Towards Greater Racial Equality: The Role of Chinese Businesses
By Just Gan
The Chinese are frequently the target of Mahathir’s racist rhetoric. Yet looking back, the Chinese, in particular Mahathir’s Chinese cronies (Vincent Tan, Lee Kim Yew, Francis Yeoh, Ting Pek King, Ling Liong Sik, Eric Chia, etc.), were the ones who created billionaires and multi-millionaires out of Mahathir, and his sons, cronies and UMNOputras.
And it was the Chinese masses who overwhelmingly supported and saved Mahathir in the 1999 GE when the Malays were abandoning him and UMNO because of what he did to Anwar.
Why did the Chinese save Mahathir and why did the Chinese rich create billionaires and multi-millionaires out of dumb corrupt UMNOputras? Firstly, greed and, secondly, to safe their (Chinese’s) economic interests, even if it meant supporting a corrupt racist dictator and his despicable evil political party.
If only the Chinese had been more concerned about democracy, justice and rule of law then, we could have got rid of Mahathir and UMNO (and its impotent partners MCA, Gerakan, MIC, etc.) more than 10 years ago and we would not be the corrupted, tainted and divided 3rd world country on the brink of bankruptcy.
Today, the Chinese masses are fully aware of what is going on. It is hoped that they will place the interests of the nation above their economic interests in this most challenging but opportune period. We hope that the Chinese will prove Mahathir wrong in his labeling of them as opportunists and racists.
Even though Mahathir’s Chinese cronies will continue to support and fund UMNO to stay in power, the economic strength and influence of the Chinese masses are far greater and can give Pakatan Rakyat the edge to defeat UMNO in the next GE.
Despite the NEP, the Chinese are still the most influential in business and economy due to their entrepreneuring spirit and business acumen. In fact, the NEP has made the Chinese even tougher and has built strong survival skills which are assets which can be used to strengthen Pakatan Rakyat’s cause and mission.
The Chinese are right to expect Pakatan Rakyat, when it forms the next federal government after GE13, to treat all Malaysians as equals. They, as the most dominant in business and entrepreneurship, must also play their part then to promote racial harmony by employing and developing people of all races and also properly partnering with Malay and other non-Chinese companies in business deals.
Why wait for GE13? Why not make a start today? The Chinese businesses in the Pakatan Rakyat states (Selangor, Penang, Kedah and Kelantan) could embark on this noble initiative today. Their actions will be worth many thousands of words and will go a long way to demonstrate to the Malays the true meaning of racial equality and the merits of a Pakatan Rakyat federal government.
The Pakatan Rakyat state governments are committed to treating all races equally on the basis of need. Shouldn’t businesses in these states, for a start in Penang, also do likewise, knowing its benefits and how it will go a long way towards winning over those Malays who are still not convinced about the merits of a just and fair Pakatan Rakyat government? The Pakatan Rakyat state governments, on their part, must continue to be fair to all the races so that they can win over the voters, regardless of race, to vote for Pakatan Rakyat in GE13.
