July 9, 2012
The Malays need Mental Emancipation
by Mariam Mokhtar@http://www.malaysiakini.com
Although Erica Jong’s ‘Fear of Flying’, is not about aeroplanes, vertigo nor altitude sickness, the author did manage to ‘liberate’ many women. We could do with a novel, ‘Fear of Trying’ for the emancipation of Malay minds. Our approach to life, is only a question of attitude and in Malaysia, Malays need some mental liberation to take charge of their lives. The days of UMNO being the nanny, are over.
If society is like family, then the Malaysian version makes the Ewing family appear angelic. If Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is the head of the extended family, then the Malays are ‘anak manja’ (favourite children), the non-Malays are ‘anak tiri’ (step-children) whilst the activists in society are ‘anak haram’ (bastard brats).
The favourite child is spoilt and given everything he desires. He is self-centred and immature. The needs of others are the least of his worries; he wants instant gratification. Failure to attend to his wants will trigger a temper-tantrum. He manipulates others rather than do work.
Last May, the Bumiputera Manufacturers and Service Industry Association demanded over RM25 million from Najib to help their members. Their president, Abdul Rahim Abu Bakar said: “It is not that we are taking advantage with the general election around the corner. But we would like to take this opportunity. If we don’t do it now, then, when can we… you have our votes. Who else will support you (the government) if not the Malays?”
A few weeks later in June, the Malay Chamber of Commerce complained about the lack of opportunities for skilled and educated Malay workers. “Yes, we are competitive but the young do not know where to go, what are their opportunities so they need strategic guidelines,” said its chairperson, while the secretary-general, Hanafee Yusoff, wanted the government to offer more protection for Malays after the Bukit Bintang Plaza redevelopment.
Najib, fearing a backlash from the Malays, back-pedalled on his planned reforms. The ‘anak
manja’ Malays now have a RM5 billion disbursement at their disposal.
Ask any non-Malay what he wants for this country and he is quick to reply. He wants equal opportunities for all – in education, work, social and economic openings. He wants injustices corrected. In other words, he wants to be accepted as a Malaysian, respect as an equal and recognition for contributing to his nation.
What has the anak tiri to lose? The step-child’s presence in the home is tolerated. Anak manja gorges on the best food but the step-child is fed left-overs and is probably not allowed to sit at the table; all the same, he is fed.
The anak tiri does not sleep in satin sheets, and is content to doss down anywhere on the floor as long as he has a roof over his head. When papa is generous, he may get a few luxuries he has dreamed about, but it is drummed into him, that the anak tiri is not entitled to more.
Najib’s biggest headache is the activists. They are like illegitimate children. He cannot control them and even if he were to tell them off, his words will have no effect on them. Najib can’t even entice them with the family silver, because they will probably tell him that they can, and have, made their own way in the world. Their independence is a threat to Najib because nothing he does can undermine them.
Ask the Malay what he wants GE13 to bring, and some might even say they do not know. They have been tricked into believing they have many benefits, and yet many can’t even get onto the property ladder.
Excelling at indoctrination and lies
UMNO excels at indoctrination and lies. Malays are too scared to demand freedom of
religion, which the constitution grants to all Malaysians; fearful of saying they are republicans, in case they get charged with sedition; too timid to speak out against injustice – unless their ‘periuk nasi’ is threatened.
The anak tiri has nothing to lose and the more daring ones may speak out. If he is banished from the home, he can always join his illegitimate brother whom he has seen flourish because of his independence. The anak manja and the doting dad, are props for each other; they make everyone’s lives miserable.
For 55 years, we have been told that we belong to a specific ethnic group – “Melayu, Cina, India dan lain-lain”, but never “Malaysian”. The age of enlightenment is here. Malays have to abandon the mindset of being a receiving community and not a community which also contributes. No one owes them a living.
Last week, the former Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin criticised the Muslim scholars who remained silent on injustices and the witchhunt against people who questioned royal spending: “If the behaviour and actions of royalties cannot be questioned, we are only deifying them and subjugating ourselves.”
Why do Malays subjugate themselves to the elite and VVIPS of society? Why cheapen themselves with preferential treatment which only breeds complacency, incompetence, and false pride? Only meritocracy will provide the best in terms of education, jobs and opportunities.
There are some truths the Malay must confront. The syariah law as it is practised in Malaysia, fails to protect single mothers but shields the men from discharging their responsibilities. Single mothers and their children live below the poverty line. Many do not receive alimony or child maintenance after being abandoned. Children drop out of school and get sucked into anti-social behaviour.
Muslim scholars are silent about this and the high percentage of Malays taking drugs, in unemployment, in jail, who have HIV/Aids, in incestuous relationships and who abandon babies.
What type of mentor is a corrupt businessman? What sort of role model is a polygamous father who is seldom around? Malays need to venture beyond their comfort zone. They need to adapt, to learn and innovate in order to grasp opportunities as keenly as the anak tiri or anak haram who have nothing to lose, but is not afraid to try anything to get out of a rut.
The world could be his oyster rather than the tempurung where protectionism, preferential treatment and quotas thrive. Is the Malay held back from fear of trying or does he suffer from attitude sickness?
Terlalu taksub dengan akhirat …. taksub sangat dengan bangsa.
Orang Melayu, kebanyakkannya masih bersikap ‘parochial’ atau kolot , tidak mahu menerima perubahan, mereka ‘complacent’, ‘contented’, ‘apathy’, masih lagi ‘macam katak dibawah tempurung dan apabila dinasihatkan ataupun di tegur supaya keluar dari kepompong tersebut, mereka marah dan mereka tidak mahu mendengar nasihat. Ini adalah satu sebab pucuk pimpinan senang memanipulasi mereka dan membuat apa sahaja yang menguntungkan mereka dengan sesuka hati. Orang Melayu, kebanyakkannya akan tetap mengundi untuk mereka apabila datangnya pilihanraya, kecil atau umum sama..
Melayu rata-ratanya masih hanya boleh jadi hamba atau pengikut, tapi tak boleh jadi ketua.
Sikap dengki, iri hati, tak boleh tengok orang lebih daripadanya, suka kata-mengata, ‘gossip’, mengumpat, suka ikut-ikut sahaja walaupun apa yang diikuti mereka adalah salah dari sisi kebudayaan dan juga agama.
Terus sahaja apa orang lain kata tentang kelemahan dan kesilapan mereka ditolak tanpa usul periksa walaupun orang yang tegurnya memang dikenali sebagai bijaksana dan bertujuan baik, lalu mara membuta tuli, tidak mahu dengar panndangan orang lain, lebih lebih lagi jika orang yang memberitahu mereka itu dari bangsa lain atau agama lain, dan orang Melayu suka percaya dengan hasutan dan fitnah. Bodoh sombong!
http://hak55.blogspot.com/2010/09/penyakit-nak-hidup.html
About Malaysian Malays, Chinese and Indians.
People, I attended a ‘MUHIBBAH’ seminar to encourage better ‘PERPADUAN’ between people of the various races in this country organised by a very large Malaysian government agency and they gave us a puzzle to solve.
I like to share it with you all.
Here’s the puzzle (with the answers as well):
First,
1. What does an orang Melayu do when he is alone? HE SLEEPS.
2. What does an orang Cina do when he is alone? HE PLANTS VEGETABLES, GARDENING OR DOES CARPENTRY WORK.
3. What does an orang India do when he is alone? HE DRINKS AND THEN MABUK.
Then,
4. What about when an orang Melayu and his friend do when the two of them are together? THEY MENGUMPAT ORANG.
5. What about when an orang Cina and his friend do when the two of them are together? THEY DO FARMING, START A SMALL FURNITURE SHOP OR A MINI MARKET.
6. What about when an orang India and his friend do when the two of them are together? THEY DRINK , MABUK AND THEN BEGIN FIGHTING.
Finally,
7. What does an orang Melayu do when he is with two or more of his friends, that means there are at least three of them? THEY JOIN A POLITICAL PARTY AND BUAT SIBUK.
8. What does an orang Cina do when he is with two or more of his friends, that means there are at least three of them? THEY RUN A BIG BUSINESS.
9. What does an orang India do when he is with two or more of his friends, that means there are at least three of them? THEY FORM A WORKERS’ UNION.
The Malays will then work as security guards for the Chinese who are now Towkays and the Indians will work as labourers or drivers for the Towkays.
http://hak55.blogspot.com/2010/01/about-malaysian-malays-chinese-and.html
Yes, clever, clever….clever Mariam….plenty of wits.
Malays need both, women’s emancipation the most pressing, and not be Subjugated for far too long in the annals of Islamic history – And, mental Emancipation for both the male & the female species….
Whatever it is, the sickness seem to be living in a world of Pretensions, or do we revel in it ?
by this article, I am supposed to be anak manja. excuse I didnt even get a dime thanks.
I have successfully made myself into an anak tiri,by choice I might add. Huh, Mariam, one can convert quite easily into anak tiri with nothing to loose. All the anak manja’s should try it, it is called freedom from spin and lies and indoctrination. I implore all the anak manja to defect and become anak tiri. Its a great ride.
I like Mariam Mokhtar because she uses the same words I do, such as ‘emancipation and tempurung’!
I agree whole fully with the former Perlis Mufti. We Malays must read everything,gather all possible knowledge with an open mind,every morsel of information and things other races say of us,be calm,and hopefully understand why our Prophet Muhammad SAW even encourages us to seek knowledge wherever we may find,religion and our faith are very2 personal n never wear your religion on your sleeves,falsehood invites Hellfire,this advice is specifically for Me n you,if you so accept it,if not,it’s okay,for I have done my part,it’s the Heart that matters,see with it,n not your eyes only.
Very Well allegorized, MM. Can i be your anak tiri? Promise i won’t bite!
Seriously though, the monyet troupe that pretends to be Malay businessmen have a lot of soul searching to do (If they have souls). The days of whining, whingeing, outright daylight robbery and unadulterated ransoming must come to an end. I have Malay acquaintances who use the technique of sucking up to the high and mighty for crumbs that fall off the dinner table. This they call, ‘takdir’; and pride themselves for being adepts of servitude. Even a kebaya tailor can earn a datukship, by these means. Feudalistic hubris? Or devolution of the BMW-Porsche kind, paid for on the backs of slaves.
Look at the number of ‘appreciative’ full-page adverts on cellulose MSM, and you’d guess that this environment ain’t conducive to innovative thinking, entrepreneurship, ability and hard work. It’s who one knows, how much one greases, but never what one can do. Meritocracy is a bitch, ain’t it?
Besides the myriads of problems a change of governance will entail, the urgency of disbanding monopolies and unethical business practices would be paramount. Open tender? Transparency? Competency? Accountability? Only in our dreams..
Mental Emancipation will follow if the government adopts a policy that clearly states the the NEP may not be good for the economy but a good economy will be more than able to develop a good and viable NEP.
“The Malays will then work as security guards for the Chinese who are now Towkays and the Indians will work as labourers or drivers for the Towkays.” — hak55
Guess who comes to collect RENT? UMNO.
“Can I be your anak tiri? Promise I won’t bite!” CLF
There is always somebody willing and able. Bite I mean.
All thist talk about ‘anak manja’ and ‘anak tiri’ has got Tok Cik hot around the collar. What happened to ‘anak mami’? Tok Cik wants to know.
“I implore all the anak manja to defect and become anak tiri. Its a great ride.” — Kathy
It sure is. Especially when you have Sir Lancelot around. Expect nothing less that the greatest ride of your life !
The Malays don’t need emancipation. Most are above 18. They need a spanking.
The problem is , when you talk about the Malays , it’s them the simple Kampung Folks . A bulk of them after living school or institutions of higher learning are either employed in the Army , PDRM or other govt agencies. They are pampered no doubt but to say they are living a life of luxury , nay . Most if not all struggled to make ends meet … The umno bigshots and those associated with negotiated tenders , govt contracts , the Bumiputera Chambers of Commerce etc.., are the anak emas , the wealthy ones…
The Chinese are lucky despite being constitutionally labelled pendatang .. Here , what the malay bumiputera(s) are barred by law from doing , the chinese are allowed to do. The chinese are free to operate gaming outlets , whore houses , syndicated money lenders aka Alongs , night joints , beer shops , apa lagi Mr. Bean?
Mental Emancipation will follow if the government adopts a policy that clearly states the the NEP may not be good for the economy but a good economy will be more than able to develop a good and viable NEP.
Thumb Logic – July 9, 2012 at 7:03 pm
—————–
A case of Thamby logic.
NEP no matter how you choose to label it is morally reprehensible. Period.
Danil, spot on! Hey, pendatangs are pragmatic survivors. Everything also can. But their main customers are you know who lah.. NEP does indeed serve all by trick-o-nomics. The only problem is that the top predators aren’t sharing, so the lil’ predators nip at their heels.
Btw, there are a lot of kooks running around out there especially unemployed Imam Mahadi’s.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/cops-shoot-sword-wielding-duo-outside-pms-office/
The teksi tayar scheme also got problem, due to Chinapek gouging. How lah, microeconomics also can boomerang like this?
Some Malays will go out of their way to please VVIPs. They are so hard-up upon these things that it’s pathetic. Some wouldn’t even accept ctiticism on the royalty, often saying “they are the last bastion of the malays”. It’s really hard to change people who wouldn’t want to change. Some enjoy other people making the decisions for them or to think for them. I have a friend who thinks UMNO knows best what’s good for the malays and the Sultans can’t do no wrong. She limits her reading to Utusan. I bet she’s not the only one.
hak55,
If there are more people like, Malaysia will never progress.
by Danil daud’s logic then all malays should become non muslims enbloc, then they will get to do anything.
didi, i fear there is so many Umno people around you. is it hard?
*….there are so many*
I didn’t know so many UMNO people have hard ons. Bean and his wateringole have to testify to this since JAWI closed it down. I knew they were hard headed and hard ups.
Good point danildaud, so the Malays fear their own ghost, and by deception saying ” they fear the Economis strength of Malaysian Chinese”, whereas they fail miserably by their own Default…..by blaming others all the time.
It must be the wranglings by the BUM-NO top notch to put the Malaysian Malays in this “predicament”, resulting in Selfish Self-Enrichment for the chosen few….?
Hard-ons and heads up. Do they give heads too?
the malays should also learn to accept the ugly truth that they too are descended from migrants from outside modern day malaysia. that is indonesia. and the true natives are the orang asli.
Kathy,
I was born into a hard-core UMNO family. My uncle used to be an UMNO MP. Though now he’s leaning towards the “dark” side, as my family puts it, as I am. Most of my family members are very active UMNO members. It’s difficult but they find it amusing to talk to people like me. They can’t understand why I didn’t share their enthusiasm about upholding Malay special rights or why I support Bersih etc2. I can’t understand why they would deny other races equal rights considering our great-grandparents were Chinese. To me it’s like a deep-seated hatred of one-self and I’m sure my family would sing a different tune had our great-grandparents not convert to Islam.
I find it funny it is people who aren’t really true Malays who would deny their original race of the rights they are enjoying.
“they find it amusing to talk to people like you”…mmm,the cheek of it. I would be haiving arguments with them daily if I were surrounded.
Didi, I think that it is a sociological truism (if there is such a phrase) that converts tend to be more fanatical. So, no surprise there about your family.
Ai tze,
My great-grandparents converted to Islam not Malay. Actually, it baffles me how the family even became Malays. But it happens often in Malaysia. I know some Muslim converts who became Malays too once converted. Ridhuan Tee Abdullah is one good example.
Converts to Islam being more extremist in their views, less tolerant of others with non-Muslim viewpoints, than their mentors? Sociology offers an explanation. It is the need for an identity. If you look closer at the UMNO Malays who are seen as Malay ultras, you are likely to find conflicted individuals who are trying to distance themselves from their past of mixed identities.
Didi here is apparently of mixed ancestry but who has chosen to leave the flock. Kudos to her for having the courage to do so. I left the religion of my birth to avoid the conflict.
But who knows the driver may be earning RM3,000.00 a month.
what the malays need. frankly is not mental emancipation but a whole relabelling and rebranding as a different people with more freedom of thought called indonesians.