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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Hero Welcome for Ahmad Ismail?

Datuk Ahmad Ismail, the suspended UMNO Bukit Bendera Division was given a hero welcome by his own division. He was received by kompang troupe, silat components performance. He was given a keris and headdress befitting the state of a Malay Warriors. It defies logic when he is still suspended by UMNO Supreme Council.

The Nature of the welcome was obviously in defiance of the UMNO Supreme Council. UMNO Bukit Bendera will sure find it difficult to get Non-Malay support. Common-sense seems to be lacking in some UMNO grassroots leaders. Political Leaders who make race-related statement from both political divide are plenty in our country.

After 308 elections, there was initial euphoria and optimism that racial politics will be less. I am one of those who think otherwise. In fact 8 months after 308, continuous politicking with racial overtones has become our staple diet.

The road sign in Chinese, Tamil and English in part of the Penang Heritage area, is a classic example of misplaced Malay Nationalism and love of Bahasa Melayu as Bahasa Kebangsaan.

BM as the official language is accepted by all Malaysians. It is protected by the Constitution and no one should question its status. Now if we study other languages it does not mean that we challenge the position of BM as Bahasa Kebangsaan, or if there are road sign other than BM, for the convenience of foreign tourists, it does not in any way mean we do not respect BM.

Malaysia, in order to be competitive when we are a trading nation depending on export, cannot have its people to be monolingual – Chinese knowing only mandarin and Malays knowing only BM. Multilingual is the way forward for Malaysia. One should not be emotional and confrontational on language issues. These issues have been resolved by our forefathers. If it is a question of implementation of the Language Policy it should not be divisive.

BM as the National Language should be an agent of Unity and all Malaysians have accepted it. But do not deprive others of learning other languages. I am sure there are more English and Mandarin speaking tourists compare to Arabic speaking tourist.
发表“寄居论”而被巫统冻结党籍3年的巫统升旗山支部主席拿督阿末依斯迈日前出席他的区会活动时,不但获得英雄式的礼仪恭迎,还获赠象征马来勇士的马来短剑及头饰。一位遭党最高理事会纪律处分,冻结党籍的基层领袖,却被基层视为英雄,这种做法显然是蔑视巫统最高理事的决定。而此动作必定让升旗山当地的非马来选民不满,要得到他们的支持必会难上加难。

308大选以后,许多人都很乐观和兴奋地认为,我国的种族政治会因此减少。我则相反。我也多次公开我的看法。事实上308以后,含种族色彩和种族歧见的政治仍然持续着,似乎已是家常便饭。

槟城文遗区设多语路牌措施被炒作以致演变成争议性课题,就是一个错解马来民族主义和敬爱国语情操的典型例子。

马来文作为马来西亚的国语和官方语言的地位是受到宪法保障,没有人能置疑这一点,而大马人民也接受这项事实。与此同时,人民学习其他语文,不能被视为挑战马来文为官方语文的地位。同样的,为了方便外国游客而在旅游区设置其他语文路牌,更不该被诠释为对马来文不敬。

马来西亚要成为具有竞争力的出口国,我国人民更须加强多语的掌握能力,华人不能只懂中文、马来人不能只谙国语。贯通多语,才能驱动使马来西亚向前进迈进。

因此,我们不该情绪化和以对抗心态去看待语文课题。因为这些问题早在我们先贤时代已有共识和对策。若问题因语文政策的执行而产生,我们决不能容许有偏差。总之,国民不该因语文问题而被分化。

马来语作为我国国语,也是团结马来西亚人民的媒介,大家也这么认同。与此同时,我们不能剥夺国人学习其他语文和语言的机会和自由。我深信,说英语和华语的游客,肯定比说阿拉伯语的来得多。

23 comments:

I swear said...

That's why I do not understand how something works in Malaysia.

And, congratulations on getting No. 2 post in MCA.

malayamuda said...

Dr Chua,

first and foremost the UMNO fellows must stop repeating these words

1. jangan persoalkan
2. jangan cabar
3. jangan hina
4. ini hak kami

as citizens we have the right to question anything and everything. UMNO is a racist party and MCA, MIC and others have been punished by the electorate for working with this racist party at the expense of the other races.

BTW the people have forgiven you and accepted you back in the party, please tell Ong Tee Keat to respect the peoples wishes

Robert Teh said...

Soi Lek,

Ahmad Ismail and his antics are the very reason why BN lost Penang during the last general elections.

If BN let them carry on with their blatant arrogance - it will only ensure Pakatan Rakyat's victory at the next general elections.

Change? What change?

What change is BN leaders talking about when they don't even reprimand recalcitrants like Ahmad Ismail!

amoker said...

Should add on some photos of his headgear mah! Ahmad chap may even do a buka langkah

Pearls said...

It is rather glaring for anyone to ignore the fact that UMNO has quite a few fanatics right? And as such, for the life of me, I cannot understand why MCA and Gerakan still want to hang around in BN... hanging around with fanatics like UMNO! Yah right! it is just a few of them in UMNO. Yah right! and my mama is a moon fairy!

This latest drama about signage in other languages is a disgrace to all! Sigh.. these people are so set like stones, they will never want to/or able to learn anything!

Unknown said...

Datuk Chua, I don't know much about politics. But one thing for sure is as long as Gerakan & MCA don't do something to support the Chinese, myself and all my families members and friends will not vote for you guy. In MCA & Gerakan is sincere to change, please start with the action to support the Pakatan Rakyat to pressure UMNO to abolish the ISA, support the setup of the independent corruption bureau & judical reform.

Keang said...

Congrats on winning the deputy post BUT OTK (aha, it was OKT before...) should have consulted you b4 appointing all & sundries for the available MCA posts.

I'm sad he didn't appoint you to be the Johor chief as you are from Johor but he's not.

Looks like OTK will be another dictator like Mahathir. Having said this & with race-based politics on the way out, it's a faster hasta manana for MCA!

Best of luck...

Malaccan view said...

Dr Chua,
I am totally agreed what you said.UMNO,being back bone of Malaysia political structure still lack of sentitivity with regards to racial harmonial.By right,UMNO supreme council should censored the idiotic act of Ahmad Ismail in worshipping Malay hero by brandishing keris.This guy ought to be sack and export back to India where he's belong.
On road signs issue,to me,it is childish act of some Malay extremists.Why no complaint in other BN ruling states,where road signs are in Jawi as well??These people are burying their cock heads in the sand!!!

Unknown said...

Dr. Chua, pls don't fall into the UMNO racist trap. they wanna celebrate up to the moon, just let them be. don't engage yourself into this racist trap, we, the chinese will always in the losing end as the history has showed.

better put your effort onto scrutinize the najis's budget & other mismanaged deeds.
stop him from using our EPF money, robbing the rakyat inside out!!!

Malaysians reject a Murder suspect as our PM!!!

pui ting said...

Dear All,

Let's reconcile with the fact that UMNO treats MCA as an unimportant partner in BN. Trying to argue this fact an present an alternative view would demonstrate that we are living in denial. Rais Yatim has outwardly inform the public that there should be no reason to reprimand Ahmad Ismail and MCA should be warned of the consequences questioning sensitive issues. Your newly minted VP, Liow Tiong Lai back-pedalled from his earlier statement of demanding NEP be abolished when UMNO forcefully fought back against him. He claimed that his statement was taken out of context by the press and this cowardice action shows that MCA is fearful of UMNO.

The truth hurts but is a fact that none of us could deny.

artic turban said...

Congratulations on you NO.2 win. Now what are you and MCA going to do about this lame duck called AHMAT from penang, this clown disrespected the chinese community in Malaysia. Will the new team with you in no.2 position still follow the same tune of the former ong brothers motley crew, way of defending the rights of the chinese community and fellow Malaysians, we know how you got stabed in the back, and now even your cabinet position is being questioned by Umno when they have bigger skeletons in their cupboards from curi kahwin anak sutan, to offering bribes, getting drunk in public and grabbing any womens butt, and killing people with c4. Will Mca still remain the obedient servant to umno, with a few bones thrown your associations way once in a while, just to keep you happy or will MCA FLEX ITS MUSCLES and not be led by the nose. WILL Mca sign the abolish the ISA MEMO, from my knowledge, your MCA WAS ALL IN FAVOR but when it came time to walk the talk.... nothing, what happened, People in MCA may hate Teresa Kok, but she is a fellow Malaysian, on top of that a chinese women, who was arrested under ISA on lies by the corrupt. ok, ok, she is a political opponent, never mind, what about the SIN CHIEW REPORTER, SHE WORKED UNDER A MCA company, and reported about the 'chinese are pendatang haram', btw when will that stop? how long till the label changes to yes you are acceptable? WILL MCA BE AGAIN A LAME DUCK ORGANISATION? since you personally are back in the MANAGEMENT POSITION, after coming back from a astonishing political assasination, You are given a rare 2nd chance, will you dissapoint us the people of Malaysia, please don't talk about a the consenses claptrap, where is your sense of what is right or wrong. Go back and check out my previous posts, I don't apple polish, but speak the truth about the demands of joe public, will MCA remain the servant in the co-owned house, or will MCA shine again and become a leader it once was. look at your article, what UMNO say in public and what they say in private is 2 very sharp contrasts, the AHMAD ISMAI View is what all of umno feels, or else Najib you future leader, would have corrected ahmad ismail on the spot in PENANG, WHY DIDN'T HE? IS IT THAN SAFE TO ASSUME HE SHARES THE SAME VIEW, and only pays lip service to mca for umno to stay in power? The decision is there for MCA to make, but let me remind you, whats going to happen come next election, a major change, whatever anybody says, we are all fed up with umno, so either fight for the truth, the real truth on corruption, openness, transparency and abuse of powers by the home ministry, will you stand by UMNO AND DROWN WITH THE SINKING SHIP.? DECISION IS YOURS. A VERY NICE DAY TO YOU SIR.

NEIL said...

What country is this,pardon me!

Orang Pahang said...

What do we expect from these people!!!. They think and breathe through their ass. Can't differentiate between good n bad. Country will go down the drain with people like these.

Suci Dalam Debu said...

Dear Dr. Chua,

Many congrats on winning the MCA DP election.

The recent pronouncement by OKT indicates that the closing of ranks is not part of his agenda. The way he appoints and fills up the various posts is BAD for MCA.

I sincerely don't think MCA will perform any better than 308 in the next coming GE. More likely than not, it will go the way of the GERAKAN.

MCA needs a strong team made up of people who can perform but what have we? A party of new YES MEN, YES BOSS, BAIK TUAN and OTK will be forever remembered as the president who hammered the nail after OKT ordered the coffin.

I feel sorry that you were not appointed to a senior post and looks like your contribution to the revival of MCA is not welcome by the President.

What we have seen is the beginning of a new empire building and a bad omen for MCA.

Best of luck doc.

Coolandy

Lysendar said...

Dear Dr. Chua,

What i can say is these people still live in their dream. They still live in may be 50 years ago. Don't have to bother them as let them be. If they still carry on like this i think is better as they don't know that the world is changing everyday, and they will let behind the world.
May god bless..................

pui ting said...

Dear All,

Going forward, MCA has to reinvent itself and break free from the archaic political approach. While it is easier said than done, I believe the newly installed regime of MCA should already have a roadmap to deal with the newly changed Malaysian political landscape. As Dr. Chua has correctly pointed out that UMNO hasn't changed and many politicians are still harping on racial issues to gain support, MCA must have a counter-plan to face such situation. MCA will continue to lose support to PKR and DAP assuming that a status-quo approach is maintained by UMNO as many believed that MCA inability to confront UMNO hagemony was one of the major reasons as to why they performed poorly in the last election. How could MCA improves itself in the next election if they are unable to constitute any drastic changes demanded by the majority Chinese? The recent appointments of various important posts in MCA by the newly installed president left many with escalation of suspicion that the president is valiantly trying to consolidate his position in the party. While I am not at liberty to judiciously comment as to the rationale or wisdom of the MCA president with the various appointments but having unknowns to occupy important positions in the party doesn't bode well with certain segment of groups. This will give rise to further discontentment and eventual split, something which MCA wouldn't want at this point in time. However, I strongly believe that MCA urgently needs a selfless leader to navigate the party during this challenging period so as to win-back the wanton lost of support. The last the party needs is an egoistic person.

Unknown said...

Dr, Chua,

Congratulations on winning no. 2 position in MCA.
People like Ahmad still do not learn a lesson that people are rejecting UMNO's racism, arrogance and corruption.

I agree with Steven, please work with Pakatan to pressure UMNO to abolish ISA, the draconian law. This law has been abused.

pui ting said...

Dear All,

It appears that the newly installed MCA president is treating comment(s) from interested quarters as another page of entertainment section in the newspaper. This is quite rancid judging that he should have a good pair of ears listening to the rakyat, be it critic or credit.

timkow said...

The whole MCA cannot even deal with a suspended UMNO division chief. Can we expect them to deliver the goods? Fat hope.

artic turban said...

You should be reinstated into the cabinet as traditionly the Mca No.2 sits in the cabinet, what all this claptrap of refusing to forward your name to the pm to reinstate you, as you have been chosen once again. It is not becoming to be no.2 in MCA AND YOUR juniors in MCA are sitting in the cabinet, this is an unprecedented stab in the back from the MCA president. There should be no compromise on this, you should demand the health ministry portfolio back as that was the position you held. Another reason for this is after you left, when looking from outside the mistakes in the health ministry, you would have wanted to correct what is wrong, on hindsight. Ithink the replacement of the dg merican should be your first priority, sorry I may be jumping the gun, but in your absence an innocent doctor was inprisoned on a law you implemented, which you promised that will not be abused to prosecute legitimate doctors, but was abused by little napoleans. I think your exile from the cabinet and your break, may have opened your eyes to whats really happening. Now will you also demand for the culprits involved in your backstabbing, face the consequences. Let those who were the masterminds in this sleep with the fishes, not literally but politically.

Laugou said...

Dr. Chua,

You may not a Saint but you are a brave man.If someone are capable, his action dont need to be backed by rule and regulation, only those are not confident need it.

Ahmad Ismail incident, most of us so call "Malaysian Chinese" need to responsible for it.

It is because we prefer to be a Malaysian Chinese rather than A Truly Malaysian. Please dont blame other make any racist comment, if you still have perception Chinese is smarter than Malay.

If you always think you are a Truly Anak Malaysia than Ahmad Ismail just a stupid politic player, nobody will give a dam to wat he say.

I always ask my friend, i born in Malaysia, brought up in Malaysia, who am I? If I had done anything wrong the country can sentence me to death but not to revoke my citizenship.

Remeber the Negarakuku incident, one of our stupid YAB or minster said "we should revoke the fellow's citizenship". If the young man's citizenship being revoked, where should he heading to? PRC, Taiwan or the moon?

Saya anak Johor saya anak Malaysia.

sad_klguy said...

1. jangan persoalkan
2. jangan cabar
3. jangan hina
4. ini hak kami

This is UMNO always repeat & keep repeat.Why,because they afraid to change and afraid to losts...

MCA should change before we change MCA.

Anonymous said...

Most of his life, he mixes around with his own kind. AhMad should learn a lesson by mixing with other kinds and understanding their backgrounds. It was more of because he spoke on behalf of some Malays who insist that their first ancestors, Adam and Hawa, lived in a region much later known as Malaysia, that he is seen as a hero. By the way, Adam and Hawa were first created and lived in the region somewhere between Iran and Iraq. People should learn as many languages as possible so that wherever they travel, they do not need an interpreter to follow them. Chineses are already learning Bahasa Melayu. The Malays are encouraged to learn Mandarin and other Chinese dialects. This will promote harmony. Malaysians should be proud that Penang and Malacca are now in the world heritage list. It is one of the common platforms which all the races can stand on. Unless Malaysians wish to see Penang and Malacca taken off the world heritage list, they should try to stop every arguement and fightings concerning the languages use and other small issues. Being in the world heritage list means that more tourists would want to visit Malaysia and there will be more revenue to come in. This revenue will be used to develop Malaysia further.

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