Race Rhetoric

“There is no restriction in law. In our constitution there is nothing to stop a Chinese or Indian from becoming a Prime Minister. What is needed is support from the majority. If the majority agrees, there is nothing we can do”

Tun Dr Mahathir, Prime Minister of Malaysia 1981-2003

This exemplary description of what is really the basic principles of democracy was uttered by our ex prime minister as a poisonous warning. He wasn’t hiding the fact that it was a warning. That was quite clear. The poisonous part however, he didn’t have to say but I’m sure most of us heard it, if not, felt it.

I can imagine the multitude of responses to this statement, from different kinds of people within different races. I don’t think each race would have responded homogenously, it just depends on the type of person you are. There would be anger, disappointment, vigorous nodding of heads and many other negative emotions. Great start to the next election campaign.

More disharmony, more conflict, more racist intonations. We have already had so many displays of racism , from educators of the next generation to the rappers (who the next generation listen to). Way to move forward, Malaysia.

Which other countries have a race restriction on their prime ministership? Can you imagine if Australia, or India came out tomorrow and said “actually only white people, or only Hindus, can be the prime minister? “. The world would laugh them off the stage. But in Malaysia, this kind of statement and rhetoric could possibly win the existing federal government their next election.

Let us go back to the last sentence “What is needed is support from the majority. If the majority agrees, there is nothing we can do”. The majority represents the rakyat. I wonder who Tun means when he says there is nothing “we” can do. Who is we? The way I look at it, if a majority votes someone in for PM, no matter what race they are, that means there are also many Malays voting them in. And if the PM is not addressing issues of concern, they can vote them out. That is all a democracy is about.

No Prime Minister of Malaysia, no matter of what origin, would be able to ignore the plain truths - The majority of the rural and urban poor, those having difficulty accessing health and education services, those suffering from preventable illnesses - these would be Malay people. This is not a Malay issue, however, it is a Malaysian one.

These are issues that deserve attention from politicians and the rakyat not because these people are Malay. Not even because they are Malaysian.

But because they are people. You do not have to be a Malay or Muslim prime minister to care about the people who are suffering or have less in the country you share with them.

I love my country in a way that words fail me. If you know me, you will know that is some serious love. And as long as BN runs the country, I will never be able to vote directly for my Prime minister, even if I joined BN! For 3 reasons – I am a woman, I am Hindu and I am not Malay. Does this make sense to anyone? If it does, please explain to me, because I am ready to try to understand.