PENDATANG-NESS AND NATIONAL UNITY I did not realise my debate and forum with YB Dr Mujahid Yusuf Rawa, Tn Hj Zaid Kamaruddin (I tag team with Prof Rafidah Hanim of ISMA ) on National Unity last August was covered by The Rakyat Times. Well you must see the video of the debate and forum (youtu.be/YMgBW_Y9PB4) to analyze and scrutinize my argument properly before you want to criticize it here. This topic pretty much related to the current cultural debate of Who and what is Pendatang? vis-a-vis National Unity where authors like YM RPK, Heleng Ang, Prof Teo Kok Seong, Dr Ridhuan Tee, and latest by Dato A. Kadir Jasin have all put forth the same criticism that I have given before in that debate and forum. I agree we should not call and label the present Chinese as pendatang. It is not right and morally wrong. But to deny the historical fact of pendatang-ness of Chinese Diaspora is totally blasphemous to our history. The Chinese of Malaysia must understand why people like Zam, Ibrahim Ali and ISMA raised this point. It is contextual. The context is that some (not all) Chinese failed to understand the basic foundations of Malaysian culture which any Ah Seng, Lim, and Ramasamy must adhere and pledge your life and soul to it: the Dasar Kebudayaan Kebangsaan where Malay language, culture and religion must be acknowledged and respected as the supreme culture and religion that gives meaning to this land without ever discounting the fact of the acceptance of other racial culture and religious values as part of our social fabric. DAP clandestine chauvinism and MCA communalism has created a real Cultural and Political Tsunami - especially in the run up to the last General Election - which upsets many Malays who still uphold the idea of Kongsi not Ketuanan Rakyat - where our forefathers before have agreed that the Malays will lead the nations political domain while the Chinese will lead the economy - as long as the playing field is NOT YET equal. Chinese voting pattern which has swung massively to Pakatan and DAP is akin to stirring a hornets nest because many Malays have deep distrust and suspicions against DAPs political philisophy especially with regard to their stand on supremacy of Islam and Malay Language. The Malays are expecting more out of Chinese in terms of cultural assimilation and acceptance and our benchmark is nothing less than Baba Nyonyas identity that we Malay are proud to claim as part of Malay civilizational heritage which found its heyday during Malacca Sultanate. At least for a start, this is the lowest hanging fruit for Malay and Chinese to strive for, before we can negotiate for a more sustainable future in race relation where a truly Bangsa Malaysia can emerge out of this social fabric. Peace! Wan Fayhsal @ rausyanfikir
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 13:56:34 +0000
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