Open letter to Abdul Hadi Awang

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 9 Dec 2018 9:36AM · 21 Comments

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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Comments

  • Well written...perfect analysis. Hadi can learn from this.

    Posted 5 years ago by Lipdah Lia · Reply

  • Totally agreed with you....scared of their own shadows

    Posted 5 years ago by Masnita Shaari · Reply

  • You make Hadi look like a primary school kid.

    Posted 5 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • 4) ................. Did the "modern" Muslims oppose the Japanese invaders? Who really fight the Japanese? You should read the opinions of Spencer Chapman regarding the "modern" Muslims in Malaya in his book "The Jungle is Neutral" especially the expurgated epilogue in the earlier editions (no longer found in the paperbacks).

    Posted 5 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • If it not the non Muslim that help to protect Malaya during the second world war and all thank to theUS that help to end the war Malaysia world not even exist and Islam may not even exist in this world anymore and you had would probably be force tho covet to zen Buddhism and be known as hadiSAN instead.

    Posted 5 years ago by Yong Cw · Reply

  • So don't be ask proud of Thor malady race because of it is not the infidel n the USA that help to end second world war. Not only will there not be malady race but all major race will be erase from hostile left only japanese and German. So be grateful if

    Posted 5 years ago by Yong Cw · Reply

  • So be grateful for your so caked infidel. Lol

    Posted 5 years ago by Yong Cw · Reply

  • So be grateful of your so calledimaginary infidels. Ingrate, lol

    Posted 5 years ago by Yong Cw · Reply

  • I don't think Hadi understands English!!!

    Posted 5 years ago by T E · Reply

    • A possibility that he also do not understand by who and by what that end the second world war. On a lighter note n I sure hope if ask this question he will not attribute it to a giant hand that pay open the sky and a giant head spit out a fireball onto that island that ended the war. Just cracking a joke only. No offence

      Posted 5 years ago by Yong Cw · Reply

  • Hadi is a disaster but it is good for PAS. He will make PAS irrelevant. Waiting for the time. Tick tock tick tock.........

    Posted 5 years ago by It's me GR · Reply

  • Hadi may not understand IInggeris so well...

    Posted 5 years ago by Abel Silva · Reply

  • If US troops didn't stop the Vietnamese, you will be sucking PHO - maybe bow down to the Donald

    Posted 5 years ago by Jon Chan · Reply

  • Hadi never learns and never WILL. Let's not talk about him.....

    Posted 5 years ago by Crishan Veera · Reply

  • Your time and energy would have been better spent doing voluntary charity work at an old folks home.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mr Anderson · Reply

  • It is people like this Hadi Bawang that give birth to Talibans ans IS

    Posted 5 years ago by SWEE KEONG TAI · Reply

  • I guess it boils down to corrupt body, corrupt mind, corrupt head, corrupt brain, corrupt senses and all. What a pity for some one who is being glorified by senseless supporters. Tuan Guru Nik Aziz. Where are you? One of your son has abandoned you for Hadi.

    Posted 5 years ago by Mazli22 Mohamed · Reply

  • You sure he can understand English?

    Posted 5 years ago by Geoffk 2018 · Reply

  • hope he reads this...
    well written

    Posted 5 years ago by Lan Lan · Reply

  • Well said Dharm. We do not need people like Hadi. He is a disgrace to all Malaysians

    Posted 5 years ago by Super Duper · Reply

  • Special privileges accorded to them only spur other races to work harder. Let them keep their privileges forever and falling behind and doing the catch up forever.

    Posted 5 years ago by SB Goh · Reply