Should Malaysia use the ISA on Mahathir

Malays could suffer the ‘fate of Spore Malays’ if Najib stays on: Dr M.

Such a statement if quoted by someone in Singapore would be seen as inciting racial unrest. In Malaysia it would be the same if the speaker is not Mahathir. No one would see this as a very racist comment and could incite racial violence when uttered by Mahathir.

Mahathir again is rumour mongering to strike fear among the Malays, that they would be marginalized like Singapore Malays. How true is this statement? There is always a saying that one must compare apple with apple and orange with orange to make a good case on what one is talking about. It is a demographic fact that the Malays in Singapore is a minority race and relatively lesser of them would be in the Who’s Who list. But in general, are the Malays in Singapore less well off than the Malays in Malaysia without the bumiputra policies of affirmative actions in favour of the Malays?

The second point, can the Malays in Malaysia ever lose their dominance and control of the country and wealth given the disproportional distribution of power in the country? There is the Constitutions that enshrined Malay dominance and power that is unchallenged, cannot be challenged. There are the political powers sanctioned in the institutions of the Malay Rulers that are also unquestionable to protect Malay rights and dominance. And the hard realities, the Malays are holding absolute power in the govt, in the civil service, in the military and police forces. The Malays are in control of the economy and in politics. How could the Malays be marginalized under Najib or any Malay PM and govt? To quote a Sinkie saying, even if a dud is the conductor, the orchestra would go on playing and no one would miss the dud.

Mahathir’s assertion is that the Malay as a race is inferior to the other race and needs protection forever. After 4 decades of NEP and the continuation of affirmative policies, priority in education and economic opportunities, are the Malays still inferior to the other races? If this is the truth, then God helps the Malays. I really dunno what to say.

This assumption of Malays as inferior needs to be proven or rebutted. Even on a general basis it may appear so if the Malay poor is highlighted as an example. But there are poor in other races as well. Among the Malays there are many very able and brilliant people that are as good as the other races. And if there is a good core of talented Malay leaders, and with political dominance, absolute majority as a race, and control of the country, there is no way for the Malays in Malaysia to be marginalized. The Malay elite in Malaysia are in control of everything to ensure their continuous rule of the country and a bigger share of everything.

Mahathir is just stroking the fear of the unthinking masses to go against Najib in particular and the non Malays in general. Mahathir has never changed in playing racial and religious cards to divide the people of Malaysia. How many will believe in this latest claim by Mahathir? How many would believe the Malay majority in Malaysia will suffer the ‘fate of Singapore Malays’? Presumably the Malays in Singapore are in a worse off state than the Malaysian Malays. Compare apple to apple, put a Singapore Malay elite next to a Malaysian Malay elite and see the difference. Who is the better half, excluding state given largesse.