etrayed Sabah and Sarawak have no other way but to seek independence, claim activists, due to current trajectory of Malay supremacy

Joint Press Statement 

14th December 2024 

Borneo Human Rights Activists Call for Self-Determinations Amid Rising Malay Supremacy"..... 

The claim by the former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and several Perikatan National leaders that have banded together to oppose a "common enemy" of the Malays refers. 

https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/12/12/dr-m-pn-leaders-band-together-to-face-common-enemy-of-malays/

As Borneo human rights activists advocating for equality and justice, we are deeply troubled by Malaysia’s alarming rapid drift towards Malay supremacy and extreme racial religion policies. These ideologies not only contradict the Federal Constitution but also betray the original spirit of unity and mutual respect that led to the formation of a secular Malaysia in 1963.

Not long ago, Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak issued a statement in principle that "political exploitation of race and religion threatens national unity and must be swiftly contained". 

But the recent escalation of racial and religious extremism, coupled with explicit threat against blatant disregard for the rights and aspirations of Sabah and Sarawak, forces us to confront an uncomfortable question: Does it still benefit Sabah and Sarawak to remain as part of Malaysia?

1. Betrayal of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63)

When Sabah and Sarawak agreed to form Malaysia alongside Malaya and Singapore in 1963, it was under a promise of equality and mutual respect. The Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63, if valid) guaranteed autonomy for Sabah and Sarawak, including control over our resources, religion, and education. However, over the decades, these promises have been systematically eroded.

Instead of fulfilling the commitments of MA63, the federal government has prioritized Malay supremacy and policies that marginalize the ethnic Bornean tribes and Chinese communities who form the majority in East Malaysia. This is a betrayal of the founding principles upon which Malaysia was built.

2. The Reality of Malay Supremacy

Malay-Islamic supremacy has become the dominant ideology in Peninsular Malaysia, dictating policies and governance. This ideology excludes not only non-Malays but also the native tribes of Sabah and Sarawak. Our people face systemic neglect, underdevelopment, and lack of representation, despite contributing significantly to the nation’s wealth through oil, gas, and other natural resources.

The extreme racial and religious policies instituted by the New Economic Policy since 1970 being pursued in Peninsular Malaysia are in direct conflict with the multicultural and inclusive ethos of Sabah and Sarawak. These policies not only alienate us but also threaten the unity and diversity that Malaysia was meant to represent.

3. Pulling Out as a Viable Option

Given this reality, the best decision for Sabah and Sarawak may be to reassess our position within Malaysia. The ongoing marginalization of our people and the federal government’s refusal to honor MA63 makes it clear that East Malaysia’s future may be better served outside the federation.

An independent Sabah and Sarawak could focus on uplifting the ethnic Bornean tribes and Chinese communities who have long been sidelined. We could build a nation based on fairness, inclusivity, and mutual respect—values that have been steadily eroded within Malaysia.

4. East Malaysia’s Diversity as a Strength

Sabah and Sarawak are home to a rich diversity of ethnic groups of Orang Asal and Chinese. Unlike Peninsular Malaysia, where racial and religious divisions dominate, East Malaysia has a history of coexistence, toleration, respect and harmony among its communities.

Our strength lies in this diversity, and we must protect it from the toxic ideologies of Malay supremacy and religious extremism. Pulling out from Malaysia would allow us to preserve our unique identity and chart a future that prioritizes equality, development, and justice for all.

5. A Call for Self-Determination

The time has come for Sabah and Sarawak to seriously consider their options. Remaining part of Malaysia under the current trajectory of Malay supremacy and racial extremism is no longer viable. Our people deserve better than being treated as second-class citizens in a federation that was meant to be a partnership of equals.

We must explore the possibility of self-determination and independence, ensuring that the voices and aspirations of the ethnic Bornean tribes and Chinese communities are heard and respected.

6. Protecting the Spirit of Unity and Justice

Malaysia’s move toward Malay supremacy is a direct threat to the harmony and justice envisioned in MA63. If the federal government continues to ignore the legitimate concerns of Sabah and Sarawak, the only logical path forward is to withdraw from Malaysia and reclaim our autonomy.

Conclusion

As  human rights activists, we firmly believe that Sabah and Sarawak have the right to decide their own future. The growing extremism and racism in Malaysia leave us with little choice but to consider independence. Let us work together to build a future where all communities—Bornean tribes, Chinese, and others—can thrive in equality and harmony, free from the toxic ideologies that plague Peninsular Malaysia.

Daniel John Jambun

President Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo) 

Robert Pei President Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ)

Peter John Jaban

Publicity and Information Chief Sarawak Association for Peoples Aspirations (SAPA) 

William Watson Persatuan Etnik Dayak Asal Sarawak (PEDAS)

Jovilis Majami President Persatuan Pembangunan Sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN)

Waynin Setimin

President Persatuan Prihatin Mualaf Sabah.

Alim GA Mideh

Bulang Birieh Dayak Civil Movement Sarawak 

Ricky Ganang

Penasihat Forum Adat Dataran Tanah Tinggi Borneo (FORMADAT)

Cleftus Stephen Mojingol President Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS)

Versi Bahasa Malaysia.

Kenyataan Media Bersama

14 Disember 2024

Aktivis Hak Asasi Manusia Borneo Menyeru Penentuan Nasib Sendiri di Tengah-Tengah Kebangkitan Ketuanan Melayu

Kenyataan yang dibuat oleh bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan beberapa pemimpin Perikatan Nasional yang bersekutu untuk menentang "musuh bersama" orang Melayu adalah sangat membimbangkan.

Sebagai aktivis hak asasi manusia Borneo yang memperjuangkan kesaksamaan, kami amat prihatin terhadap peralihan Malaysia yang semakin menjurus ke arah ketuanan Melayu dan dasar perkauman yang ekstrem. Ideologi ini bukan sahaja bertentangan dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan, tetapi juga mengkhianati semangat perpaduan dan saling hormat-menghormati yang menjadi asas pembentukan Malaysia pada tahun 1963.

Baru-baru ini, Sultan Nazrin Shah dari Perak telah mengeluarkan kenyataan yang menegaskan bahawa "eksploitasi politik berasaskan kaum dan agama mengancam perpaduan nasional dan mesti dibendung segera". Namun, peningkatan ekstremisme kaum dan agama, disertai dengan pengabaian hak dan aspirasi Sabah dan Sarawak, memaksa kita untuk bertanya: Adakah Sabah dan Sarawak masih mendapat manfaat dengan terus kekal dalam Malaysia?

1. Pengkhianatan terhadap Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63)

Apabila Sabah dan Sarawak bersetuju membentuk Malaysia bersama Malaya dan Singapura pada tahun 1963, ia dibuat dengan janji kesaksamaan dan penghormatan bersama. Perjanjian Malaysia 1963 (MA63) menjamin autonomi Sabah dan Sarawak, termasuk kawalan terhadap sumber, agama, dan pendidikan. Namun, janji-janji ini telah dikhianati secara sistematik selama beberapa dekad.

Sebaliknya, kerajaan persekutuan telah mengutamakan ketuanan Melayu dan dasar-dasar yang meminggirkan suku kaum asal Borneo dan komuniti Cina yang merupakan majoriti di Malaysia Timur. Ini adalah pengkhianatan terhadap prinsip-prinsip asas pembentukan Malaysia.

2. Realiti Ketuanan Melayu

Ketuanan Melayu kini menjadi ideologi dominan di Semenanjung Malaysia, yang mempengaruhi dasar dan pentadbiran. Ideologi ini bukan sahaja mengecualikan kaum bukan Melayu, tetapi juga suku kaum asal Sabah dan Sarawak. Rakyat kita menghadapi pengabaian sistemik, kurang pembangunan, dan kekurangan wakil yang mencukupi, walaupun menyumbang secara signifikan kepada kekayaan negara melalui sumber minyak, gas, dan hasil bumi lain.

Dasar perkauman dan keagamaan yang ekstrem di Semenanjung Malaysia bertentangan secara langsung dengan nilai-nilai inklusif dan pelbagai budaya di Sabah dan Sarawak. Dasar ini bukan sahaja mengasingkan kita tetapi juga mengancam perpaduan dan kepelbagaian yang sepatutnya menjadi teras Malaysia.

3. Menarik Diri sebagai Pilihan yang Wajar

Melihat kepada realiti ini, pilihan terbaik bagi Sabah dan Sarawak mungkin adalah menilai semula kedudukan kita dalam Malaysia. Peminggiran yang berterusan terhadap rakyat kita dan keengganan kerajaan persekutuan untuk memenuhi janji-janji MA63 menunjukkan bahawa masa depan Malaysia Timur mungkin lebih cerah di luar persekutuan.

Sabah dan Sarawak yang merdeka boleh memberi tumpuan kepada meningkatkan taraf hidup suku kaum asal Borneo dan komuniti Cina yang telah lama dipinggirkan. Kita boleh membina sebuah negara yang berasaskan keadilan, keterangkuman, dan penghormatan bersama—nilai-nilai yang semakin terhakis dalam Malaysia.

4. Kepelbagaian Malaysia Timur Sebagai Kekuatan

Sabah dan Sarawak adalah rumah kepada pelbagai kumpulan etnik Orang Asal dan Cina. Tidak seperti Semenanjung Malaysia, di mana perpecahan kaum dan agama mendominasi, Malaysia Timur mempunyai sejarah hidup harmoni dan kerjasama antara komuniti.

Kekuatan kita terletak pada kepelbagaian ini, dan kita mesti melindunginya daripada ideologi toksik ketuanan Melayu dan ekstremisme. Menarik diri daripada Malaysia akan membolehkan kita mempertahankan identiti unik kita dan merangka masa depan yang mengutamakan kesaksamaan, pembangunan, dan keadilan untuk semua.

5. Seruan untuk Penentuan Nasib Sendiri

Masanya telah tiba untuk Sabah dan Sarawak mempertimbangkan pilihan mereka dengan serius. Kekal sebagai sebahagian daripada Malaysia di bawah trajektori ketuanan Melayu dan ekstremisme perkauman kini tidak lagi wajar. Rakyat kita berhak mendapat lebih baik daripada terus dilayan sebagai rakyat kelas kedua dalam sebuah persekutuan yang sepatutnya menjadi rakan setara.

Kita mesti meneroka kemungkinan penentuan nasib sendiri dan kemerdekaan, memastikan suara dan aspirasi suku kaum asal Borneo dan komuniti Cina didengar dan dihormati.

6. Melindungi Semangat Perpaduan dan Keadilan

Peralihan Malaysia ke arah ketuanan Melayu adalah ancaman langsung kepada keharmonian dan keadilan yang diimpikan dalam MA63. Jika kerajaan persekutuan terus mengabaikan kebimbangan sah Sabah dan Sarawak, jalan ke hadapan yang logik adalah menarik diri daripada Malaysia dan mendapatkan semula autonomi kita.

Kesimpulan

Sebagai aktivis hak asasi manusia, kami percaya bahawa Sabah dan Sarawak mempunyai hak untuk menentukan masa depan mereka sendiri. Peningkatan ekstremisme dan perkauman di Malaysia meninggalkan kita dengan sedikit pilihan selain mempertimbangkan kemerdekaan.

Mari kita bekerjasama untuk membina masa depan di mana semua komuniti—suku kaum asal Borneo, Cina, dan lain-lain—dapat hidup dalam kesaksamaan dan keharmonian, bebas daripada ideologi toksik yang mencemari Semenanjung Malaysia.

Daniel John Jambun

Presiden, Borneo's Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFo)

Robert Pei

Presiden, Sabah Sarawak Rights Australia New Zealand (SSRANZ)

Peter John Jaban

Ketua Publisiti dan Maklumat, Sarawak Association for Peoples Aspirations (SAPA)

William Watson

Persatuan Etnik Dayak Asal Sarawak (PEDAS)

Jovilis Majami

Presiden, Persatuan Pembangunan Sosial Komuniti Sabah (BANGUN)

Waynin Setimin

Presiden, Persatuan Prihatin Mualaf Sabah

Alim GA Mideh

Gerakan Sivil Bulang Birieh Dayak Sarawak

Ricky Ganang

Penasihat, Forum Adat Dataran Tanah Tinggi Borneo (FORMADAT)

Cleftus Stephen Mojingol

Presiden, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumpun Dayak Sabah (PKRDS)

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It's been more than six decades since Malaysian independence, yet, more than ever, some politicians continue to wield the race and religion cards to divide us.

PATHETIC and disgusting. That’s surely an understatement in describing the continuous racist slurs non-Malays have had to endure.

Using non-Malays – particularly the Christians – as bogeymen hasn’t ended, even more than six decades after independence.

The situation has probably worsened because social media has made things more evident and amplified them. Thankfully though, politicians selling venom to their target audience can no longer be a covert affair.

These chameleons used to stir the hornet’s nest of race and religion with the Malays, portraying themselves as champions of their community. And then, they have no qualms attending events at Chinese new villages, where they try to please the residents by professing to be one people. Just to add value to the “show”, even a calligraphy writing session is entertained. Next on their “tour” – get on stage, put their palms together, and greet the people in Tamil, and then do the dance bit, of course. And we bought all that, believing they portrayed the real Malaysia.

Incredibly, some are still doing the rounds. For a fresh twist, the LBGT element has even been thrown in now, and despite the charade being recorded, clarification must be issued to say otherwise. You know, I didn’t mean it.

Someone has forgotten that it isn’t only the ghosts, drunkards and LBGT community who are still awake at 11pm and need to use the toll.

These commuters include nurses, doctors, policemen, security guards, hawkers, taxi drivers, restaurant employees, firemen, factory workers, food deliverers and of course, journalists too, and we often work the infamous graveyard shift.

Scoring points and teaming up with an equally repulsive partner to create suspicion against other fellows, with fictional threats of race and religion, is just unacceptable.

While we cringe over the thought of how there are listeners who buy their hate speech, we expect these politicians to at least rise above these nauseating tactics and convince the people that they can provide better governance and deliver more than the present government.

They should prove to the people that the new government’s failings include not fulfilling its election promises, allowing the cost of living to go up and watching the ringgit’s value shrink. And to add ammunition, highlight how some ministers have even failed their probation.

That’s what a fault-finding Opposition is supposed to do – ensure check and balance, and behave like a government in-waiting, but here we have opposition Members of Parliament who can’t wait to broker a deal by defecting to the government’s side of the fence.

There’s another distateful story. It’s about an Umno MP who crossed over to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and had the gall to admit that he was doing it for the constituents.

So, we have an odd situation where opposition MPs mourned the defeat of the previous government even after almost a year, and now plot to join the new government. Not plot to topple, of course, not that again, but plot to join. Naturally, it’s in the interest of the people.

We believe you, well, some of us do. Most of us know it’s just a lie, but hey, we are in the era of malu apa ...

Then, there are the “remnants”, who probably won’t be accepted by the new government, and figure that the only way for them to get back on the gravy train is to stoke the fires of racial and religious sensitivity. You’ve got to give it to this lot, though. They are, at least, fighting back, although their methods are pretty despicable.

However, the hate speeches will likely work in some constituencies, where, like oil, it burns the minds and hearts of angry voters who are already struggling to put food on the table for their families.

Still, it’s the pits when someone like Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz resorts to claiming that having a non-Muslim Attorney General is not “lawful” since he took oath without swearing on the Quran. Nazri, of course, is bluffing, but he’s like those snake oil peddlers who will say anything to make a sale.

Nowhere in the Federal Constitution does it state that an AG needs to take an oath using the Quran. And surely, we won’t expect the likes of Nazri to concede that in the history of Malaya, there were six British AGs.

Cecil Sheridan, who died aged 88 in 2000, was the last British Attorney-General of Malaya and helped in drafting the constitution of its successor state, Malaysia.

When Malaya attained independence in 1957, Sheridan was promoted to Solicitor-General and in 1959, became the country’s Attorney-General. He also helped in the preparations for the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and in the process, worked closely with Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of Malaya, Tun Razak Hussein, its deputy Prime Minister, and Lee Kuan Yew, of Singapore.

True, the eight subsequent successors were Malays, but there’s no race and religion criteria in the appointment of the top-ranking public prosecutor of the country.

The first Lord President of Malaysia – now renamed Chief Justice – was a Scot named Tun Sir James Thompson, who assumed the post in 1963 when Malaysia was formed. He held the post until 1966.

Likewise, after independence in 1957, Malaysia's first two finance ministers were ethnic Chinese – Tun H.S. Lee and Tun Tan Siew Sin. However, from 1974 until very recently, the post had been held by Malays.

So, what we are effectively saying is that our founding fathers had no issue with the ethnicity of these important posts such as chief judge, attorney general and finance ministers. However, as six decades have worn on, we have become more degenerate, insisting on focusing on race and religion, instead of qualifications, credibility and integrity as the main criteria?

Certainly, these men, who held the loftiest positions, did well then, and many of us can accept that they didn’t collude with individuals to loot the wealth of this country and the Malays – who make up the bulk of Malaysians.

The harsh reality is that the pilfering and corruption are shamelessly executed by those claiming to fight for their race and religion. They shouldn’t blame anyone else or try to fan the flames of racial discontent to save themselves. Malaysians are tired of such perversion, so we can’t allow such incorrigible politics to proliferate in our beloved country.

One Chinese Finance Minister, a Christian Chief Justice and an Indian Attorney-General aren’t going to be able to control a country of 31 million people, where Malays and the indigenous people make up 61.7%, compared to the the shrinking Chinese (20.8%) and Indian (6.2%) population.

As for religion, according to a 2010 estimate, Muslims number most at 61.3%, Buddhists 19.8%, Christians 9.2%, Hindus 6.3% with Confucianism, Taoism and other Chinese practices at 1.3%, others 0.4%, no religion 0.8%, unspecified 1%.

As for the 1.6 million civil servants – the then-Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim told Parliament that as at December 2014, the ethnic composition of the civil service was as follows: 78.8% Malays, Bumiputera Sabah (6.1%), Bumiputera Sarawak (4.8 %), Chinese (5.2 %), Indians (4.1 %), other Bumiputera (0.3%) and others (0.7%).

As for the police force, then-Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said non-Malays only made up 5% of the 133,212-strong force.

“Of the total, 80.23% or 106,871 are Malays, while Chinese make up only 1.96% (2,615), Indians 3.16% (4,209), Punjabis 0.21% (275) and others 14.44% (19,242),” he said in replying a question by Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah (Amanah-Kuala Terengganu).

And we haven’t even counted the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Malays holding key posts in the Cabinet, and of course, the overwhelmingly Malay armed forces, numbering 420,000 personnel. It’s downright contemptible for our politicians to make fictional claims of non-Malays gaining control of the country, when the facts and figures clearly speak for themselves. For most rational Malaysians, we just want to see a clean government and civil service, which can safeguard our national interest, regardless of race and religion.

The late Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping famously said that it doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches the mice.

Our recent history has showed that our big fat cats didn’t catch the mice but ended up becoming rats themselves.

Wong Chun Wai

Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 27 years in various capacities and roles. He is now editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer.

On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.

• chunwai@thestar.com.my
• https://twitter.com/chunwai09
• http://www.wongchunwai.com/

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The persistent pipe dream: some politicians play religion and race cards ended up becoming rats themselves

Vision 2020 - A pipe dream - Aliran

It's been more than six decades since Malaysian independence, yet, more than ever, some politicians continue to wield the race and religion cards to divide us.

PATHETIC and disgusting. That’s surely an understatement in describing the continuous racist slurs non-Malays have had to endure.

Using non-Malays – particularly the Christians – as bogeymen hasn’t ended, even more than six decades after independence.

The situation has probably worsened because social media has made things more evident and amplified them. Thankfully though, politicians selling venom to their target audience can no longer be a covert affair.

These chameleons used to stir the hornet’s nest of race and religion with the Malays, portraying themselves as champions of their community. And then, they have no qualms attending events at Chinese new villages, where they try to please the residents by professing to be one people. Just to add value to the “show”, even a calligraphy writing session is entertained. Next on their “tour” – get on stage, put their palms together, and greet the people in Tamil, and then do the dance bit, of course. And we bought all that, believing they portrayed the real Malaysia.

Incredibly, some are still doing the rounds. For a fresh twist, the LBGT element has even been thrown in now, and despite the charade being recorded, clarification must be issued to say otherwise. You know, I didn’t mean it.

Someone has forgotten that it isn’t only the ghosts, drunkards and LBGT community who are still awake at 11pm and need to use the toll.

These commuters include nurses, doctors, policemen, security guards, hawkers, taxi drivers, restaurant employees, firemen, factory workers, food deliverers and of course, journalists too, and we often work the infamous graveyard shift.

Scoring points and teaming up with an equally repulsive partner to create suspicion against other fellows, with fictional threats of race and religion, is just unacceptable.

While we cringe over the thought of how there are listeners who buy their hate speech, we expect these politicians to at least rise above these nauseating tactics and convince the people that they can provide better governance and deliver more than the present government.

They should prove to the people that the new government’s failings include not fulfilling its election promises, allowing the cost of living to go up and watching the ringgit’s value shrink. And to add ammunition, highlight how some ministers have even failed their probation.

That’s what a fault-finding Opposition is supposed to do – ensure check and balance, and behave like a government in-waiting, but here we have opposition Members of Parliament who can’t wait to broker a deal by defecting to the government’s side of the fence.

There’s another distateful story. It’s about an Umno MP who crossed over to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia and had the gall to admit that he was doing it for the constituents.

So, we have an odd situation where opposition MPs mourned the defeat of the previous government even after almost a year, and now plot to join the new government. Not plot to topple, of course, not that again, but plot to join. Naturally, it’s in the interest of the people.

We believe you, well, some of us do. Most of us know it’s just a lie, but hey, we are in the era of malu apa ...

Then, there are the “remnants”, who probably won’t be accepted by the new government, and figure that the only way for them to get back on the gravy train is to stoke the fires of racial and religious sensitivity. You’ve got to give it to this lot, though. They are, at least, fighting back, although their methods are pretty despicable.

However, the hate speeches will likely work in some constituencies, where, like oil, it burns the minds and hearts of angry voters who are already struggling to put food on the table for their families.

Still, it’s the pits when someone like Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz resorts to claiming that having a non-Muslim Attorney General is not “lawful” since he took oath without swearing on the Quran. Nazri, of course, is bluffing, but he’s like those snake oil peddlers who will say anything to make a sale.

Nowhere in the Federal Constitution does it state that an AG needs to take an oath using the Quran. And surely, we won’t expect the likes of Nazri to concede that in the history of Malaya, there were six British AGs.

Cecil Sheridan, who died aged 88 in 2000, was the last British Attorney-General of Malaya and helped in drafting the constitution of its successor state, Malaysia.

When Malaya attained independence in 1957, Sheridan was promoted to Solicitor-General and in 1959, became the country’s Attorney-General. He also helped in the preparations for the formation of Malaysia in 1963 and in the process, worked closely with Tunku Abdul Rahman, the Prime Minister of Malaya, Tun Razak Hussein, its deputy Prime Minister, and Lee Kuan Yew, of Singapore.

True, the eight subsequent successors were Malays, but there’s no race and religion criteria in the appointment of the top-ranking public prosecutor of the country.

The first Lord President of Malaysia – now renamed Chief Justice – was a Scot named Tun Sir James Thompson, who assumed the post in 1963 when Malaysia was formed. He held the post until 1966.

Likewise, after independence in 1957, Malaysia's first two finance ministers were ethnic Chinese – Tun H.S. Lee and Tun Tan Siew Sin. However, from 1974 until very recently, the post had been held by Malays.

So, what we are effectively saying is that our founding fathers had no issue with the ethnicity of these important posts such as chief judge, attorney general and finance ministers. However, as six decades have worn on, we have become more degenerate, insisting on focusing on race and religion, instead of qualifications, credibility and integrity as the main criteria?

Certainly, these men, who held the loftiest positions, did well then, and many of us can accept that they didn’t collude with individuals to loot the wealth of this country and the Malays – who make up the bulk of Malaysians.

The harsh reality is that the pilfering and corruption are shamelessly executed by those claiming to fight for their race and religion. They shouldn’t blame anyone else or try to fan the flames of racial discontent to save themselves. Malaysians are tired of such perversion, so we can’t allow such incorrigible politics to proliferate in our beloved country.

One Chinese Finance Minister, a Christian Chief Justice and an Indian Attorney-General aren’t going to be able to control a country of 31 million people, where Malays and the indigenous people make up 61.7%, compared to the the shrinking Chinese (20.8%) and Indian (6.2%) population.

As for religion, according to a 2010 estimate, Muslims number most at 61.3%, Buddhists 19.8%, Christians 9.2%, Hindus 6.3% with Confucianism, Taoism and other Chinese practices at 1.3%, others 0.4%, no religion 0.8%, unspecified 1%.

As for the 1.6 million civil servants – the then-Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim told Parliament that as at December 2014, the ethnic composition of the civil service was as follows: 78.8% Malays, Bumiputera Sabah (6.1%), Bumiputera Sarawak (4.8 %), Chinese (5.2 %), Indians (4.1 %), other Bumiputera (0.3%) and others (0.7%).

As for the police force, then-Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said non-Malays only made up 5% of the 133,212-strong force.

“Of the total, 80.23% or 106,871 are Malays, while Chinese make up only 1.96% (2,615), Indians 3.16% (4,209), Punjabis 0.21% (275) and others 14.44% (19,242),” he said in replying a question by Raja Kamarul Bahrin Shah (Amanah-Kuala Terengganu).

And we haven’t even counted the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the Malays holding key posts in the Cabinet, and of course, the overwhelmingly Malay armed forces, numbering 420,000 personnel. It’s downright contemptible for our politicians to make fictional claims of non-Malays gaining control of the country, when the facts and figures clearly speak for themselves. For most rational Malaysians, we just want to see a clean government and civil service, which can safeguard our national interest, regardless of race and religion.

The late Chinese premier Deng Xiaoping famously said that it doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white, so long as it catches the mice.

Our recent history has showed that our big fat cats didn’t catch the mice but ended up becoming rats themselves.

Wong Chun Wai

Wong Chun Wai began his career as a journalist in Penang, and has served The Star for over 27 years in various capacities and roles. He is now editorial and corporate affairs adviser to the group, after having served as group managing director/chief executive officer.

On The Beat made its debut on Feb 23 1997 and Chun Wai has penned the column weekly without a break, except for the occasional press holiday when the paper was not published. In May 2011, a compilation of selected articles of On The Beat was published as a book and launched in conjunction with his 50th birthday. Chun Wai also comments on current issues in The Star.

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Malay supremacy - Ketuanan Melayu ! How to be supreme ?

"If we want to be tuan (master), we need to have knowledge, willingness to be hardworking, do things properly and not steal. Don't fellow the example of our previous prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak" said Dr. Mahathir:  
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How to be supreme!

Here’s a plea to reconsider an unpalatable term favoured by certain politicians and nationalists.

Tsk, tsk, tsk. Can our dear politicians stop fighting? That’s what they keep telling us, don’t they?

If it is a Malay politician, he is fighting for Malay rights. If it’s an Indian leader, he’s fighting for Indian rights. If it’s a Chinese bloke, he’s fighting for... You get the drift.

Instead of the aggressive and violence-laden word, “fighting”, how about they use words like “promoting”,

“protecting” or “nurturing”?

I actually like another word more: “sharing”. I wish politicians will say things like, “Let me share what the Malay community’s thoughts and concerns are so that we can address them together.”

The word “Malay” can be substituted by any of the following: Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan, Orang Asli, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, etc.

And why should it be so? Because we share this nation. It’s as simple and obvious as that.

The soil, air and water we all need to live have no boundaries when it comes to pollution, global warming and diminishing resources that affect us collectively.

Because when our economy gets bad, everyone suffers – jobs are lost, crimes increase, prices go up... You get the picture. If that happens, will fighting over community rights or racial supremacy help?

That’s why this endless debate over Malay supremacy – ketuanan Melayu – is so pointless and unne­cessary.

Why do people get all riled up whenever it comes up, the latest being our youngest Cabinet member, Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, who said on Saturday the era of ketuanan Melayu had ended under the Pakatan Harapan government?

He went on to give the assurance that this did not mean the needs of the Malay community would be sidelined but that Putrajaya now preferred to emphasise the concept of “shared prosperity” to ensure fair and equitable distribution of wealth across all races.

Somehow that was misconstrued by some quarters and Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president and Home Minister, had to step in to explain and defend his young colleague. And how was Syed Saddiq misconstrued by the likes of Majlis Belia Negeri Johor?

Well, its president Md Salleheen Mohamad was quoted as saying that Syed Saddiq needed to understand Malay supremacy in the historical context.

He added that it wasn’t about the Malays as master and the non-Malays as slaves but about the position of the Malay sultans as pillars of the nation that protect the importance of Islam, Malay customs and the Malay language.

That sounds perfectly acceptable to me. But what is perhaps not very acceptable or palatable is the use of the word “supremacy” in the context of a race or community.

Despite the assurances that it is not about master versus slave, it brings to mind things like white supremacy and the Nazi’s brand of Aryan supremacism. And surely right-thinking people would agree these are really bad things.

The poster boys for white supremacists are the Klu Klux Klan of America whose members believe that the “white race” is superior in intelligence and culture over other so-called non-white races.

Back in the 1800s to the 1950s when white supremacy was at its height during the era of European colonisation of Africa and Asia, Europeans used being white-skinned and Christian to justify slavery and taking political and economic control of people of darker skin by military and religious methods.

But how “white” is defined is fluid. Not all ethnic groups with white skin were deemed white. The Irish and Italians were not considered as such in late 19th and early 20th century America. But the US government expanded its definition of whites to include Arabs and North Africans in 1944.

America is today very multi-ethnic but the Jim Crow mentality continues and is getting a major boost under Donald Trump’s presidency. The man suspected of sending letter bombs to Barack Obama and others last week considers himself a Trump supporter and a “foot soldier” for white supremacy. He openly proclaimed his love for Adolf Hitler and ethnic cleansing.

Indeed, the most dreadful and extreme example of racial supremacy was demonstrated by the Nazis and Hitler who used it to justify his extermination of millions of Jews and other undesirables like the gypsies, blacks, gay men and the disabled.

So when some people obsess over the need for their race or community to be supreme or “above” others, it doesn’t go down well as they come across as frightening and hate-filled.

That’s why such a term, Malay supremacy, to describe the up­hol­ding of the position of the Malay rulers and Islam is wrong in our Malaysian context.

Malays, I like to believe, are not hate-fuelled, nor do they want to exterminate the non-Malays. They just want to be reassured that the non-Malays understand this is a Malay-Muslim majority nation and that it will stay that way.

As a non-Malay Malaysian, I can give that assurance. And easily so. After all, as have been pointed out repeatedly, Malays dominate the armed forces, the civil service, the Cabinet, the GLCs and in plain demographics with a healthily growing urban middle class.

With such dominance and strength, surely the Malays are in a position to be more generous-hearted and can wean themselves off the siege mentality they were brainwashed with by the previous government that did it to stay in power.

As I have said before, non-Malays are not the enemy. Corrupt, divisive leaders are. They are the ones who want to continue the British colonial tactic of divide and rule that keeps the various races “at just the right distance from each other” so that it is easy to sow fear and suspicion against each other.

So let’s not fight any more. As Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has said he did not subscribe to the ketuanan Melayu concept, puts it, what is far more important is the willingness of all the communities to share the good and the bad and work together.

Here is where the Malays can show the way. It’s called leadership, Malay leadership. - The Star So aunty, so what? June H.L. Wong

AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR ELECTED NEW GOVERNMENT PUBLIC SERVANTS

Dear PH elected public servants, 

We, the rakyat, elected a coalition called Pakatan Harapan under a single banner led by a 92 year old statesman whom we have, at least, the most trust for to save this nation. This is a MALAYSIAN mandate. Do not forget that. You are all public servants. SERVE. 

We did not elect you to squabble over posts and spoils of war.  We want a reformed nation.  Not the same politicking and sharing of spoils amongst politicians.  We do not care which party you came from. 

The nation faces 3 immediate and present dangers:

1. We have an economic catastrophe waiting to happen due to economic malfeasance over the last decade - financed by debt.

2. We have a corrupt, racialist religiously-bigoted civil administrative system to be dismantled and replaced.

3. We have today an ineffective education but instead a religious-centric education system that has been the source of extremist indoctrination of Malay-Muslim youths and populace over the last 2 decades at least. The result being, Malaysia is per capita the largest exporter of terrorist Islamic fighters in the world and sympathisers. And a large unemployable pool of graduates as product of our failed system. 

Lets be honest in our euphoria of victory that the work ahead is difficult. To be honest, the economic problems, intractable as it looks, is the easiest to solve. That I have full trust in Tun, his brilliantly assembled Council and newly minted Minister of Finance. 

The other two challenges could very well be almost impossible but if not solved will mean the utter destruction of our beloved nation. 

It will take great political-will from your leadership to make hard decisions to drag some of you, not to mention the mostly entitled ketuanan bangsa and ugama Malay-Muslim populace kicking and screaming towards reforms. 

1. We need clear separation of religion and government. Government and public funds must stay out from the business of religion and religious morality. 

2. We need to take out religious education and proselytising from the public arena. Religion must be a private matter and kept private. 

3. Our education must emphasise education not indoctrination. There is no such thing as religious education, only indoctrination. The nation's future rests in its populace being science and technology passionate. 

In conclusion, as I had mentioned before, by 2050, seven of 10 Malaysians will be Muslims. We do not reform at our peril. Do we want our nation to be another failed Muslim majority country as everyone of them is, or do we want to pioneer one that is a model Malaysia - developed, wealthy, technologically superior multi-ethnic multi-religious nation fair to all. 

We, the Malaysian rakyat will be watching and  we will be calling you to account throughout your term. Mark my word, we and I are only starting. 

We wish you all the best and before I forget - congratulations. 

Siti Kasim

A Malaysian 

Note:  No need to ask, just share if you agree.

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