DEAR Hadi,
Firstly, I apologise for my rudeness in not addressing you as Tn Haji. Or whatever other title you may have. That is reserved for those I respect and I’m sorry but if I ever had any respect for you before, I have lost it all after your statements today. Your remarks, to me, are nothing more than inflammatory and racist in nature. One might even say they are caustic and are an affront to Malaysians
Allow me to dissect your reported statements and reply.
1. You are reported to have said that ”Non-Malays should be grateful that they were welcomed by Muslims to Malaya despite coming as coolies.” Isn’t that what Islam preaches? Are Muslims not supposed to treat other people well? Despite differences in race and religion? Forget religion. This is basic human nature. To treat people well regardless of what they may look like, what jobs they may do or how much money they earn.
2. You are further quoted as saying: “there are political parties that want to show off with their simple majority… a victory that came from us.” My dear Hadi, please understand what you are saying. You are actually saying that you or those that you represent are the ones responsible for Pakatan Harapan’s victory. So what are you complaining about then?? You got what you voted for!
3. You continue to contradict yourself by saying that “Islam is the official religion, while other religions can be freely practised, and Malay rights, without sidelining other races, already exist” You then ask “Isn’t our social contract better than ICERD?” Let me ask you this then. What exactly are you afraid of ICERD for then? Do you even understand what ICERD is supposed to do or represent? You keep spouting Malay rights and Muslim rights. No one is threatening your rights. No one is questioning your religion. The ICERD has specific articles to protect affirmative action, namely Article 1(4). Have you not read this? ICERD talks about treating everyone equally. By opposing ICERD you are indirectly saying that people are not treated equally in the first place. And therein lies a major contradiction because doesn’t every religion talk about treating everyone equally?
4. You mention that in the 16th century only the Muslims opposed the invaders.“They were not afraid of the colonialists’ canons or guns. They opposed them with their keris when nobody else would.” You know, this statement is really quite laughable. It’s really a bit futile to oppose someone with a keris when you are faced with a gun or canon. Have you ever considered that it was perhaps why the Portuguese took over Malacca? What kind of statement is this? Isn’t it better to lay down your arms and choose a better time to fight? Isn’t it better to lose the battle but win the war?
You know Hadi, your statements are disparaging of all Malaysians. The non-Malays may have been brought in as coolies, which in itself is an offensive word nowadays, but you know what, these workers helped build the country into what it is today. These workers or their offspring became contractors. They became traders. They became teachers. They became part of the police force. They became part of the civil service. They became citizens who helped to build up this country and became a part of this country. We are all Malaysians. You seem to have forgotten that.
I should know. I’m 4th generation Malaysian. My mother was a teacher. My father in the civil service. I am proud to say that they served without fear of favour Malaysia and Malaysians. All Malaysians.
Perhaps you need to look back in history to the time that you were partners with the political parties in power now? Would you be singing the same tune if you were still in partnership with them? Would you be spewing this same venom if you were in power? Is power so important to you? Perhaps these are questions that you should ask yourself.
Please la, Hadi. Try to focus on fighting corruption and righting past wrongs. Please stop all your racial and religious statements. Please focus on building a better Malaysia where we all get along really well with one another. Where we are all united. Because the truth of the matter is that we are.
Harping on race and religion is only stopping Malaysia from reaching greater heights. It is high time you realise that.
* Dharm Navaratnam reads The Malaysian Insight.
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well written
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