Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The government's credibility problem when talking about racial unity
Just as an individual is judged by his or her actions, the same adage holds true for nation states. The actions of a nation's leaders dictate and influence the perception of external forces toward that nation. The behaviour of states like North Korea and Sudan has over the years, consistently undermined, ignored and resisted international efforts to resolve domestic and external flash points. The take away generated by these nations' behaviour is not pretty; North Korea and Sudan are generally lumped into the basket of pariah nations. The same was true for the old apartheid-ruled South Africa.
Malaysia is still well-regarded by the international community as a dynamic, forward-looking nation which has embraced and ratified many global accords since its birth nearly fifty years ago. The country, despite international acknowledgement and reservation of its wide-reaching national policies favouring the dominant Malay community, is still a beacon of acceptable economic growth.
But the stage is changing. There is increasingly more international scrutiny of a country's domestic policies before deals (almost always economic in nature) are inked. Just ten years ago, the term Asian Tigers were liberally tossed about by investors. Malaysia was also included in this prestigious category. India was still an unknown quality. I recall then Malaysian businessmen, while enthralled by opportunities in China, would belittle India as a viable investment destination. How times have changed. India has walked the walk and talked the talk - in just a few short years, India is now one of the biggest economies in the world and is expected to surpass Japan's economy by the end of this year.
I would have to argue that for Malaysia to sustain its loudly-stated goals of a minimum six percent annual growth and prosperity for all, government planners would do well to recognise that domestic policies are closely scrutinized by foreign investors as well as by nation states before any deal is done. The recent statement by Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew making the correct observation of a systemic marginalisation of the Chinese community in Malaysia is actually about one nation attempting to gain the upper hand over a neighbouring country in the unceasing battle for scant global investment resources. This is a battle Singapore has been winning in recent years ever since Tun Dr Mahathir stepped down. Harry's calculated riposte is aimed at continuing Singapore's supremacy on the economic front at Malaysia's cost.
Malaysia's prickly, disjointed response including a demand for an apology (which is a waste of time, Harry's not going to give it) will be justifiably deemed hypocritical by diplomats in Kuala Lumpur when the UMNO remained stubborn in the face of growing calls for an apology by the Chinese community after its shameful treatment of a legitimately elected Chief Minister of Penang. Increasingly, Malaysians and the international communitry are seeing the double standards employed by the UMNO government in this latest Malaysia-Singapore tirade. Coming on the heels of the cross border statements, Malaysia in an unfortunate or even stupid sense of timing, affirmed that no vernacular schools will be built in the next five years, unnecesarily (or perhaps deliberately?) feeding the sense of alienation of a key Malaysian community and strengthening the conviction of those who believe in a foreigner's statement.
The UMNO government's discomfort with such statements by a foreign power is evident. Mainly because any thinking person living in Malaysia can see the evidence of subtle and not so subtle racism all around him or her. Attempting to sweep a buffalo under the carpet is not going to work. It is high time the government acknowledge the serious gaps in its credibility and do something constructive about it. The 7 million or so Chinese in this country is not going to go away. It is foolhardy and morally wrong for a political party (UMNO) to think it can magically silence a robust, business-savvy community via pompous declarations. ¶ 2:42 PM
Malaysia is still well-regarded by the international community as a dynamic, forward-looking nation which has embraced and ratified many global accords since its birth nearly fifty years ago. The country, despite international acknowledgement and reservation of its wide-reaching national policies favouring the dominant Malay community, is still a beacon of acceptable economic growth.
But the stage is changing. There is increasingly more international scrutiny of a country's domestic policies before deals (almost always economic in nature) are inked. Just ten years ago, the term Asian Tigers were liberally tossed about by investors. Malaysia was also included in this prestigious category. India was still an unknown quality. I recall then Malaysian businessmen, while enthralled by opportunities in China, would belittle India as a viable investment destination. How times have changed. India has walked the walk and talked the talk - in just a few short years, India is now one of the biggest economies in the world and is expected to surpass Japan's economy by the end of this year.
I would have to argue that for Malaysia to sustain its loudly-stated goals of a minimum six percent annual growth and prosperity for all, government planners would do well to recognise that domestic policies are closely scrutinized by foreign investors as well as by nation states before any deal is done. The recent statement by Singapore strongman Lee Kuan Yew making the correct observation of a systemic marginalisation of the Chinese community in Malaysia is actually about one nation attempting to gain the upper hand over a neighbouring country in the unceasing battle for scant global investment resources. This is a battle Singapore has been winning in recent years ever since Tun Dr Mahathir stepped down. Harry's calculated riposte is aimed at continuing Singapore's supremacy on the economic front at Malaysia's cost.
Malaysia's prickly, disjointed response including a demand for an apology (which is a waste of time, Harry's not going to give it) will be justifiably deemed hypocritical by diplomats in Kuala Lumpur when the UMNO remained stubborn in the face of growing calls for an apology by the Chinese community after its shameful treatment of a legitimately elected Chief Minister of Penang. Increasingly, Malaysians and the international communitry are seeing the double standards employed by the UMNO government in this latest Malaysia-Singapore tirade. Coming on the heels of the cross border statements, Malaysia in an unfortunate or even stupid sense of timing, affirmed that no vernacular schools will be built in the next five years, unnecesarily (or perhaps deliberately?) feeding the sense of alienation of a key Malaysian community and strengthening the conviction of those who believe in a foreigner's statement.
The UMNO government's discomfort with such statements by a foreign power is evident. Mainly because any thinking person living in Malaysia can see the evidence of subtle and not so subtle racism all around him or her. Attempting to sweep a buffalo under the carpet is not going to work. It is high time the government acknowledge the serious gaps in its credibility and do something constructive about it. The 7 million or so Chinese in this country is not going to go away. It is foolhardy and morally wrong for a political party (UMNO) to think it can magically silence a robust, business-savvy community via pompous declarations. ¶ 2:42 PM
