THE UGLY FACE OF MALAYSIA

 

AN ARTICLE in a Malaysian Armed Forces College journal has called on Malaysia to use water as a 'strategic weapon' to 'counter Singapore's military advantage'. [10]

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Datuk Nik Aziz Mat, the spiritual leader of the opposition Islamic fundamentalist group, Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) has urged Muslims all over the world to help and support Afghanistan to fight against attacks by the United States....he also described the Sept 11 attacks in the US as the 'will of Allah'. He felt that Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the attacks, should be protected until he is proven guilty. [9]

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Malaysian women's rights groups have been incensed by a Parti Islam (PAS) senator's proposal that women should work only during the day so they are able to perform their conjugal duties at night.... Senator Jamilah Ibrahim said recently that this would help women prevent their husbands from resorting to incest as an outlet for their sexual urges. [8]

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Dr Mahathir expressed concern that certain new townships were dominated by only one race...."There are new townships which are dominated only by the Chinese and this is not healthy for a multi-racial country like ours."...."If there is a misunderstanding among the Malays and Chinese, I fear Malays may target towns which are 100 per cent populated by Chinese."...."They may start to burn and damage their things in such towns," he said yesterday. [7]

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THE decay of Malay culture has resulted in a slew of social problems in Malaysia, such as corruption and drug-taking, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said. And although Islam seems to have a greater hold among Malays today, it is merely in terms of appearances rather than substance, he told the New Sunday Times in an interview marking his 20 years as Premier on Monday. [6]

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Among the demands by the Federation of Peninsula Malaysia Students (GPMS):

  1. There must be no meritocracy in Malaysia.
  2. Malay must be the language for all official occasions, including business transactions.
  3. Passport applications must be approved only for citizens who are well versed in Malay.
  4. Education minister must have the power to abolish the status of schools, including Chinese schools.
  5. There must be an increase of the bumiputra quota in public and private institutions of higher learning to 70 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.
  6. Malay students must be given scholarships, and they no longer have to apply for education loans.
  7. There must be a 70 per cent quota for Malay lecturers to sit on universities' senates.
  8. Anyone questioning the Malay rights and privileges must be detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) or the Sedition Act. [5]
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And such kind of feelings, I reckoned, are still harbored by many Malays, especially the poor ones. They are angry because the Chinese, who came much later, are rich, while they, the sons of soil, remain poor. As to the fact that they might be poor with or without Chinese present, that is quite a different matter, but those feelings are real.... As my Indian friend used to say, "It makes no different whether you are Bumiputra or not, you will still get nothing. It will only make a difference if you are Mahathir-putra, Anwar-putra, or Rafidah-putra." [4]

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The opposition Parti Islam (PAS) yesterday objected to the proposed move by the government to allow the Malaysian Chinese Association to set up a university in the country. PAS vice-president Dr Hassan Ali and Youth chief Mahfuz Omar in separate statements said that no political party should be allowed to set up a university. [3]

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Umno Youth chief Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein has said that parents can sing the Umno anthem as a lullaby to nurture a love for the party in their children. [2]

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In October 1999 Mahathir called on the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerse and Industry in Malaysia to assist bumiputras to make up the loss in their share of national wealth after the economic crisis because many bumiputra companies were saddled with debts.... The group's president, Datuk Lim Guan Teik , replied, "I think it is fair, as citizens of a multiracial country, that the strong should help the weaker." [1], pg 287

From time to time, whenever the Malaysians wanted things their way, even on matters strictly within our domestic rights, relations with Malaysia were strained. What they wanted is called in the Malay language an abang-adik (big brother-little brother) relationship, with little brother giving way graciously. [1], pg 280

Mahathir was candid about his deep anti-Singapore feelings. He recounted how as a medical student in Singapore, he had directed a Chinese taxi driver to the home of a lady friend, but had been taken to the servants' quarters of this house. It was an insult he did not forget. Singapore Chinese, he said, looked down upon the Malays. [1], pg 276

When I told Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Razak in the early 1970s that Malaysia was suffering a brain drain, losing many well-educated Chinese and Indians to Australia and New Zealand, he replied, "This is not 'brains drain'. It is a 'trouble drain'; it drains trouble out of Malaysia." [1], pg 166


References:

[1] Lee Kuan Yew, From Third World To First -- The Singapore Story: 1965-2000 -- Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore Press Holdings, ISBN 9812049843
[2]

The UMNO Lullaby, The Straits Times

[3] PAS against move to allow MCA varsity, The Straits Times
[4] What If Bumiputra Rights Are Abolished?
[5] RESPONSE TO SUQIU'S CALL: Malay group issues own list of demands
[6] Malay culture on the wane, says Mahathir, The Straits Times, JUL 23, 2001 FRI
[7] Mahathir wants all races in new towns, The Straits Times, JUL 27, 2001 FRI
[8] PAS senator draws women groups' ire, The Straits Times, AUG 25, 2001 SAT
[9] Support Afghanistan, says PAS' Nik Aziz , The Straits Times, SEPT 25, 2001 TUE
[10] Use water as weapon in S'pore ties: KL article, The Straits Times, OCT 9, 2001 TUE