the "divide and rule" policy of Umno/BN - you start them young, at school level. Make them learn that they have to be racists if they want to "progress" under the BN rule.
The "higher education" ministry can also save lots of money and educational opportunities, which can be diverted to nincompoops who end up as drug addicts, corrupt bureaucrats or Umno's mindless minions.
It is also a good policy to make east Malaysian give up their rights, while they allow themselves to be dominated by minority community of racist, or allow themselves to be dominated by West Malaysian "earthmen".

So much for our "higher education"; so much for Malaysian unity .....

"1-Malaysia", my axe!!

Now Playing in Sabah:- The Ketuanan Gambit.

Talk about the people finding it difficult differentiating PKR from UMNO,
you have here the classic example of how similar both parties are.
A snake sheds its skin, that’s all.
For the question of who should lead PKR Sabah,
Ketuanan KL has tromboned Ketuanan Rakyat.
- Hantu II, zorro-unmasked

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The euphoria of the 080308 electoral "victory" is dead and the reality is now setting in - Anwar is the party, and the Party is Anwar. What Anwar says, goes - the Rakyat be damned.

Just 18 mths into creating history with the help of non-PKR members and after one by-election slaughter, Anwar is already backsliding on his Ketuanan Rakyat rhetoric, and PKR appears to be on the verge of a "nervous breakdown".

Zorro has declared that the above logo of Ketuanan Rakyat will be removed from his sidebar - until ".....I GET THE MEANING OF WHAT ANWAR MEANT WHEN HE SAID:

“No way in hell will I have Jeffrey as chief”". What was Anwar thinking? That he & his desire for power takes precedence over the will of Sabahans? Does he not know that it is not for him to dictate terms to Sabahans, and that it is his duty to work with those whom Sabahans wish to lead them?
Maybe Anwar misses the power he wielded as the Umno DPM in the "good ol' days" before the black eye ....... and Haris had this to say, "My source in Sabah tells me that Thamrin is an Anwar loyalist and his appointment will not go down well with the division chiefs and the PKR grassroots in Sabah".
So it is now manufactured leadership - as in the Umno/BN cronyism/nepotism ......

Another factor seems to hang in the air, he appears to be hesitant where taking disciplinary action against racist/religious bigots like Zulkifli Noordin is concerned. What's with this "endless love" he has with Zulkifli Noordin? Has the individual become more important than the general well-being of the party and country?
Does this guy take precedence over the Rakyat? Maybe he's hoping that Malaysians with stunted memories will forget Zul's antics .... but Zul just keeps reminding us that he can do what he wants, and that Anwar is a political wimp when faced with mullah-wannabes!
Or maybe .... just maybe - Anwar wishes to have an Islamic "syura" with wish he can rule with dictatorial powers? After all Zul Taliban has already proposed that the Federal Constitution be amended to make it subservient to the syariah.
Did I hear silence from Anwar or what?

Listen Anwar, if you have ears - Zul Taliban, the intellectual amoeba - has to go!! There's no two ways about that!! And you gotta learn to work with the Sabahans, instead of trying to get them under your thumb.
They don't trust you ever since you kick-started the Umno rule and destroyed their autonomy. Sabah is that much poorer culturally and financially ever since. It is time you seek redemption in their eyes, rather than dictate terms to those you betrayed in the past. Learn to work with the leaders of their choice - and not your's!!
Be thankful that they're willing to give you a second chance.

Anwar better get it into his grand scheme of things - that the people will drop him and his charisma like a hot potato, if he believes in going back on his word. The people would rather not risk political turbulence for more of the same - and mark my words, they'll slaughter PKR/Pakatan Rakyat at the ballot-box in the next elections.

The choice is your's to make Anwar - work with them and save Malaysia, or kiss PutraJaya goodbye and let Malaysia be damned - the people are quite ready to abandon you, if you and your party cannot be disciplined on principles of justice!! (It is what I wrote about in Discipline and Reason, Is All It Takes.)
If that were to happen, you will go down in Malaysian history as the biggest political joke, even if you were persecuted by your rivals - for having made a wrong turning at a critical juncture.
By the way things are going in PKR, it looks like Anwar is set to take the starring/ lead role in an upcoming movie called "A Black Eye- Episode II" ......