§ What is most frustrating for many Malaysians who truly believe in a Malaysia that can thrive and prosper by living together and accommodating each other’s needs and interests is the fact that extremist and supremacist voices get rewarded with support from political leaders. They rub shoulders with them, they get plenty of air time and front page headlines in government controlled media, their inflammatory statements and allegations are made without anyone in government challenging them. Nay, there are ministers who echo those statements, designed to incite hatred and build a siege mentality among their support base. It is hard to be confident about nation building when voices that until today tell the Chinese and Indians that they have their own countries to return to are not upbraided by the country’s leaders. That those who believe in the fundamental liberties as enshrined in the Federal Constitution are demonised as those out to “Membenarkan Kristianisasi dan Syiah”, “Hapuskan Hak Istimewa Melayu”, “Hapuskan Syariah”, “Membenarkan Seks Songsang”. What could be more designed to manufacture fear and incite hatred? And these tactics were echoed at the official level through a Cabinet minister and an official Friday sermon. Perhaps the blueprint from the NUCC should really focus on providing guidelines to our political and community leaders on how to see this country and its contested issues through the lens of equal citizenship rights within a plural society, rather than the old and tired lens of the politics of race and religion. Let’s focus on moving on to doing good, rather than inciting bad for short term political gains. § ~ Zainah Anwar thestar.my/Opinion/Columnists/Sharing-The-Nation/Profile/Articles/2013/12/01/Much-ado-about-ethnic-relations.aspx
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 09:12:49 +0000
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