Farish bluntly stated that Ethnic and religious discord is serious in Malaysia
February 17, 2011
John Malott hinted, Farish bluntly stated that Ethnic and religious discord is serious in Malaysia
by Aidila Razak@www.malaysiakini.com
Race relations in Malaysia is dangerously close to absolutely breaking down if racial politics is not kept in check, said a political scientist.
According to Farish Noor (left), a lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Malaysia’s patterns of politics seem to reflect that of other countries which have suffered severe racial and religious discord.
“I’ve spent more than 10 years studying dysfunctional countries and I believe we are going down the path of countries like Pakistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
“I have seen enough race and religious riots to see that Malaysia is close to going down that path,” he said. Indonesia endured from severe rioting in 1998, involving severe attacks against the minority ethnic Chinese, while religious reprisals against the Hindu minorities were seen in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Speaking at forum on public governance by the Perdana Leadership Foundation and the 
National Professors’ Council today, Farish added that the problem remains with the politicians.
“It is the behaviour of politicians which is maintaining this (situation). We know that each party has its racial vote bank and several attempts to form non-racial parties, like Gerakan, have failed.
“How do we get politicians to act logically and rationally even though it involves the risk of losing votes?” he asked the audience of about 80, made up mostly of academics.
Make racial politics illegal
Agreeing with Farish was panelist Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas who said that one way to do away with racial politics is to outlaw it. “What we are doing is untenable even in the medium run. We want to have 1Malaysia but what do you do in politics is totally separate,” he said.
Megat Najmuddin, who is also an UMNO disciplinary committee member, added that race relations is also frail due to the existence of vernacular schools. “If you want to talk about 1Malaysia, do away with racial politics and vernacular schools,” he said.
Similarly, Farish noted that it is impossible to build national consensus with children growing up in several different streams of education.
“You can’t build a singular nation with five education streams. This is the case even in the more developed countries,” the erudite academic said.
I agree with what this learned gentleman has said and his call for end to venacular schools.But let me tell you a real life story. There was this family that had two sons and three daughters. The father made it known from the start that he will only finance oversea university education for those who qualified for Accountantcy. All them qualified and if fact the girls had better results than the boys. You know what happened only the boys were sent overseas for Accountantcy courses and the girls were told to do wahtever they could in local universities.
We should only have single stream school system. But at the end of the day all citizens must be treated in a fair manner. If a Former Prime Minster can call for the speedy issuance of work permits for a certain group of refugees I do not see why we cannot agree to this.
Anonymous - February 17, 2011 at 9:05 pm
We are heading towards a total meltdown in Msia.
JJx - February 17, 2011 at 9:26 pm
Najmuddin looks like trying to justify his UMNO’s extreme racial baiting by pointing fingers at vernacular schools as the reason. The most simple thing to do is to start with defining and banning all these hatred laced racist and racialist screaming and actions of all politicians and their so-called ‘NGOs’ supporters and their newspapers. Start also by charging a few of them. Alas, we can only hope in vain as we know who they are and the immunity they have.
Tron - February 17, 2011 at 9:39 pm
UMNO and Najid do not give a damn what all the intellectual elites are saying about Malaysia.
Their only interest is getting at any cost the votes of the pakciks and makciks in the rural Malay heartland and the only criticisms that count are from Perkasa.
The loudmouths on the internet, in the blogs and in international conferences are irrelevant and of no consequence to this UMNO-BN Govt.
UMNO-BN and Najib will stay, “keep on talking and enjoy all the applause… it does not bother us one bit”. So what if there is no foreign investment. We got Petronas.
Frank - February 17, 2011 at 9:49 pm
correction
UMNO-BN and Najib will say, “keep on talking and enjoy all the applause… it does not bother us one bit. So what if there is no foreign investment. We got Petronas. “
Frank - February 17, 2011 at 9:50 pm
Don’t be racist; don’t discriminate; treat all equal and fair! Then, problems can be resolved amicably.
Malaysia’s diversity should be source of our strength, but half-past-six only !
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/02/malaysias-diversity-should-be-source-of.html
Equal opportunity should be a law:
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/02/equal-opportunity-should-be-law.html
Raise the bar for future doctors
MMA concerned about quality of local medical graduates:
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/02/raise-bar-for-future-doctors.html
High time for a new Bar!
…half-past-six professionals!
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/02/high-time-for-new-bar.html
rightways - February 17, 2011 at 10:32 pm
Single stream school system?
Excellent idea! How come no one thought of that before? Now walk the talk. Disabuse the spawn of Prostitutes and Pariahs of any inklings of protest first. Beat the shit outta them.. Incarcerate, indoctrinate and investigate all detractors. Throw them into the Blue Ocean yonder!
It about time all Malaysian kids learn to speak and write in gibberish – not that a majority of them aren’t already!
C.L. Familiaris - February 18, 2011 at 12:02 am
Single stream school system?
Excellent – C.L. Familiaris
Such is half-past-six ideal!
National schools and Universities have been producing tons and tons of half-past-six graduates/professionals!
Now, more and more Malay and Indian brothers and sisters are sending their kids to vernacular schools.
UMNO politicians talk of doing away vernacular schools are racist and half-past-six thinkers!
However, 1Malaysia is shouting Malaysia : 4 Languages, multi-culture.
Logically, make mother tongues languages for Chinese and Indian as compulsory subjects in schools in addition to Malay and English!
Malaysia is for Malaysian, not racist Malaysia for Malay which is the root cause of Ethnic and religious discord!
rightways - February 18, 2011 at 1:23 am
See the problem of “Literalism” here?
Truly dyadic. Not a whiff of parody, comedy, allegory nor rhetoric. Pathos all the way.
What a twit!
C.L. Familiaris - February 18, 2011 at 3:09 am
Look it doesnt take a lecturer at a S’pore Uni to say what we aleady know as M’sians ok.
If its going to be outlawed then go all the way. In all the forms that we have to fill in do away with “race”and “religion”. Outlaw all forms of race politics and in any situations where the word race or religion comes in, delete it completely. Revamp the whole system. Schools should also be Malaysian schools with languages offered, sports. If we start at the school level, then the new generation will not have those two irrelevant words in their mindset at all. A new shft can be made with them growing up as M’sians.
Kathy - February 18, 2011 at 1:08 pm
I was chatting to a colleague at work and when I said My PM is coming from M’sia , he said I dont like that statement . Your PM should be Gillard!
We need to inculcate this firece patriotism in our people . Huge change !Huge paradigm shift!
Kathy - February 18, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Copy the former British colonies of Africa and make English the national language?
With Malay as a compulsory second language in the public school system?
Then no more quarrel over language policy.
Phua Kai Lit - February 18, 2011 at 1:42 pm
English is also the national languages of USA, Aussie, NZ, Canada …the so called advanced/developed world and in science and technologies till now.
However, Malaysia needs not copy everything from the British colonial and the current hegemonic masters that is going to be in the past.
Malaysia should learn and make Chinese and Indian as compulsory subjects since China and India are the rising powers in Asia now!
Don’t be so near and yet so far!
Learn from the ethnic minorities are good ways for goodness sake of Malay, to encourage Patriotism among races.
Look: Happiness Linked to Patriotism, Especially in Poor Countries:
http://right-waystan.blogspot.com/2011/02/happiness-linked-to-patriotism.html
rightways - February 18, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Rightways why dont we add Indonesian to the mix too since you keep talking rubbish here. So dont follow the West but follow China and India. What the H*$#%LL are you talking about. Find our independnece from the West by submitting to China and India. That’s Indpendence is it or are you trying to say something else here cloaked in so called “patriotism’? You a re beginning to sound more and more like UMNO. Exclude some?
Kathy - February 18, 2011 at 2:36 pm
India & South Africa have Ingerrish education systems.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala oso speko Ingerrish.
Malaysia speako Apo? Manglish. Right?
C.L. Familiaris - February 18, 2011 at 2:41 pm
“He who has a why to live, can bear almost any how” Friedrich Nietzsche
Kathy - February 18, 2011 at 3:08 pm
Kathy,
Don’t meddle others, good lucks to Indonesia!
Don’t submit to China/India, just learn from them for goodness sake !
Racist UMNO can’t change, let it remains!
Love, no war!
http://rightways.wordpress.com/2011/02/14/love-actually-is-really-all-around-us/
rightways - February 18, 2011 at 3:18 pm
Rightways, I am willing to learn from anyone who will teach M’sians not only what they do right more importantly what they have done wrong so we dont repeat those mistakes. But humans will never learn and they will forget and repeat atrocities to whomsoever they wish too.
Kathy - February 18, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Right, if they don’t learn, people powers will remove them!
rightways - February 18, 2011 at 4:14 pm
But humans will never learn- Kathy
But (click here) THESE GUYS are good learners and they always learn.
Frank - February 18, 2011 at 6:48 pm