Who are the bullies and who are the bullied?
Koon Yew Yin, Free Malaysia Today
Not satisfied with labelling the non-Malays, especially Chinese, as “intruders” brought over by the British to oppress the Malays, Isma is now putting forward the argument that Malays have been subjected to bullying by non-Malays since the colonial period and that the bullying continues today.
“Who are the bullied and who are the bullies” is a question asked by Mohd Zul Fahmi, a self annointed analyst of the country’s history and constitution who, just like his Isma colleague, Abdullah Zaik Abd. Rahman, is blaming all the ills of the country and the problems of the Malay/Muslim community on the non-Malays.
Many Malaysians, whilst disagreeing with Isma’s view of the Malays as the oppressed in Malaysia today, will agree that the question of who are the bullies in Malaysia and who are to be blamed for all the problems of the Malays and other communities is a reasonable and pertinent question to examine in depth.
But instead of answering this question based on Isma’s potted and racist interpretation of Malaysian history and the biased opinions of Isma and its members, I would like to suggest that a proper survey and study of the topic be conducted by a reputable and independent survey research or academic organization.
Coverage of Proposed Survey and Study
The survey can cover feedback from all the communities, Malay and non-Malay. Besides posing the question to the public on whether the phenomenon of racial bullying exists as Isma has described it and who is bullying whom if racial bullying is indeed taking place, the survey can also cover other charges made by Isma, such as alleged non-Malay and non-Muslim responsibility for the problems of the Malay community as they are to be found today.
The survey can also cover the claim made a blog article by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad that the Chinese (and Indians) are the real masters of the country. He wrote: “Because they (the Malays) are willing to share their country with other races, the race from the older civilisation of more than 4,000 years and who are more successful, as such today whatever they have now is also being taken away from them.”
This allegation and similar comments made by Mahathir are an important source of inspiration to ultra-nationalist and extremist forces and are partly responsible for many of the unfounded opinions circulated by Isma and similar groups and individuals on how the rights and privileges of the Malay community have been usurped by the immigrant communities and how badly they are presently doing.
Our former national leader has since modified his position by emphasising that, despite the surfeit of policies and opportunities provided to Malays, they still remain retarded in their socio-economic standing due to laziness, lack of honesty and other bad habits. This hard hitting view has only reinforced racial stereotypes on both sides of the racial divide and should not go unchallenged. The study should ask ask respondents whether they are in agreement or otherwise with this damning analysis of the Malay community and what policies are necessary to change such a mindset, if it indeed exists and is peculiar to the community.
Meanwhile the allegation that the non-Malays are the real owners and master of the country and that the Malays have been bullied and persecuted to the extent that they need more special protection has also been taken to a new level with religion being brought into the picture. New groups such as proxies of Jewish Zionist evangelists and other agents of foreign powers are alleged to be interfering in the country’s domestic affairs.
It is possible that Isma’s witch hunt aimed at rallying the Malay and Muslim community to stand firm against those intent on burying Islam and “want the Malay race to be in their control, want to see us insulted as our religion is raped, the dignity of our race trampled on and our country pawned to the point we cannot do anything” may end in tragic violence if nothing is done to refute them or persuade them otherwise.
