You don’t save Malaysia by threatening Malaysians
Commentary by The Malaysian Insider
Here is a lesson from the World Cup: a coach resigns from his job when he takes responsibility for his team’s poor performance or when he feels he does not have the ability to take the team further.
Perhaps Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pic) should take the second option, because he does sound clueless about how to “save” Malaysia. He does not even have a whiff of an idea on how to pull the country back from the brink or even the honesty to say why race and religion have become so combustible in recent months.
Instead he is bleating about the possibility of another riot if racial and religious tensions are not kept in check. And playing the dangerous and irresponsible game of assigning blame to one community: non-Muslims.
It seems that every few days, one Umno politician or someone from their subsidiaries – Perkasa and Isma – is warning about a repeat of the May 13, 1969, riot which saw racial violence.
And they are doing so not because they truly care for Malaysia or for what has been built over 57 years, but because it is part of their strategy to intimidate, scare and threaten those who have stopped following them meekly like sheep.
In an interview with Umno mouthpiece, Utusan Malaysia, Muhyiddin said: “As deputy prime minister, every night before I sleep, I think about how to manage the country. Someone sent me a text message (asking) what will happen to the Malays, why is Islam being insulted and other similar issues.
“These things are definitely happening and it is worrying. We must all return to the right path. Let religion as well as our culture and customs be our strength.”
He said Malaysians must appreciate the peace they had enjoyed and cautioned them against fighting among themselves.
Sound advice. But Muhyiddin should do more than just talk, more so to a publication that has done a splendid job of stoking racial and religious strife.
It seems odd that he suggests the onset of racial riots given that the “individuals” and “groups” that have had their Constitutional rights taken away or restricted are still seeking redress through the system.
