The Sensitive Indian (2): We’re rich enough to be Post-Materialists
The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: national leaders who are members of the ruling coalition act out of the belief that non-Malays can better themselves only by kissing the hands of Malay leaders and even garlanding them; progress not through reasoning, but through obeisance.
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When the Seri Pristana incident irrupted, Kamalanathan the deputy education minister, rushed to the scene. He “investigated.” He held an instant press conference. He pronounced judgment. He gave a hand-out to the school to expand the canteen. He said “case closed.”
Kamala didn’t directly address the charge laid by the Indian mother of a pupil who attends the school: in Muslim-majority Malaysia, during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan, the canteen building and services were closed and Indian pupils were made to have their meal breaks in a shower room. [I’ve written about Seri Pristana here, hereand here.]
According to news reports, the education ministry laterordered the school headmaster (HM) to take one week’s leave. Also according to news reports, while the HM was on leave, he entered the school and took photos of non-Muslim children in the school.
Political opportunists zoomed in on the case. Noh Omar, the Umno chieftain in the state of Selangor, visited the school and spoke to the press. Umno is the Malay-rights political party which helms the Federal government. Seri Pristana however is in Selangor, a state helmed by the opposition alliance, Pakatan.
The Umno chieftain called for the parent to be charged with sedition, i.e. taking actions which could destabilize the nation. The Umno-controlled newspaper, Utusan, claimed the Selangor State police chief threatened to investigate those who propagate photos of the school’s temporary canteen.
The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: hand-outs to show government patronage and magnanimity, inviolable “Malay-rights,” and threats against those who seek to influence the national agenda.
The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: Kamala, a leader of the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), says “it’s all a misunderstanding, we’ve solved it, let’s move on.” Then Vel Paari, MIC’s Strategic Director, says it’s not over until disciplinary action is taken against the HM.
The Seri Pristana incident is so typical of what we see in Malaysia: national leaders who are members of the ruling coalition act out of the belief that non-Malays can better themselves only by kissing the hands of Malay leaders and even garlanding them; progress not through reasoning, but through obeisance.
Enlightened Indians look at such irruptions through images such as these:
Cow-head. Home minister Hishammuddin feting cow-head toting Umno men in his ministerial office.
Hand-kissing. Kamala kissing Muhyiddin’s hand.
Garlanding. MIC garlanding Najib in Batu Caves during Thaipusam.
Bum-in-your-face gyrations by retired Malay armed forces men against Ambiga Sreenivasan, a former president of the Bar Council and currently the public face of justice in Malaysia.
Irene Fernandez. For years the state hounded Irene Fernandez of Tenaganita for her expose of dreadful conditions in refugee camps in Malaysia.
The EO6. 5 of the 6 illegally detained and interrogated members of PSM (“the EO6”) were Indians, one of them a nationally and internationally celebrated doctor who also happens to be an elected Member of Parliament. [Here is one of my articles on the EO6.]
Cynthia Gabriel. The state continues to harass Cynthia Gabriel of SUARAM for her quest to find the truth, re. Scorpene and the seemingly motive-less murder of Altantuya.
Thaipusam. The government’s collusion with the MIC, demonstrated by inaction against disruptions of public order during Thaipusam. [See my piece on Thaipusam, here.]
Enlightened Indians, after acquiring so many comforts in life, are asking “Why are there so many poor Malaysian Indians?” Enlightened Indians are moving into a post-materialist life, no longer struggling for food and shelter; they are looking instead to do good to their poor neighbours.
Enlightened Indians are noticing that the educational achievements of Malaysian Indians is dismal: according to the 2000 census, a Malaysia Indian aged 25 – 34 years is 20 % less likely than a Malay to have MCE/SPM (“O-level”) certificate. See my notice of Professor Hirschman’s findings, here.
Read more at: http://write2rest.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-sensitive-indian-2-were-rich-enough.html
