The thing about the threat of racial riots is, if it does happen again, there’ll only be one clear winner: the Malay Malaysians - or, to be more precise, the people who presume to speak for them. It’s really a zero-sum game, actually. Well, yes, it is true that all Malaysians will be affected in some way or another, and that Malaysia as a whole loses out. But see, political gambles with race cards flashed here and there don’t seem to take into account these factors, or at least, that’s what I think.
So let’s be practical about it. Before the NEP was launched to ‘re-balance’ variously labeled pies (economic, social, political, apple-flavoured, cherry-blossomed whatevers), we had the 1969 May riots. A dark day in history, but I should venture to suggest, an opportune one: it allowed the passing through of that non-Malay bugbear, the NEP. There have been some who’ve put forward some persuasive arguments for the implementation of the NEP, so I won’t argue about its utility in theory. I think the current spate of tensions reveal a deeper core of discontent about the NEP’s implementation, which the government of the day has admitted (in one form or another).
That question aside, back to the pragmatics of it all. If Khairy Jamaluddin is successful in wounding Chinese pride in Penang, he might have a full-scale riot on his hands - an event that plays fully into his hands. He comes out looking like the true blue jaguh kampung he’s portrayed himself to be, the riots confirm (or can be spun to confirm) his innuendos about Chinese intentions, and basically, he gains a huge, huge increment in political mileage - with the grassroots Malays all over, no doubt.
Worse, Hishamuddin’s comments some time back about the need to re-enforce NEP principles only suggests that any such outbreak of tensions between Malays and Chinese will definitely be capitalized and used to push through even more impositions on non-Malay Malaysians, while winning more concessions for Malay Malaysians - or should we use the catch-all, “bumiputeras”?
At the same time, if Chinese leaders keep turning the other cheek, they lose popularity amongst voters, and the end up losing what mandate they had in the first place. Also, if Chinese leaders capitulate in Penang, this only means that that one remaining concession Gerakan has won from UMNO will be lost. It is a ‘gain’ for Malay Malaysians - or, to be more precise, a gain for people who presume to speak for them. Questions about the inactivity of already-existing Malay/Bumi officers in the State Assembly are therefore pointless.
So…. :)
It’s no-win, really. I don’t think there was ever any doubt about that. For a bit of context, check out LKS’s post and the comments in particular.
Comments (4)
There is a solution. Stop voting BN in all the time.
People really need to stop thinking of short term about their rice bowls and think about the future.
To ensure that racial politics does not triumph, we have one simple solution. It takes two sides to play a game. Therefore decline to play the game.
Koh Tsu Koon instead of saying “Ada udang di sebalik batu” should just send a task force to find out what is the plight of the Balik Pulau folks. Next, look into re-vamping the agency that is not performing.
If a leader has humility…… and has the genuine intention to serve…. I have no doubt he will gain all the moral force he needs to stay on as the peoples’ leader.
@shadowfox: sometimes I don’t blame people who look to short-term compromises - as far as these people are concerned, an uncertain future is far worse than a short-term pain. What is the solution then?
@lkt56: I think that might be a viable solution; clarification destroys innuendo, and if that is the tact taken by Koh Tsu Koon, he at least can be seen to be doing nothing. If his findings prove allegations by UMNO Youth to be wrong, though, I wonder if the papers will publish his findings..
xpyre, in your analysis of the situation in Penang, you only concentrated on the BN component parties, UMNO and Gerakan/MCA, and their jockeying for positions and influence.
However, you have forgotten one other important variable: the Opposition. Remember, most Penangites are receptive towards DAP’s secular, socially-liberal and social-democratic brand of politics, and have no reservations towards voting for it.
Therefore, if Gerakan capitulates to UMNO Youth and Koh Tsu Koon loses his post, Gerakan supporters will turn their backs from it en mass and will all vote for DAP, especially on the island.
If Gerakan resists UMNO Youth’s grab for its posts, UMNO Youth will increase its efforts at taking down Koh Tsu Koon, and the infighting between BN parties will intensify. Again, this will only benefit DAP, who can provide voters with the outlet for their protest votes against BN.
So, in both situations, DAP will stand to gain. LKS must be smiling now :)
And don’t forget Keadilan. Anwar’s hometown is in Permatang Pauh, a Malay-majority constituency in Penang as well. If Keadilan (and Anwar) can somehow mobilise its voters and disillusioned Malay voters in Seberang Prai, then they might even take seats from UMNO.
Wow, a tandem DAP-Keadilan act for the urban-rural constituencies, if done correctly, should be a beauty to behold man.
A Keadilan-DAP Penang state government after the next elections, anyone? :)