http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/litee/sideviews/article/race-and-malaysian-ex\
ceptionalism-clive-kessler/

Race and Malaysian 'exceptionalism' - Clive Kessler
January 27, 2012

JAN 27 - "The world has admitted that multiracial Malaysia grew faster than
other developing nations that did not have the problem of race to consider,"
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has recently remarked ("Dr M: Scrapping race-based
policies will lead to chaos",The Malaysian Insider, January 26).

Yet most nations and national communities these days are culturally
pluralistic, not monolithic. Those, such as Japan, that are largely
homogeneous are the exceptions, not the norm.

So, on the claimed grounds of its diversity, Malaysia is no exception.

If Malaysia is exceptional, it is not because - like so many other modern
nations - it is culturally pluralistic and socially diverse but because
official government policy has been erected upon the idea that such
diversity is not simply ineradicable but both abnormal and dangerous.

Government in Malaysia stands upon the "enshrining" of the idea of the
fundamental, inescapable and eternal political salience of that diversity -
and, however benign the intentions of its greatest statesmen may be, upon
its necessarily "sectional" and hence ultimately divisive official
management.

If Malaysia has a "race problem" it is not because of a malign historical
fate but because Malaysian governments have offered and justified themselves
over the years since independence as the authoritative manager of racial
divisions and antagonisms.

The Malaysian government has always presented itself as the wise manager,
and as the sole available broker and arbiter, of a basic dichotomy which it
says it wishes to overcome but upon which, and upon whose continuing power,
it remains dependent.

That is its political basis and rationale.

This idea of the fundamental nature of such cultural differences and of
their inescapably conflictual character has been established and elevated as
the "ultimate political truth." It is the central doctrine, or credo, of the
reigning "national political theology."

Malaysia, as it is now established and has been managed, especially since
1970, rests upon, presumes and requires that particular form of "racial"
difference, separation and antagonism which the government yet continually
pleads it wishes to overcome.

A strange, contradictory, even silly idea, really.

It is a silly idea precisely because it is contradictory - and no coherent,
sustainable policy may be built upon an evident contradiction.

But where would BN be without it?

The question answers itself.

Yes, Malaysia does have an unusual "racial" problem.

Malaysia's is decidedly a "racial" problem - provided one recognises, as
modern social theory does, that "race" denotes not mundane cultural
diversity and social pluralism themselves but their antagonistic political,
ideological and doctrinal "sanctification" as the ultimate or core human
reality.

To see that human diversity as irreconcilable, and as the basis of
inevitable antagonism rather than as a source of creativity and engagement
and hope, is a political choice.

It is a fact, or the dubious gift, not of insuperable past events but of
contemporary and continuing human choice, of ideological and political
preferences.

* Clive Kessler is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at the
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
____

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187572

Mahathir, who is to blame if not you?
8:13AM Jan 27, 2012

YOURSAY 'If he is saying disparity of income exists despite 40 years of NEP,
who else but the doctor should be held accountable?'

Dr M: Scrapping raced-based policies will lead to riots
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187551

Cala: Blame yourself, former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad. After 40 years of NEP
(New Economic Policy) under the thumbs of the Umno-led BN regime, the doctor
is saying that he has not done enough to help out the Malays as he claims
that the dismantling of such policies would lead to racial riots.

The question one needs to ask is: Have not the Malays made great strides in
gaining admission to tertiary education, employed as professionals in
various fields, dominating the civil service and securing sizable government
contracts (even if many did not go through bidding processes)?

If Mahathir is saying disparity of income exists despite NEP, who else but
the doctor should be held accountable?

Hang Babeuf: If these remarks do not amount to a 'blanket' endorsement and
justification, in advance, of any and all intimidation and violence by those
who imagine themselves aggrieved, then I do not know what would.

Those who lend themselves to the unconditional advance exculpation of those
who would inflict mayhem upon their fellow citizens should be ready to take
responsibility for the implications of their words and for the consequences
of their actions.

Statesmanship? I think not.

Jiminy Qrikert: This senile ex-PM is lost in a time-warp created by his own
desire to still influence the politics of Malaysia and his greed to keep his
fingers in the pie.

The only great divide that exists now is between the BN elites and the rest
of the rakyat. Indians face the same great divide between the MIC elites and
the poor masses, who are willing to continue to be enslaved by BN for a
pittance dished out at election time.

The Malays have a huge growing middle-class, but the poor Malay masses are
growing faster than the NEP can spoon feed them.

The small Chinese divide is slowly but surely disappearing because the
middle-class are leaving the country in droves.

The poor Chinese and the remaining middle-class ones left behind are too few
in number to want to riot with anyone, let alone the Malays who outnumber
them by three to one, not to mention that the Armed Forces are also
predominantly Malay and will readily take sides.

So, who the hell wants to riot?
2party: People have forgotten about race, but this old ruthless man keep on
reminding, instigating and stirring the racial feelings of the rakyat
against one another.

As shown in the Bersih 2.0 rally, people of all races have already come
together to protest against electoral corruption. Yet, this racist par
excellence keep on harping about riots and instilling fear.

There is no basis for his comment. He just wants to create fear to maintain
status quo for Umno.

Free & Fair Election: "A lot of Malay students gained entry into
universities not because of their academic achievements," said Mahathir.

Now you are telling the Malays they aren't what they are based on their own
merit? It's a very sad truth to tell a child who has grown to be a man that
he only look clever because his father has been making him think he is
clever.

In fact, he would be nobody if not for the father. Not too far south of
Malaysia, their cousins never felt incompetent when it came to doing a task.
The reason Malay Malaysians cannot handle challenging task is because they
have been spoon fed all their lives.

I see no reason why Malay Malaysians cannot be like those from the
neighbouring country. It's tough, but that's the way life is. You cannot be
living in an illusion all your life. Wake up.

Onyourtoes: Mahathir, perhaps the affirmative programmes are still needed.
But look at the implementation.

My concern is not giving privileges to bumis for university admission or for
award of government contracts.

My concern is unqualified bumi are allowed to pass their examinations and
they are now holding all kinds of positions of importance in the government,
GLCS (government-linked companies) and the private sector, and many are
doing a poor job.

So too are government contracts. We know most government contracts are
executed poorly -either the price is too high or the job shabbily done.

Bumi students must re-sit exam again and again till they are deemed fit to
pass. We cannot lower the standards just to allow them to pass.

I think the adverse ramification of unqualified people holding important
positions is beginning to show in this country. You claimed you are not
racist; well, I am not racist too when I am telling you this.

JBGUY: With people like this racist ex-PM, we will surely face riots if
race-based policies were to be eradicated.

While most Malaysians are working hard to eradicate racial polarisation, we
have politicians and ex-politicians who have milked this country dry,
wanting race-based policies to remain so that they can continue their
atrocities.

This small group is prepared to even go against Islamic teachings on
fairness and justice. If only Dr M had remained ostracised - Tuanku Abdul
Rahman saw him for who he was - Malaysia would have become heaven on earth.

Anonymous_4182: Malaysia now needs a new NEP - a policy to transfer the
wealth of rich Malays to poor Malays.

This is difficult because the rich Malays are in power, thus the lawmakers.
No one will pass a law to make themselves poorer.

IamMsian: With a strong two-party system, multiracial appointments at all
levels of private and public institutions based on transparency,
meritocracy, with checks and balances in the executive, judiciary and the
monarchy, there will be no chaos and riots.

Bob Teoh: To begin with, Mahathir is no economist hence the failure of all
his economic policies from NEP to heavy industries.

Mahathir is simply a racist. In his address to one of the Umno assemblies
before stepping down, his speech 'Melayu mudah lupa' speaks eloquently of
the failure of the NEP.

It is unfortunate in his twilight years he has to defend his failed
policies. The sooner we put an end to Mahathirism, the better for both
Malays and non-Malays alike.
____

Don't Exploit Race, Religion And Raja Melayu Against DAP
http://www.malaysianmirror.com/media-buzz-detail/136-letters-to-the-editor/56391\
-dont-exploit-race-religion-and-raja-melayu-against-dap
____

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=26977:tak\
e-a-look-in-the-mirror-has-umno-ever-kept-its-promises?&Itemid=2

Take a look in the mirror: Has Umno ever kept its promises?
Moaz Nair, Malaysia Chronicle Friday, 27 January 2012 00:42

For the past six decades UMNO and Barisan Nasional (BN) have failed to
uplift the standard of living among all the marginalised ethnic groups in
the country and this includes the Indians, Malays, Chinese and the
Indigenous. The gulf of disparity between the rich and the poor is
ceaselessly widening. This poverty gap has made many poor Malaysians become
tangential to the national economic pie.

About 70 percent of ethnic Indians in the country are in the poor or
hardcore-poor cohort but receives the least attention from the UMNO-led
government, as the poor Indians do not have much political clout in a
country of about 28.5 million people. UMNO-friendly political parties
representing the minority Indians in BN have not achieved much in trying to
help this marginalised group of Indians.

They may have enriched a few cronies among them for the past six decades but
the downtrodden among the Indians are left to live on crumbs. The norm has
always been that Barisan Nasional (BN) with UMNO as its backbone party would
make ostentatious promises before elections to help the marginalised
Indians. All these syrupy promises would, more often than not, conk out
just after the elections.

Bullying tactics

Those political parties in BN and other Indian-based political parties
friendly to BN espoused to help the poor Indians would be quietened down by
UMNO with all the 'bullying' tactics. Nevertheless, UMNO leaders have never
been short of grandiose rhetorical phrases to 'mesmerise' the timorous and
poor ethnic Indians:

"In view of the low level of corporate equity ownership among Indians,
attention will be given to increase their participation during the OPP3
period."

"Efforts will thus be undertaken to increase Indian equity ownership to 3
per cent by 2010."

" At the same time, a study to review the status of the Indian participation
in the economy will be undertaken to formulate 'appropriate strategies and
programmes' to help the Indians."

"A 'high-powered' task committee will be formed, headed by MIC President, to
find out the plights of the Indian community."

"More allocations will be given to uplift the standard of living of Indians
in the country."

"RM200 million will be allocated to assist poor students to continue with
their education."

"Najib came out with a statement asking Tamil educationist to come out with
a blueprint on how to take Tamil schools forward."

"Najib vows to address Indian 'legacy issues'."

These are only a few of the many superfluous and flamboyant rhetorical
phrases used to lull the poor ethnic Indians. All these gimmicks, however,
have remained rhetorical and hollow in substance. Nothing much has got off
the ground since the country's independence to sincerely help the poor
Indians and they have not benefitted much from any of these bare promises.
In fact, not even 2 percent of the poor ethnic Indians have benefited from
all these 'grand plans' for them. These are mere political publicity stunt
to dupe the poor Indians. It has only given the poor Indians in the country
a false hope in life.

Favours a single ethnic group

Malaysia's affirmative social and economic policies favour a single ethnic
group more than the poor among other races. The poor Indians, Chinese and
the Indigenous are far left behind since the implementation of the NEP (New
Economic Policy) in 1971 even when a prong of the economic policy clearly
indicates that the eradication of poverty is irrespective of race.
Apparently, poor ethnic Indians are among the most neglected since the
implementation of the NEP.

The Indian community is still trapped in the trough of poverty when the NEP
was not extended to help those in the estates and those displaced after the
estates were taken over for development. While the NEP helped the Malays and
the Indigenous out of poverty and managed to create a group of middle class
among them, it obviously ignored the needs of the displaced poor ethnic
Indians. In reality, this composite of Indians are as poor as the Malays and
the Indigenous, if not more. The failure of the NEP to support the Indians
below the poverty line has attributed to the community being marginalised
until today. MIC and other Indian leaders politically aligned to UMNO have
done little to resolve the problem of poverty among ethnic Indians despite
helming the nation under the former Alliance and later the BN coalition for
almost six decades.

About 20 percent of ethnic Indian families are earning a meagre RM 516 and
below per month. Another 20 percent earn less than RM1000 and below per
month. Ninety percent of this ethnic group do not own any land or shelter
of their own. Many in the urban areas live in squalid slums and they form 60
percent of urban squatters. They are among those having the lowest per
capita income - earning only about 8 percent of the national average.

Discriminated against

When plantation lands were developed into other viable projects after the
nation's independence this had resulted in the plantation workers being
displaced and forced to become squatters in urban areas. With no proper
education and financial means, they left for the urban areas in search of a
new life. They lived in squatter colonies that were gradually demolished to
make way for development with no or little alternative housing for them.
Depriving of everything from income and permanent shelter they have become
urban 'nomads' who are continuously being forced to live under squalid
conditions and constantly being evicted or harassed by the authorities.

Thirty percent of them are squatters or live on TOL (Temporary Occupation
Licence Land). Poverty has made their life acutely miserable. Suicides
became too common among desperate parents and the meagre bread winners among
them. Poverty has forced many of these poor Indians to commit suicide and 40
percent of all suicide cases in the country involve poor Indians. The
majority of orphanages and old folks homes are also filled up with members
of this minority ethnic Indian community.

Education opportunities for this community has been decreasing since. Only
about 1 percent of intakes by government education institutes in the country
and opportunities overseas funded by the government are allocated for ethnic
Indians. There was a 10 percent quota for ethnic Indians before 1970 and
this was reduced to about 5 percent in the 80s and further reduced to less
than 3 percent in the past decade. The so-called 'meritocracy' system
introduced in 2004 shrivelled the percentage of ethnic Indians' opportunity
for tertiary education.

The double-standard examinations used for university entrance -
matriculation and STPM - deprived many ethnic Indians making it to tertiary
education in government universities and the chances of getting scholarships
for overseas' education. The poor ethnic Indians were those who were
affected most because of this politically twisted system. The poor Indians
are naturally discriminated against by a lopsided education system.

Low sense of worth

The over 500 Tamil schools in the country is no remedy to the plight of this
ethnic group. Most of this schools are dilapidated and not fully-aided
government schools. Over 80 percent of ethnic Indian children end up
becoming dropouts at the primary school level, when they enter secondary
schools and before they have finished 11 years of education. They are
ill-equipped with literacy skills to cope with studies beyond the elementary
stage. Access to even the lowest level skills training Institutions are
deprived for this community resulting in most of them remaining unemployed
or unskilled workers

After about six decades years of independence, there are thousands of ethnic
minority Indians left being undocumented - without birth certificates,
identity cards or marriage certificates. This has deprived them of even
basic education. Without these legal documents they cannot go to school,
obtain licences to do business or secure employment.

Indian participation in the civil service has been reduced to less than 2
percent in 2010. Seventy percent (70%) of ethnic Indians have been doomed
into becoming labourers, IMG (Industrial Manual Group workers, office boys,
security guards, public toilet cleaners, general workers and road sweepers.
Sixty percent (60%) of ethnic Indians are lower income earners and 85
percent of Indian workers in the manufacturing sector are low level workers.
Sixty percent (65%) of Malaysian Indians work as plantation or urban
underpaid labourers

Despair, poverty and lack of opportunities and UMNO-led BN lopsided policies
have led to high Indian involvement in crime arising out of poverty.
beggars, squatters, criminals and gangsters. A significant number of Indian
youth have become social delinquents due to their low sense of worth.

Beyond that, ethnic Indians have been deprived of business licenses permits,
business loans and opportunities for small businesses or commercial licenses
for them to run businesses - resulting in less than 1 percent Indian
participation in the country's economic wealth.

Justice for all

UMNO-led BN have been promising the poor ethnic Indians heaven when they
cannot even deliver scraps to them.Disappointingly, the government has not
kept to their promises. The poor Indians are still languishing in poverty
with not much hope in sight for a better life under the present government.

UMNO-led BN has failed to honour their 'gracious pledge' to help the poor
Indians but have craftily made use of their hollow rhetoric to win votes and
stay in power. A few ringgit doled out to the poor just before elections is
not going to bring votes to UMNO or BN. What's more, the poor on their part
are not too ambitious to become filthy rich. Neither are they interested in
going for a multi-thousand ringgit shopping spree or spending nights in posh
hotels at the expense of tax-payers' money. They are only seeking for the
basic needs in life - food on the table, education for their children, a
reasonable income to make ends meet and a decent shelter to live in.

In this country of opportunity not only the poor Indians who are
marginalised. The poor Malays, Chinese and the Indigenous of this country -
who have by design or default made this country their home - are equally
been marginalised under the UMNO-led BN government. A responsible government
has to see the rights and positions of all citizens irrespective of race,
creed or religion honoured. This is clearly ordained in the constitution.

Since those who are marginalised are not confined to one community alone, it
is time for every Malaysian to rise above racial politics, thrust aside
racial parties, liberate this nation from endemic corruption and injustice
at every level and cherish together for a Malaysia where the people can
perceive themselves as less Malay, Chinese, Indian or Indigenous. The people
should long for a government that is 'colour blind' - that helps all the
poor irrespective of their race, creed or religion.

The voting pattern will swing when there are ethnic groups that are deprived
of these basic needs and have come to understand that they are being
discriminated against. Mere rhetoric and promises to win elections are not
going to influence the enlightened poor to vote for the incumbent
government. The voting trend will definitely change in the coming general
election.

Malaysia Chronicle