Multi Racial Politics - Scare mongering!

What is actually wrong with the Malaysian population of multi ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs that will one day (maybe) blow-up in our faces? As far as I can tell, nothing much really. I'm not saying that everything is rosy and fine for where in the world is there complete euphoria of joy and nothing else?! No, I don't think the general public need worry too much about ordinary people turning against each other because their children failed to get into a University, or their loan application was turned down by one of the banks or that their employer has decided to move to China or India.



What's wrong the above picture? NOTHING!

There are 3 types of social layer in Malaysia - the haves, the have-nots and the sometimes have but mostly not! The ethnic diversity in Malaysia is really quite large but the main race groups are the Malays, Chinese and Indian - with the same order in the number of population. Amongst the 3 main races, all fall into either one of the 3 layer social strata. Realistically, the middle group (the mostly dont have group)has the largest number of population and by simple statistics comprise mainly of Malays. The number of have-nots are also shared by the 3 race groups. The haves comprises of all the races too, perhaps with the elite Chinese having more numbers because they have businesses of their own which with the big economic cake that Malaysia has, this is not unexpected. The elite Indians are expected to be lower in number than the elite Malays simple due to the differences in the total population of each race.

In any society it is the rich who dominate the poor and the middle class. In Malaysia the middle class actually refers to those who barely make a saving at the end of their pay check day. Most people would be paying all that they had owed for the previous month the moment the pay check is banked-in. There might be some who are upper middle-class i.e. they have some money left after paying all the bills. Some still need to borrow even after receiving their salary and these are the lower middle class.

The poor are actually really poor in all sense of the word. The Chinese poor fair slightly better than the Malay and Indian poor because they can still resort to their 'family association' if things get really bad. The Malay poor are rather disadvantage as Malays do not have 'family associations' and rely solely on government aid which are very meager. There should be a Islamic based welfare aid but those aren't really functioning as one would like them too. The Indians have a tough time because they are smaller in numbers and only recently beginning to develop 'family type associations' similar to the Chinese. Nonetheless, the unfortunate poor in Malaysia from whichever race is simple that - UNFORTUNATE!

Theoretically, given the wealth that God has bestowed upon Malaysia, the population in general should at least be in the middle class i.e. having no saving or little of it at the end of the month. A good government could have elevated everyone to the upper-middle class status. But that would be asking the government to be a socialist state which Malaysia is not. Malaysia is also not an Islamic state because little of the economic strength that should have accompanied the 'zakat' system ever percolated down to the truly poor, muslims or otherwise!

Malaysia is a true blue capitalist state that allows for free market and competition. Oh there are those that pretend it is a Malay Muslim dominant government when it is actually quite plural in the 'opportunities' for the elitist group of the population. If this wasn't so how can we even see or hear or read of multi-millionaires even billionaires of various races albeit more Chinese than Malays or Indians.

The politics of race is actually just that POLITICS! People with personal agendas come together to form various political factions of the society and then deal amongst themselves to share the produce of the nations at the expense of the majority of each of their own race. Propagating the 'race divide' serves well for them, their families and friends. Those who happened to be out of that elite circle can wait till the Moon turns red before they can get a bite of the economic cake!

Malaysia is doing very well in the race relations sector and has been doing so for the past 50 years. You see, the poor Malays, Chinese and Indians appreciate each other's malady and are quite friendly with one another. You don't see the poor Malays or Chinese or Indians fighting in the rural villages. They are all struggling to survive. The middle class Malays, Chinese and Indians are quite chummy with the urbanised living they have. And of course, the elite Malays, Chinese and Indians are very proud of their associations with each other.

The only problem is, those racial friendliness do not transcend across the different social strata and one should not expect it to be so really. This is because the rich would not find themselves immersed in the difficulties of the poor nor would the poor be allowed room to mingle with the rich. The middle class group are the ones that are easily fooled into believing that the 'status quo' must remain. Scaring the middle class Malaysian in believing that changing the current arrangements will bring racial chaos and disharmony is like telling children ghost stories! They believe it will happen tonight!

The fact is, the only thing that might blow-up is the anger of the suppressed against the suppressors whichever race those are. The Malaysian government hire some 1 Million civil servants of which about 80-90% of them are Malays. This means that there are some 11 Million Malays, 8 Million Chinese and 2 Million Indians (adults and their dependents) who do not earn wages from the government.

Whoever gets to govern must therefore ensure justice is served and fairness prevails. Opportunities, whether business or education; gains, whether material or spiritual; growth, whether personal or community-wide must no longer be monopolized by the few forsaking the many. Only then, can Malaysia be like it was in the early days of Merdeka - ever ready to develop, sincere and without pretension!

We are all Malaysian after all!

I have to admit I was wrong early this morning when I predicted that the HINDRAF massing will get safe passage to the British High Commission. I really thought that Malaysian Police will refrain from reacting to the HINDRAF gathering. I must say that the Police showed that they have no favorites nor do they have qualms against certain races. Clearly, today's events have shown that we are all truly Malaysian - therefore subject to the same chemical laced water-cannon, tear gas and baton charge!

The Hindus/Indians in Malaysian today are just as Malaysian as the Malays in getting a a wallop from the riot police. The Chinese though have so far been spared the high -speed free-bath sessions. If I am not mistaken, the pig farmers gathering to prevent their farm from being demolished did not get the 'bathing' they rightly deserved as Malaysian. Either the police considers the pig farmers not yet Malaysians so as to deserve their 'drenching' or some 'triad' chief have already secured the safety of those farmers.

Anyway, today once again we see the little people making their say. And if the people upstairs be they Malay, Chinese or Indian leaders say that the little people are wrong then they will see more and more of these street protests. Maybe the tourism minister is thinking of making these demonstrations as the 'new attraction' for foreign visitors particularly those who are just starting out in the journalism arena. After all, where else in the world can you get soaked in chemical water and tear gas then gladly run up your 5 star hotels to deliver your 'real-life' drama yet non-life threatening situation across the globe?

Heck, if the government play their cards right, it can even negotiate with various political and NGO organisations to 'hire' them to provide 'street protest' at predetermined time and location! You see, when people in power think very lowly of th little people's grouses and pains they are but calling for confrontation that they would never believe possible. Little people when massed in numbers will eventually become strong - maybe not physically because no one can stand unmoved by the pressures of water cannon or a speeding bullet for that matter - but strong in their aspiration to want changes. And if the government is adamant that there is nothing wrong with the rising cost of living, cut in subsidies and rampant crimes and expecting the 'rakyat' to swallow every 'good' news that the government tells them, then we are in for a long weekend every weekend from now till election day. What good is it for the people if the country's is a net exporter or that the foreign reserves have double or Petronas can sell their oil at USD100 per barrel when all the people get is a lecture on how to spend less and be thrifty when what they now have is already insufficient!





The coming General Election will be something different I believe because previously it was always the opposition pitted against the government. This time it will be between those who wants to stay in power and those who want changes in the country. The reality is that the little people - Malays, Indian, Chinese and Orang Asli - no longer wish to be hoodwinked by politicians who have only themselves at heart.