Is the Malaysian Dream Dead?
Karamjit Gill
There was a moment many years ago where we thought reforms in Malaysia was a possibility. There was a moment in time where we thought our beloved country might have a bright future. There were moments where we were made to believe that representative from the Opposition party is the only way forward. We hit the streets, we rallied behind the Opposition, we painted the town yellow, and we held our hopes high. But, as they say, the higher you climb, the greater the fall.
The Opposition promised us a cleaner nation. We started to dream big. We built castles in the air but forgot that the most important factor in an infrastructure is the base. We planned for a glittering roof forgetting to look down to see if the groundwork was solid. In a blink of an eye, everything came crumbling down. Our hopes and dreams are shattering. The Malaysian dream of a better nation is vanishing.
The formation of Tun Dr. Mahathir’s Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia has given the common Malaysian a rude wake-up call. We were hoping for equality. We were looking forward to a transparent government. However, Mahathir has taken ethnic cleansing to a whole new different level. Non-Malays can be associate members of their political party, but we have no voting rights and cannot hold any position. This is exactly what Mahathir did during his tenure. He is doing it yet again. Does this mean if they are able to overthrow Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s government, we non-Malays would merely be extras in their organisation? Are they telling us that if they win, no non-Malay would be appointed in any top position?
What is even more astounding is the support they are getting from the Opposition. Ambiga Sreenevasan’s silence is deafening. Malaysia’s international human rights advocate who claims to be against suppression is silently supporting Mahathir’s ultimate suppression of the non-Malays? Is this the kind of human rights Ambiga preaches?
Social activist Maria Chin Abdullah has the cheek to invite Mahathir for her upcoming Bersih rally. Are we supposed to rally and cheer for Mahathir when he says that we non-Malays are nothing but minions in his new party?
If Mahathir’s party is not bad enough, DAP has once again reaffirmed the allegations that they are a Chinese-centric party. How does it make any sense that if Lim Guan Eng gets a jail sentence, the new Chief Minister will be another member of Chinese ethnicity? What has happened to his Deputy 1 and Deputy 2? Are they just meant to be number two for life? The highest position a non-Chinese can get is the deputy in a DAP led government? No wonder the Lim-Mahathir friendship has blossomed. Both of them want their dynasties to rule forever. If it is not their family member, then it has to be their crony.
If the current trend does not change drastically, Barisan Nasional would easily be victorious in the upcoming general election. This is not because votes will swing back to their favour. It is because many of us would not even bother turning up to caste our votes. The voter turnout during elections in America has been much lower than most democracies. Polls show people do not bother voting because they feel neither presidential candidate is worthy. This phenomenon will definitely hit Malaysia too. The Malaysian dream is definitely rotting.
