A barometer of UMNO's thinking?

Two news report from Malaysia this week throw some light as to the future of race relations in Malaysia. These reports quash any hopes to anyone who had hope for a more Malaysian Malaysia where ethnicity is secondary to the country and every citizen is viewed as equal.

The first report originated from the state UMNO convention in Johor, the birthplace of Malay nationalism. Its leader, the Mentri Besar, Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, questioned the concept of Bangsa Malaysia or the Malaysian race. His final message is simple, even if there should be a Malaysian race, "it should be limited to the definition of the people of Malaysia with the Malays as the main race." This comment can be seen as a barometer of the sentiment of the UMNO on the race relation in Malaysia. What is implied in his comment is that Malays will always have a special position in the country. Those non-Malay citizens will forever be lesser Malaysians.

The second report touches on the methodology used to calculate the equity distribution between the bumiputras and non-bumiputras. What is pertinent is that there don't seemed to be a standard way of calculating the equity distribution. Even the Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin, acknowledge this fact when he said: “You should avoid judging which methodology is the correct one. You should just say different bases of methodology produce different results." By making the statement, it suggests that there is no correct or agreed way of calculating the equity, and hence, the question of equity distribution will be opened ended.

Taking this slippery road of the concept of lesser Malaysian and the non-standardised way of calculating the equity distribution, raises many concerns. The most important of these is the ever present of a constant fractured point in the society. This can easily be exploited by anyone who wants to use the discontent to further their own ambitions; as seen with Khairy when he claimed that the Malays in Penang is marginalised under the leadership of a Chinese BN leader. Whether one is a bumiputra or otherwise, I am sure nobody wants a repeat of May 13, 1969. It will be sad if the current policy of affirmative action, a policy to address the cause of the racial riots and to prevent future strives, becomes the very reason for another racial conflict. No Malaysians should experience another racial conflict in their lives.

By rejecting the concept of Bangsa Malaysia, and perpetuating the communal politics, Malaysia runs the risk of having an unhealthy climate where the oppositions will be mainly of the minority group. This trend is unfortunately emerging. Although the National Front is a coalition of 14 component parties, representing nearly all ethnic and shades of political persuasions, the real power is in the hands of UMNO. The main opposition, the DAP, although claimed to be multiracial-based, is mainly a Chinese-based party. This created a situation where the government is perceived to be a Malay government and the opposition perceived to be of ethnic Chinese. Removing the political equations, it risks being perceived as the Malays against the Chinese and vice versa. This is certainly not true because although the government is pro-Malay, it still has to moderate its Malay policy to cater to the feedbacks from its non-Malay partners. This is because no communal party can form the government without the support of the others.

By perpetuating the concept of lesser Malaysians, the minorities in Malaysia run the risk of giving up their struggle for Malaysia. Since the is no place for them in Malaysia, why should they continue to struggle for Malaysia? When the world is getting flatter, with globalisation the reality, there is nothing to stop the more abled minorities to migrating to other countries. If the concept of lesser Malaysians is to continue, the push factor may tip the scale and work in concert with the pull-factors of globalisation, resulting in Malaysia losing out in the form of talent drain.

On the reverse, by knowing that they will always have special privilege and affirmative policy, the bumiputras's will to succeed and hence rise above negative perception of being a weak race will always be blunted. This make it difficult for them to withstand any competition that globalisation present to them. In the long run, the crutch mentality will perpetuate, making it difficult to free themselves from the very thing they fight for - standing as equals with the other minority races of the country. The former PM Tun Mahathir had foreseen such a problem and tried to rectify it when he announced in 2004 that he will reserve 10% of places in MARA so as to increase some competition to uplift the overall standards in the school.

Looks like after nearly 50 years of independence, Malaysia still do not have the will to create a real multiracial Malaysia where every citizen is equal and able to stand side-by-side as equal with pride and without prejudice. It is good that national leaders had come out in support of the concept of Bangsa Malaysia. It should be viewed as a starting common point on the long and arduous road towards a better Malaysia. It should served as the basis of closing the unfinished social contract that started when the British granted Malaysia its independance 49 years ago.