One needs self-confidence to eschew racism
MalaysiaKini.com
Oct 22, 2014

YOURSAY ‘It may help as any sort of laughing would be good for Malaysians.’

The racist in you

Luke: In order to approach things with a sense of humour, one has to have the self-confidence to not think that he have been victimised by everyone else. The problem, I think, is a serious lack of self-confidence in one's religion, culture, etc, hence easily felt threatened by politicians’ claims that their religion and culture is under siege.

Have confidence that your culture and religion is strong enough to take care of itself, only then can you can free your mind to see the bigger picture.

The Analyser: I agree totally with you. KiniTV journalist Zikri Kamarulzaman. On the whole Malaysians are so racist they aren't aware of how racist they are. But I disagree that the way to approach the problem is to laugh it off. Though that might partly help as any sort of laughing would be good for Malaysians.

Malaysian racism is mostly not overt like Russell Peters making jokes at his own expense. Malaysians simply do not make jokes about themselves. Nor is it generally overt like burning shops, but vandalising religious buildings and distributing various animal heads is a good start. Malaysian racism is much more insidious, and more evil. Discrimination is so deeply entrenched in granting scholarships, placements in universities, appointing personnel, etc, etc.

To expose the roots of racism you need to look to the parents of this country, because that's where children learn their ethics. When the parent are so insecure that they adopt the delusion that they are better than everyone else, then racism is a foregone conclusion.

Haveagreatday: To thy own self, be true! I have tried to keep to the spirit of that exhortation as I engage the connected world. Yes, if only each of us try to keep in the racist in us as we look at the political scenario in our country, perhaps, just perhaps our public discourse will be better, kinder and less venom filled!

Baiyuensheng: Zikri, you are partially right. But the moderates like you are rare among the Malays - the non-Malays cannot hear you guys clear and loud. Rightly or wrongly, they are brought up with this ketuanan Melayu mentality since birth.

You mentioned that you understand what nons have gone through and still going through - but the thing is you really don’t. If the nons’ racial vibes from an arm-chair hiding behind social media is racist, then what about our racist leaders and extremist NGOs spilling racist vile against us nons in public with impunity?

Even the policies implemented are racist and race-based policies geared toward a section of the populace and are institutionalised. Laws are selectively used. These I presume to you are not racist but we are? When you throw your religion and race at us, we sit back and take it? Let’s face it, racism is embedded in the constitutions and the execution based on apartheid race-based quota policies makes it worse than Satan's works.

Sax5lek: To be honest and frank, I do not want my child to mix with other races. Why? The experiences me and wife gained from the work place, dealing with people... there is no sincerity in the relationship! Even with my own race, there are so many "bad" people and I have to be very careful as well who my kid mixes with!

Hope234: The non-Malays must say, 'Enough is enough', just as Anwar Ibrahim had declared in one of his ceramah.

Fair Play: Forget about the details and anecdotes that each of us would experience in our daily life. Just take a look at the broader picture. After 57 years of independence, all we have to show is that the various communities are as 'racist' and 'divided' as ever.

Are we heading towards the 'bottom' not only in education and economic development but in everything else that is important to Malaysia and all things Malaysians? And what is the point of playing the blame game when, at the end of it, we will all go down together?

Fair&Just: Whatever it is, after decades of abuses, sin mongering, dark evil dishonest deeds and corruption, we should just let the forces of nature, universe and even divine epiphanies decide - for better or for worse. The ends shall be fair and just.

Anticonmen: It all boils down to lack of leadership. Since the seventies, the leadership lacked ability in recognising strength in diversity and managing for ALL, irrespective of race, because of low calibre.

World citizen: Yes, but perhaps you should address your comments to the Umno politicians and their proxies.

Lone_star: We are all of one race, the human race. So what is there to be racist?

Parliament needs an overhaul, say leaders

Commentable: Former deputy minister Saifuddin Abdullah, what needs a complete overhaul is the government itself, not Parliament. Just take a look at Selangor and Penang and you will know what I mean.

The fault does not lie with Parliament - it's the people in it who are running the show. The real problem is that the present government does not want the ordinary folks to pry into and be too pro-active in the law making process and the business of Parliament generally. Otherwise how to keep everybody blur so that the plundering, power abuses and corruption can continue with impunity?

The Analyser: Might I suggest that what is needed is an overhaul of parliamentarians, not Parliament. You can have all the public consultation you want, but if nobody takes any notice...

I'm intrigued. Since when has it been Parliament’s responsibility to hold public servants accountable. What is the Public Services Department for? It's certainly not their job to monitor expenditure either. Does Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong have any idea how Parliament works, or is he just another insecure man who's not prepared to delegate responsibility to the public service?

AkuMelayu-tetapi ABU jugak, Don't PlayPlay!!!: Saudara Saifuddin, the Malaysian Dewan Rakyat is made worse without the presence of good men like yourself. It was the mistake of Temerloh's voters who voted for the PAS candidate that got you out. Come GE14, this mistake will be corrected.

Senior: Overhaul? But BN wants to keep you ignorant, misinformed and disinformed. Or as Gerakan president Mah Siew Keong says, tongkat ali is needed.

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