Sunday, September 17, 2006
Brinkmanship that makes matters worse
It seems the floodgates of race and one upmanship that Khairy Jamaludin opened several weeks ago with his insensitive statements are far from being closed. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat' s public revelation of alleged misuse of funds by Education Ministry officials has created a groundswell of support from the Chinese community. The funds were apparently for renovation works for two Chinese schools in Johor. Ong revealed that he had received a thousand SMSes of support from people who applaud his stand on the matter, despite him getting reprimanded by the Cabinet for criticising another Ministry. UMNO Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishamudin Tun Hussein Onn who is also the Education Ministry also said Ong of trying to be a hero to the Chinese community. Ong meanwhile was reported to have said in the Star newspaper report that he did not wish to be made a scapegoat over this issue. And so, two Barisan Nasional component parties leaders- one Malay and the other Chinese - face off in public. Meanwhile the top echelong of leaders in MCA remain silent, ambivalent whether to show public support to Ong.
Ong's pointed revelation of the SMSes indicate his determination to show there is tremendous support from the Chinese community for his stand on this issue. His act should not be seen as a surprise, as he has shown in the past that he is willing to be potrayed as a lone ranger in politics. The so-called Barisan Nasional way of solving problems such as this seems to be bursting at the seams. This incident involving renovation funds which should have been amicably resolved, was not. A few months ago, this outburst by UMNO nor MCA would not have occured. But since the Penang fiasco involving Khairy Jamaludin that questioned the sincerity of the Chinese community, many Chinese are in return, questioning the sincerity of some UMNO politicians. Race has again come to the forefront and it is hanging like a dark cloud over the state of relations between UMNO, MCA and Gerakan, a predominantly chinese party.
There has been a spat of incidents in the very recent past that have caused disatisfaction in the Chinese community. The most recent episode involved the Biro Tata Negara, a wing within the Home Affairs Ministry, claiming at an orientation seminar at a local university, that some Chinese student groups are supported by "Jewish" associations. Needless to say, the raising of the Chinese bogeyman by a government agency no less, has serious consequences for national unity efforts. What is disturbing is the seemingly deliberate ratcheting up of stress and tension, right after the "pushing and shoving" incident involving a large group of Malays students and a smaller group of Chinese students at University Putra Malaysia. And I fail to understand why BTN has to be involved in student orientation in campuses. While I have some idea why this is so, perhaps it is too premature to think out loud.
I think its pertinent to note that the Chinese community is taking note of all these incidences and it would be foolish to assume that their patience has no limits. If one day, they feel that the politicals parties in Barisan Nasional are not standing up for their rights, they may be compelled to contemplate the unthinkable by way of the ballot box. No amount of frantic last-minute cajoling will work if non-Malays are gradually made to feel that they have no stake in this country. ¶ 8:27 PM
Ong's pointed revelation of the SMSes indicate his determination to show there is tremendous support from the Chinese community for his stand on this issue. His act should not be seen as a surprise, as he has shown in the past that he is willing to be potrayed as a lone ranger in politics. The so-called Barisan Nasional way of solving problems such as this seems to be bursting at the seams. This incident involving renovation funds which should have been amicably resolved, was not. A few months ago, this outburst by UMNO nor MCA would not have occured. But since the Penang fiasco involving Khairy Jamaludin that questioned the sincerity of the Chinese community, many Chinese are in return, questioning the sincerity of some UMNO politicians. Race has again come to the forefront and it is hanging like a dark cloud over the state of relations between UMNO, MCA and Gerakan, a predominantly chinese party.
There has been a spat of incidents in the very recent past that have caused disatisfaction in the Chinese community. The most recent episode involved the Biro Tata Negara, a wing within the Home Affairs Ministry, claiming at an orientation seminar at a local university, that some Chinese student groups are supported by "Jewish" associations. Needless to say, the raising of the Chinese bogeyman by a government agency no less, has serious consequences for national unity efforts. What is disturbing is the seemingly deliberate ratcheting up of stress and tension, right after the "pushing and shoving" incident involving a large group of Malays students and a smaller group of Chinese students at University Putra Malaysia. And I fail to understand why BTN has to be involved in student orientation in campuses. While I have some idea why this is so, perhaps it is too premature to think out loud.
I think its pertinent to note that the Chinese community is taking note of all these incidences and it would be foolish to assume that their patience has no limits. If one day, they feel that the politicals parties in Barisan Nasional are not standing up for their rights, they may be compelled to contemplate the unthinkable by way of the ballot box. No amount of frantic last-minute cajoling will work if non-Malays are gradually made to feel that they have no stake in this country. ¶ 8:27 PM
