I have no identity crisis, merely defending Islam, says Ridhuan Tee
Lee Shi-Ian, The Malaysian Insider
Controversial lecturer Dr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah has denied suggestions that he suffers from an identity crisis, insisting he has merely been defending Islam all along.
In his Sinar Harian column today, Ridhuan (pic) said he wanted the rights of the original inhabitants of Malaysia to be acknowledged.
Using a badminton analogy, the National Defence University Malaysia lecturer said: “When Datuk Lee Chong Wei meets Lin Dan, it is a good example to reveal one’s love for Malaysia.
“Both these players are Chinese, but of course we will support the Malaysian Chinese instead of the Chinese from China.”
However, Ridhuan asked whom Malaysians would support if Lee were to meet Misbun Sidek, or if Lin Dan played against Misbun or Taufik Hidayat of Indonesia.
“Therefore, there is no need to pretend to show one’s love for Malaysia, but to vote in an ultra-kiasu manner,” he said in his article entitled “Krisis Identiti dan Ultra Kiasu”.
Ridhuan was referring to comments by The Star group managing director/chief executive officer Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai in his column on May 18, in which Wong described Ridhuan’s listing of the achievements of Malays as childish.
Wong noted in his column that after the controversy sparked by Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia’s (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, Ridhuan had joined the fray.
Wong said most Malaysians were embarrassed as they preferred to see themselves as Malaysians, and at every sports event, the nation cheered for its heroes.
“When Lin Dan squares off with Lee in Kuala Lumpur, we know who to cheer for, even if both are ethnic Chinese,” Wong wrote.
“Ridhuan can think and dream like a Malay, but he is still a Chinese. The fact also remains that Ridhuan was given the name Tee Chuan Seng by his parents.
“Most of us feel sorry for him as he seems to suffer from an identity crisis problem.
“No matter how much he tries, the reality is that one cannot change one’s ethnicity; even his religion does not require him to do so,” Wong wrote.
However, Ridhuan rebutted this, saying Wong did not know him that well, and also rejected the Wong’s analogy of places of worship as a sign of national unity.
“It is clear that the columnist does not know me and did not read my article fully,” Ridhuan said.
“He used the example of a mosque next to a temple, church and Indian kuil representing national unity. This shows how shallow his thinking is.
“Even if the houses of worship are located next to each other, it does not mean that our society is living in harmony, if they do not know their history.
“What is the point of living next to each other if everyone is paranoid and suspicious. That is what is actually happening,” Ridhuan said.
