Malays can expel non-Malays: So, do I curse God for being born a non-Malay?

Maclean Patrick

Life is fraught with uncertainties, and there are only two things we can be certain of. That one is born and that one will die. We have no control over the ethnicity, type of culture or society that we will be born into, nor can we ever know the date and time of our demise. These things are in the hands of the Creator.

While we can decide on things like, what country we reside in, we can’t choose the country we are born in. To an extent, our parents can chose our place of birth never the color of our skin – just as they could choose theirs either. Thus, the race and nation we are born into are out of our control. We have no choice in this twist of life. Religion and change of citizenship are choices we can make but in the long run, it cannot change the status of our race nor the state of humanity.

Thus, it is totally wrong to claim that one particular race is superior to another. For it is not fair on those who were born into the minority. As human beings, we have equal rights to living the life we each strive for. And after more than 50 years of independence, why is Malaysia still grappling with its identity?

Malay country? Then count us – Sabah and Sarawak – out!

Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria suggested that Malays are duty-bound to defend their rights. He said this at the launch of former Selangor PAS chief Hasan Ali’s new Muslim NGO, Jati, that “it is compulsory for Malays to speak about this as this is a Malay country.”

“Even the Prophet spoke about his race and tribe. This land is the right of Malays but today we have lost it,” he said in his speech.

Harussani’s statement is dead wrong. Malaysia is not a Malay country. Malaysia belongs to Malaysians. To state that “this is a Malay country” disrespects the number of non-Malays who call Malaysia home, who are citizens and who pay taxes to maintain the upkeep of the nation. Harussani must remember, Malaysia is a federation of three – States of the Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak.

From the 13-14 August 1962, Tun Haji Mohammad Fuad Stephens; the first Chief Minister of Sabah, convened a meeting of political leaders who drew up a 14 point (later 20 point) memorandum of minimum demands. This memorandum gained support from across Sarawak. Point 5 of this 20 point agreement, which refers to the name of the new federation, states “Malaysia” but not “Melayu Raya”.

The name Malaysia was chosen as it would include all citizens from whatever ethnic background they came from. Not shunning any other race over another. This was the vision behind the formation of Malaysia.

If any person, who subscribes to Harussani’s views, tries to change the name “Malaysia” to whatever name they deem suitable, they can. But in doing so, it will negate the agreement that helped formed Malaysia. It gives Sabah and Sarawak more reason to leave the federation. Is this what Harussani is aluding to when calling Malaysia – a Malay country?

Malays have the right to expel the non-Malays: Silence from Najib dangerous and treacherous

Such talk by the UMNO-backed Perak mufti is dangerous and treacherous. And equally dangerous is Jati, which seems to endorse this view. Equally dangerous is the silence from the Najib administration, his UMNO party and their BN cohorts.

The stability and integrity of the nation is being threatened by statements from a public figure, and when the elected government is slow to react, then something is dead wrong.

Harussani should be brought to task for uttering such words. If the likes of Karpal Singh is slapped with a sedition charge for uttering statements deemed to be ‘against’ the Sultan of Perak, what about Harussani who seems bent on suggesting to Malays that it is right to expel or harm non-Malays in Malaysia.

Whoever said that after 50 over years of Barisan Nasional rule, the Malays can blame every other citizen except themselves or the BN government for their misfortunes.

And an even deeper question that Harussani has implied is that non-Malays have no one to blame for their lack of rights and benefits but God for not being born a Malay in Malaysia. So Harussani, do I curse God for being born a non-Malay in your “Malay-country”?