CT Ali
I no longer see PKR as the weakest link within the Pakatan Rakyat coalition. PAS has been PAS all along and its interest lies more in what is to come in the after-life than what is done here on this earth.
But what concerns me is DAP. Everything DAP does is too contrived, too slick and too rehearsed to be kosher.
I worry that there maybe truth in the adage that the Chinese, who already have economic power in Malaysia, now also wants political power.
Am I talking as a Malay? For sure I am!
The fact is, the Malays are now being asked to forgo political power but in return for what? Well, it cannot be to give political power to DAP?
And if you ask me by DAP, do I mean the Chinese? For sure it I do. And let not any of you use the “racism” argument to “hantam” me! I am far from the maddening crowd.
I have been away from Kuala Lumpur long enough to not be anything else but a Malaysian.
And as a Malaysian I am troubled by the increasing chauvinistic slant given to all the chatter coming from DAP just as I am troubled by the Ketuanan Melayu chatter coming from Umno.
Opportunistic DAP
Why is there a need for DAP to say that no matter how many seats the party wins in the 13th general election, Anwar Ibrahim will be the prime minister if Pakatan wins?
By inference, does it indicate DAP’s growing confidence that more seats are coming its way?
DAP is a Chinese-dominated political party. Just as Umno is for the Malays and MIC for the Indians.
And when one race dominates any single entity the interest of that race will be of paramount importance to those within that party. This is the reality.
I know that DAP is in with PAS and PKR in the Pakatan coalition because it is politically expedient for it to do so – it’s a marriage of convenience.
In recent months the entry of a few high-profile Malays into DAP smacks of opportunism – on both sides.
For DAP it was a deliberate attempt to shade itself in the 1Malaysia colours. But it’s too contrived and too superficial, in my opinion, to hold any substance.
I am sure we Malays would have preferred DAP to be what it has always been – a Chinese- dominated party with a smatterings of Malays sprinkled here and there to give it some semblance of being a “maybe Malaysian” entity.
And there it should have stayed.
Malays are not stupid
I suggest DAP leaders tone down on the rhetoric and allow Lim Kit Siang to be the face of DAP with assistance from Lim Guan Eng (party secretary-general) and Karpal Singh (DAP chairman).
The younger leaders sound too brash and too eager to take on the Barisan Nasional line-up by themselves.
The Malays are not stupid.
The moment they think that giving their votes to Pakatan is a vote towards giving the Chinese political power, there will be a mass defection to Umno by the Malays.
We Malays know what DAP thinks of Anwar. DAP respects Anwar as it does Najib Tun Razak or Muhyddin Yassin and will put up with Anwar if it gives DAP a national platform politically.
What DAP will do with Anwar and how it will “manage” Anwar once he is prime minister is another issue altogether. That is the part that worries me.
What sort of a government will there be if its leaders are not sincere in their attempts at working as an entity with a prime minister they have chosen?
Will it be a case of “give and take” between Anwar and DAP or a matter of “take and take” as DAP consolidates its position within the Pakatan coalition by “managing” Anwar – especially if DAP has more seats than PKR in Parliament.
PAS also using Anwar
The Malays also know that PAS is using Anwar for the same reason and PAS, too, has the same opinion of Anwar as DAP has.
But for the Malays PAS is not only Malay but also an Islamic entity, so the Malays are comfortable with PAS.
What the Malays are not comfortable with is giving political power to the Chinese should they cast their vote for Pakatan in the coming polls.
That fine balance of the Chinese having economic power and the Malays having political power must be maintained.
This is not often spoken of in polite society.
But it must be said here and I want DAP to understand that for Pakatan to get the Malay votes en masse, DAP must understand where it stands with the Malays.
This is an uneasy alliance that must be given time to develop and mature before either side takes liberties with the other.
DAP may have hundreds or possibly thousands of Malays who are vocal and open in their support for DAP. DAP may have Malays who are now in DAP and whose support for DAP is firm and sincere.
But it is the millions of Malays who are passionate about maintaining the political status quo that DAP must now placate and reassure them of DAP’s commitment to 1Malaysia (“Malaysia style” which is that “Malays are first among equals”).
‘Nothing racial’
These millions of Malay voters are discerning in their deliberations of deciding what is best for the Malays.
The one thing they will not do is hand over political power to the Chinese even if it means the alternative is giving their votes to Umno.
There is nothing racial about the Malays wanting to have political control over our nation.
Any race with numerical advantage will want that.
What the Malays, who are in political power, must do is to ensure that that power is used for the common good of every Malaysian who call Malaysia their home.
Political power must be used to ensure that all Malaysians, regardless of race, are able to build a life for themselves in Malaysia to the best of their ability.
If the Chinese are good in business, so be it.
Let them stay in business and prosper but they must give a fair share of their wealth to help the less fortunate among us.
There must be that duty of care for those less fortunate than us.
‘Maintain status quo’
If DAP can understand this, then the Malays will be more comfortable with voting for Pakatan.
They understand that Pakatan is a coalition and DAP is part of that coalition, but talk of political power for the Chinese through DAP is making them uncomfortable.
They know that PKR is now in the process of change and it is not the PKR it was just after the 12th general election – it is now weaker than DAP.
This reality may compromise the position of the Malays if Pakatan comes to power.
I am sure I speak for most Malays when I say that a Pakatan government must reflect the current tie-up of three components – one Islam, one predominantly Malay and one predominantly Chinese party.
We are comfortable with that status quo.
A Pakatan government therefore must maintain that status quo for it to have popular Malay and Islamic support.
In this day and age, if you still talk about communism…communists…, then you must be really stupid, and if you happen to be a Malay!
Comment by 21stC Global citizen — July 25, 2012 @ 4:49 PM |
LIFE IS FULL OF IRONIES!
(Dr M promotes China Communist model as alternative to democracy)
UMNO CRONIES NOW WANT TO RIDE ON THE BACK OF A FAST DEVELOPING CHINA & GET RICHER BY INVESTING THEIR STOLEN MONEY IN CHINA.
IT WOULD BE WHAT THE UMNO MALAY SUPREMACIST SEE AS A “GOOD” INVESTMENT BY MAKING THE CHINESE PRODUCE WEALTH FOR THEM!
UMNO ALSO WANTS IT BOTH WAYS BY SAYING COMMUNIST IDEAS ARE STILL BANNED.
WHO SAID MALAYS WERE “STUPID”?
Comment by anon — July 25, 2012 @ 10:15 AM |
Only UMNO can be good friends with Komunis China
For others either they’re terrorist or pendatang lah
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Video MOU UMNO dengan Parti Komunis China (CPC)
Umno, China Communists to swap youth leaders
Bernama News, August 05, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Umno and the Communist Party of China (CPC) yesterday agreed to have youth leadership exchanges so that the youth leaders of both countries can have a better understanding of the economic and social development taking place in Malaysia and China.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on behalf of Umno on co-operation between Umno and the CPC in Beijing yesterday, said this was all the more timely as China was now a major economic power.
Wang Jiarui, Head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, represented the CPC.
“On their part, they are amazed with our achievements and racial harmony and would like to learn from us how we were able to attain this harmony without any bloodshed,” Tengku Adnan said in a statement to Bernama.
He said as a follow-up to the MOU, both countries agreed to set up a permanent mechanism to enable the exchanges to take place beginning this year. — Bernama
Comment by Teddy Gumbang — July 25, 2012 @ 9:02 AM |
NOWADAYS IT IS NO LONGER IDEOLOGICALLY AN ISSUE TO BE A COMMUNIST…WHETHER YOU ARE ONE OR NOT!
BLACK OR WHITE CAT STILL CATCHES THE MICE..
Comment by HISTORY1O1 — July 25, 2012 @ 9:27 AM |
Umno Malays has surely hit rock bottom and has now started to dig deeper,well you see,for them 6 ft isn’t good enough,the deeper they get to,the safer they feel,heeee3 stupidos niacos
Comment by Lok1 — July 24, 2012 @ 10:50 PM |
Quote : “Only the most stupidest will call another stupid”
NEP made them lazy
Comment by tigeryk — July 24, 2012 @ 8:35 PM |
MALAYS ARE NOT STUPID. We all thought so…but that tun Mamak thought otherwise that’s why he hoodwinked the malays the last 50 years. We all got hoodwinked and we all thought we were not stupid ! How stupid of us to have been so stupid the last 50 years !
Comment by keluro — July 24, 2012 @ 7:17 PM |
heheehhee
Comment by HEHE — July 25, 2012 @ 9:28 AM |
Sarawakians please take up the challenge to deny BN the fixed deposit.
Read more here:
http://zorro-zorro-unmasked.blogspot.com/2012/07/is-east-malaysia-brave-enough.html
Comment by Joe — July 24, 2012 @ 2:05 PM |
Umno made malays stupid by associating DAP with communist and Al Qaeda with PAS.
Daily doses of venomous propaganda on TV3 buletin has made malays stupid!
Comment by Amran — July 24, 2012 @ 1:56 PM |
The MAIN Issue we are now facing here is not about Chinese, Malay, or Indian politics . The MAIN concern is about a very corrupted Government who is bleeding our country dry. We need to get rid of this cancer so that we can start to rebuild Malaysia .
Comment by gagojackman — July 24, 2012 @ 12:18 PM |
PM said 1Malaysia but hsi DPM said 1Melayu.
How to trust this party?
Comment by Billal — July 24, 2012 @ 3:53 PM |
Malaysians are not stupid! Hidup rakyat Malaysia. Ubah, Ubah, Ubah!
Comment by Sabestian Jacob — July 24, 2012 @ 5:21 PM |
Yes, you are right. We need to get rid of these cancers.
In Sarawak, let’s start with Taib. Get rid of him. He is cancerous!
In Sabah, let’s get rid of Musa Aman.
We must get rid of them. The sooner, the better!
Comment by Tom — July 24, 2012 @ 6:48 PM |
AREN’T UMNO MALAY SUPREMACISTS THE TOP DOG IN NEO-COLONIAL “MALAYSIA”
The Chinese in Malaya have been sidelined from the power center since 1957.
But CT Ali tell us how the Chinese will ever gain political power when the electoral system is so gerrymandered to preserve Malay domination?
Comment by anon — July 24, 2012 @ 10:39 AM |
STOP PERPETUATING MYTHS ABOUT RICH CHINESE
“I worry that there maybe truth in the adage that the Chinese, who already have economic power in Malaysia, now also wants political power.
Am I talking as a Malay? For sure I am!”
It seems that the myth and stereotyping that all Chinese hold the economic power in Malaysia and also South East Asia persists even for a writer like CT Ali who appears well informed.
The truth is that a tiny minority of Chinese are rich and have a lot of economic clout. They work with the UMNO billionaires who have taken over this role as the main controller of the economy since the NEP implementation. The most profitable companies are owned and controlled by rich Malays and we all know how they gain control through blackmail and extortion.
In Sarawak who controls the economy? Taib and cronies.The same situation in Sabah (UMNO) and Malaya (UMNO).
Please provide figures on the number of rich Chinese to convince us. Otherwise all these writers are spreading mischievous harmful and divisive misinformation.
Comment by INFOMAN — July 24, 2012 @ 10:35 AM |
Well for a start, the concrete junggles in all town,cities and even the smallest Pekan in Malaysia are 90% owned by Chinese. The real junggles where trees lived are now almost bare due to the greed of the huge Chinese timber companies! The biggest,the latest and most expensive cars on Malaysian roads are owned by the chinese and not to mentioned the rich Ah Longs and gangsters are mostly chinese! Now lets count what the natives own. Lets start with the fingers on your right hand first…..then your left hand…and there no denying that the chinese are plotting to gain political supremacy in Sarawak through SUPP or DAP. Look at how they treat the natives who are loosing almost everything to them now, tradition, culture,economy etc etc. There is no fairness in their dealings with the natives especially when it comes to land ownership.They beat and cheat the natives of their lands. They want the natives to remain poor for them to use and abuse to gain more wealth! Their hidden agenda for Sarawak is ofcourse the next level of domination of the natives..that is POLITICAL DOMINATION! Should the majority natives allow that to happen?
Comment by Brian — July 24, 2012 @ 3:50 PM |
IT IS ABOUT RACIAL DOMINATION?
The Chinese communists ruled China 1949 Revolution and they went after the rich class and their supporters. They were Chinese.
So it would have been the same here if the Sarawak communists had won. They would go after the minority rich regardless of race unless the rich also help to fight for Sarawak freedom.
The thousands of poor Chinese will not mind! But don’t blame them all!
Unfortunately the local communists did not go after those few rich tycoons and the people in power. That might be one good reason why they lost in Sarawak despite their sacrifices.
The only way to achieve a democratic society majority poor Dayaks Malays and Chinese should unite to overthrow their oppressive rulers!
However, the Chinese are not blameless for their own racism against Dayaks and Malays. So it is time they should adjust their attitudes.
Comment by HISTORY1O1 — July 24, 2012 @ 4:58 PM |
Good reply and tell them chinese to stop calling the natives LAKIA, stop the land grabs,and start giving back the Natives the lands stolen from them,share with the natives the billions they got from trees harvested on native lands and stop the arrogants and respect the natives more. Until the chinese can do all these, they are more stupid and racist and we natives do not want anymore of that! We natives are running out of TIME and SPACE to put up with all these and the chinese better come to their senses sooner before its too late.
Comment by Brian — July 26, 2012 @ 1:47 PM |
Agreed. The Chinese in general need to examine their long held racist attitudes towards non-Chinese people including Dayaks.
It is however, very wrong to blame all Chinese for racism.
In Malaya and the Sabah Sarawak colonies racism is endorsed and institutionalized as official policy. This is the context we should view the racial issue.
It has unpleasant results which the Chinese also bear the main brunt from UMNO BN Malay Supremacist Apartheid policies and monopoly of the economy under the NEP.
For a start it is a task which the government should be doing at school- to educate and promote understanding of all cultures instead of using race to divide and rule.
Chinese community leaders need to carry out programmes to educate their youths about local cultures. There need to be better communication and interaction between the 2 sides.
There are positive programmes carried out overseas to promote racial unity and not disunity as done by UMNO BN…
Suggest concermed Chinese and non-Chinese visit these websites and read (the papers) on how they propose improve relations in similar cultures:
http://www.had.gov.hk/rru/english/aboutus/aboutus_cprh.html
http://fcd.ecitizen.gov.sg/CommunityDevelopment/PromoteRacialHarmonyNCommunityBonding.html
http://www.cdc.org.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=19
Australia’s official multicultural policies which we could learn from:
http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/a-multicultural-australia/multicultural-policy/
List of countries with positive racial programmes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiculturalism
Comment by HISTORY1O1 — August 1, 2012 @ 4:26 PM
Yes Malays are not stupid
Malays knew UMNO talk crap when UMNO support Komunis and reject it also later
Itu hari UMNO Dr Mamak cakap Komunis China is good better than Democracy
Ini hari UMNO cakap lain pula Komunis itu kawan Pakatan terrorists
Yes Malays are not stupid to be fooled by UMNO crap talk lah
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Dr M promotes China Communist model as alternative to democracy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider, 26 April 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today called democracy a “failed” ideology and held up China’s model of authoritarianism as an alternative “worth studying”.
He said China’s political model — which he termed the “Beijing Consensus” — showed that a nation could develop well even in the absence of freedom, liberty and equality — ideals fundamental to the rival “Washington Consensus”.
“The Beijing Consensus shows that having a non-democratic country can also give a good life for the people,” Dr Mahathir told delegates at the “Creation of the Global Citizen: Media Liberalisation and the New Political Realities” forum organised by Umno here.
“If you find good people to run a country, even dictators can make a country develop and develop very well.”
He pointed out that China’s “correct” application of the Beijing Consensus had allowed the nation of 1.3 billion “very poor” people to become the second richest country in the world.
The former premier also criticised the very premise of democracy, arguing that no issue could achieve total consensus, leading to an electoral split that will promote poor governance.
“Democracy… has failed in many countries,” he said.
“It is not the perfect thing it is touted to be. You find that some of these democracies really cannot work. People cannot make up their minds.
Dr Mahathir cited hung parliaments in Britain and Australia as proof that countries cannot progress when a majority of its voters cannot make up their minds, saying frequent changes in leadership were not good for a nation.
“We see a lot of democracies where leaders change every two years and the country cannot make any progress at all,” he said.
“Even the countries that have made progress find sometimes that democracies hinder the development of the country, make the country unstable and difficult to develop.”
He added that smaller parties roped into ad hoc coalitions to break hung parliaments in democracies will hold the majority hostage to minority demands that were not good for the country as a whole.
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Umno, China Communists to swap youth leaders !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bernama News, August 05, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Umno and the Communist Party of China (CPC) yesterday agreed to have youth leadership exchanges so that the youth leaders of both countries can have a better understanding of the economic and social development taking place in Malaysia and China.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on behalf of Umno on co-operation between Umno and the CPC in Beijing yesterday, said this was all the more timely as China was now a major economic power.
Wang Jiarui, Head of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee, represented the CPC.
“On their part, they are amazed with our achievements and racial harmony and would like to learn from us how we were able to attain this harmony without any bloodshed,” Tengku Adnan said in a statement to Bernama.
He said as a follow-up to the MOU, both countries agreed to set up a permanent mechanism to enable the exchanges to take place beginning this year. — Bernama
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PAS’ full welfare state (Communism) will bankrupt Malaysia, says Dr M ??????????
By Debra Chong, The Malaysian Insider, 18 June 2011
Dr Mahathir previously equated a welfare state to communism.
PUTRAJAYA— Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad conceded today that Malaysia was a partial welfare state, but remained steadfast that it should not be allowed to become a full-fledged one as it will bankrupt the nation.
The ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lynchpin, Umno, and its political foe, PAS, have been fighting to claim ownership over the welfare state philosophy as the public grows more restive over the soaring prices of daily goods and services following subsidy cuts ahead of a general election expected by next year.
Both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, have said that PAS’s welfare state was not new and that BN has already been practising it in government.
“To a certain extent it is true. A lot of things are made cheap for the people, the government used money in order to reduce the cost of living in this country. The cost of living in this country is very low,” Dr Mahathir told reporters when asked if he agreed with the Najib administration’s stand.
The country’s fourth prime minister, from 1981 to 2003, explained the amount of things a shopper could buy in Malaysia was nearly on par with his counterpart in the US, despite the American dollar’s higher currency value.
“If compared, RM1 in this country will buy practically US$1 (RM3.04) in America because the cost of living here is almost one-third the cost in America.
“This due to the government giving subsidies, having built up facilities, all kinds of things the government has done for the people, not for the government,” said Dr Mahathir, who had pegged the ringgit to the US dollar in an attempt to keep the national economy afloat during the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s.
Asked if that move qualified Malaysia to be called a welfare state, the 85-year-old who once controlled the country’s purse strings clarified he did not claim it was a “full welfare state”.
“I believe that if we have a full welfare state, we’ll go bankrupt,” he said and pointed to Greece, which had announced bankruptcy due to overwhelming debt last year.
Dr Mahathir said the Mediterranean nation became broke because “they spent money giving their people, they don’t have to work, you go and retire at 40 years old, you get pension, you do that, you go bankrupt.”
He said the government should continue its welfare programmes to a limited extent.
“To be a welfare state, people must make money and pay tax to government. If people are not making money then the government will not have money,” he said.
The former finance minister highlighted that the biggest problem with having a welfare state was that the funds depended on the number of people who had jobs.
“But at the same time, because the number of people employed is less, the number of people requiring aid or pension is more.
“So when you have less money, that’s when you have to pay more money, that’s the problem of a welfare state,” he explained.
In his New Year’s message on January 1, 1994, Dr Mahathir argued against the idea.
He said people could not hope for the government to provide all the facilities as promised by a welfare state.
He also equated a welfare state with communism while railing against a minimum wage, which he argued was inefficient.
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Rais: Communist ideology last resort of the ‘desperate’ ????????????????????
Malaysia Kini, Monday 27 June 2011
The info minister contends that BN has the right to act against troublemakers and it is proper that the police take action.
Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim today hit out at what he called “desperate parties” who are making use of the communist ideology to drum up support for the rally they are planning on July 9.
“These are the acts of desperate people who planned the rally on July 9. They see this as an opportunity to stir up dissent and seize power,” bemoaned Rais (right).
Met in the Parliament lobby by reporters, the minister was asked to comment on the 30 PSM supporters being investigated by Penang police under section 122 of the Penal Code for “waging war against the King”.
“Spreading communism is against the law. It is evil and illegal,” he said.
He contends that the prohibition against communism is stamped in our laws and the spirit of the constitution, citing 1948 regulations and the Police Act 1967 which he believed enumerated such restrictions.
“As such, it is appropriate for us to take action, this is for the survival of the majority, not about the minority.”
He contends that the BN, which has obtained legitimacy by the majority vote, has the right to act against the troublemakers and it is proper that the police take action.
Rais suggested instead that those in the disgruntled minority not take part in what he called illegal demonstrations, but to use proper channels like Parliament and discourse to air their grievances.
“Use Parliment, use dialogue, you don’t need to come in the thousands to Kuala Lumpur to demonstrate. This is rampasan kuasa sosial! (social overthrow),” he complained.
Comment by Teddy Gumbang — July 24, 2012 @ 9:07 AM |
How about Orang Asli ? Which side Orang Asli should vote for?
Since UMNO classify Orang Asli as Non-Bumiputera then Orang Asli must vote for DAP lah
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Suhakam: Amend constitution to include Orang Asli as bumiputera
by Claudia Theophilus, Malaysia Kini, 11 Feb 2004
The Human Right Commission (Suhakam) has called on the government to amend the Federal Constitution to accord bumiputera status to the Orang Asli, the country’s indigenous peoples in the peninsula.
In its 91-page report entitled ‘The Human Rights of Orang Asal’ – released this morning – it pointed out that section 153(1) of the constitution only recognises Malays and the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak (Orang Asal) as bumiputera at present.
“The Federal Constitution should be amended to include the Orang Asli as bumiputera similar to the Malays and the Orang Asal in Sabah and Sarawak,” Suhakam said in the report.
The long-awaited report – based on a number of workshops held by Suhakam over the last two years – also made key recommendations regarding the land rights of the native communities.
Native customary land
It call for an urgent review of three main laws pertaining to native customary land in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
The report stated that a review of the laws – the National Land Code, the Sarawak Land Code and the Sabah Land Ordinance – would accord proper recognition of native customary land rights.
The native communities in Malaysia have long complained that their rights to land and forest produce have been largely ignored.
This has led to encroachment of land that they have occupied for generations. They have alleged that much of the encroachment has been due to massive, and at times illegal, logging and mining activities.
“Native customary land should not only be recognised, protected and acknowledged but (native communities) also need to be given the space to continue their traditional activities,” said Suhakam.
Native communities have expressed dissatisfaction over certain conditions that prohibit them from carrying traditional activities such as hunting, agriculture and gathering forest produce on such lands.
Land titles
The commission also called for the Orang Asli Act 1954 to be amended to ensure that permanent land titles are issued instead of a 99-year lease as is done in most cases now.
The report recommended that the changes be based on Malay Reserve provisions in order to guarantee the permanent status of Orang Asli reserves.
Suhakam also suggested that the government set up a special commission or a dedicated department to handle native customary land issues faced by the Orang Asal.
According to Suhakam, the lack of grassroots consultation and contradicting priorities are the major reasons for failure to improve the standard of living of the native communities.
“Not only are the Orang Asal/Asli not consulted, they are not even given an opportunity to work with the government agencies in charge of the development project,” stated the report.
“Furthermore, most development plans fail to meet the needs of the native communities because they are usually left out of environment impact assessment studies.”
Inadequate compensation
Other problems faced by the communities include displacement and frequent relocation to make way for development project, as well as inadequate compensation that is in violation of the Land Acquisition Act provisions.
Suhakam’s other recommendations include the improvement of access to free health and education, particularly in remote areas. At present, the school dropout rate among Orang Asal children is 60 percent.
Financial constraints have left many deserving students without the opportunity to further their education while clashing traditional celebrations have led to high absenteeism in schools, the report noted.
In this respect, affirmative action with quota and scholarships has been recommended for the Orang Asal children.
“A study under the Eight Malaysia Plan found that the Orang Asal community represents the group with the lowest income. About 80 percent of the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia live below the poverty level.”
The lack of political representation of the native communities is another shortcoming.
Another recommendation is to set up a ministry under the Prime Minister’s Department to handle Orang Asal affairs.
Others include systematic registration of birth and citizenship documents, and for the Orang Asli Affairs Department to employ those from the native communities.
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Dr M: Malay claim to country stronger than Orang Asli’s
By Shannon Teoh, Malaysian Insider, 11 March 2011
The Orang Asli’s failure to create an administration cost them their rights to the country, said Dr Mahathir. — file pic
KUALA LUMPUR, March 11 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yesterday said the Orang Asli did not have more rights than the Malays to claim Malaysia as their own, as they did not set up their own states and governments.
The former prime minister said giving Orang Asli greater rights to claim Malaysia as their own would be like handing back the United States, Australia and New Zealand to the Native American, Maori and aborigine natives of those countries respectively.
“In Malaysia, the Orang Asli are as much citizens of the country as are the people of other races. They had never set up their own states and governments,” he wrote in his blog yesterday.
Malaysia’s longest-serving prime minister said that when Europeans and even the Japanese occupiers came to Malaysia, they had dealt with and acknowledged the Malay governments.
Dr Mahathir, who is now patron of right-wing Malay rights group Perkasa, has been vigorously defending the special position of Malays of late, and last week dismissed claims that Malays are immigrants just like Chinese and Indians.
Although admitting his Indian roots, he argued that Arabs, Indians and Indonesians who adopted the Malay language, practised Malay culture and embraced Islam have become constitutional Malays through assimilation.
“I would not say I am a Malay or Malaysian of ethnic Indian origin. My mother tongue and home language is Malay, my culture and tradition is Malay and I am a Muslim. The constitution defines a Malay as a person who habitually speaks Malay, practises Malay custom and tradition and is a Muslim,” he had said.
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Orang Asli upset with BR1M rejection
Malaysia Kini, 5 Mar 2012
A member of the Temuan Orang Asli tribe is vexed that his BR1M application has been rejected despite his not having an income.
Dewi Malam, 52, who hails from Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Kempas in Hulu Langat, Selangor, said the received a reply from the Finance Ministry on Feb 16 that he was not qualified.
“I have not had a regular income in the last seven years. If the government doesn’t give the money, it’s fine, but don’t deprive the people who really need it,” Dewi said.
He said in an interview with malaysiakini.tv that he suffered disabilities in his left arm and has had trouble finding a job.
Among the reasons cited in the reply was that Dewi’s pay was not under RM3,000, on top of him not being in the National Registration Department’s (JPN) database.
He later produced his identity card to prove his citizenship.
‘JPN is saying I’m not a Malaysian’
“What JPN is saying… means I am not Malaysian and I am not a voter in my own country.
“After the country has achieved development, they want to get rid of people such as myself,” said the father of four who does odd jobs to support his family.
Dewi’s children are aged 16, 17, 25 and 27 years and one of them suffers from a congenital heart condition.
The two eldest children are working, one as a cleaner and the other as a security guard while the other two are of schooling age, but Dewi cannot afford to pay for their education.
The BR1M is a one-off payment of RM500 from the government to households with an income of less than RM3,000 a month.
Last month, it was reported that Bera MCA division chairperson Tang Hock Lok, who holds a datukship, raised eyebrows when he obtained RM500 aid from the government.
However, Tang has denied any element of fraud and said his intention of applying was to donate the money to charity.
Comment by Teddy Gumbang — July 24, 2012 @ 9:03 AM |
Couldn’t agree with your more. The problems with DAP is that there are too many Chinese educated Ah Bengs in the party. They are usually loud, proud and like to brag. And they think they are always right and everyone else are wrong. Being humble is not their forte. I am an opposition supporter but sometimes I get dismayed by the behavior of some DAP leaders. They should emulate some of their national leaders like Tony Pua who do more than he talk.
Comment by time2kickbnout — July 24, 2012 @ 8:56 AM |