One myth about Chinese Malaysians
KTemoc Konsiders
I was discussing the NEP (via comments) with some visitors at RPK’s Malaysia-Today.
But let’s leave the NEP aside for another day. In this post I just want to comment on an oft-repeated MYTH about Chinese not wanting to join the Malaysian Civil Services or Police Force or Armed Forces. And mind you, I am not referring to appointments for ranking commissioned officers in the 3 services but positions for ordinary admin clerk, our village mata-mata and non-commissioned soldiers.
This long tall tale of Chinese avoiding the civil and armed services because of poor pay (in the non-officer sections) is the BIGGEST myth or bullshit in Malaysia, perpetuated for obvious reasons.
Another long tall tale would be that the Chinese are not patriotic enough to join the military, as claimed by Ahmad Zahid when he was Defence Minister and asked in parliament on why there were too few non-Malays in his defence force.
When our policemen were killed by Filipino bandits in Sabah, Pak Kadir Jasin, an UMNO uber mediaman alluded in his quite erudite old world style of polite English but rather slyly (and not subtly) that the Chinese should join the police force, saying:
As has always been the case, when we send our policemen and soldiers into battle and are killed or injured, the chances are they are Melayus and Bumiputeras.
Perhaps there is wisdom in getting more Chinese and Indians to join the armed forces so that they too can die for one Malaysia.
That was in 2013. Sadly, it seems Pak Kadir had forgotten my reply to his article published by the Centre for Policy Initiatives (CPI) titled I wish to remain a M’sian – KTemoc replies Kadir Jasin just 3 years previously, in March 2010.
Then I mentioned about non-Malays, specifically my uncles and their Chinese and Indian friends, serving in the Malaysian Armed Forces fighting against the communist insurgents during the Emergency.
