Wednesday, September 27, 2006
How bout dialogue for Malaysians Mr Prime Minister?
The Prime Minister has called for "sincere dialogue among the bickering human family" as reported in the Sun several days ago. He also provided his thoughts on how to bridge the growing schism between the West and the Islamic world. He made this call at the United Nations General Assembly a week ago.
In his speech, the Prime Minister made an incisive statement: "The politics of fear must cease to dictate the conduct of relations between peoples and nations. If they do, then prejudice and irrationality will continue to prevail in the affairs of the world and dialogues will continue to fail." He further added:"In our relations, we must not be patronising and condescending and certainly not threatening."
The Prime Minister's willingness to go onto a world pulpit to tout the benefits of dialogue as a balm to the world's ills is commendable, noteworthy and certainly statesman-like. What is also striking is that in the microcosm that is Malaysia, he consistently refrains from touting the same cure to address the urgent and disturbing matter of the ever-widening gap in inter-ethnic ties. He is right that dialogue and not confrontation, is the only sane route to enhancing understanding and accentuating the commonalities amongst differing communities. The world is grappling with a rise in tribalistic tendencies amongst ethnic and religous groups in the face of a new set of rules called globalisation, created by the world's great powers i.e from the West.
The world is far less safer now than it was in the pre-911 period. The fear of the effects of globalisation is also an overriding factor for many nations especially in the developing world (including the Muslim world). Any solution to bridge the perceptions (whether it is real or imagined) can only begin with the seed of sincere dialogue. The solution is obvious but it is also virtually imposssible to implement in an chaotic global environment that has a myriad number of stakeholders.
The Prime Minister, would do well to enhance his and his nation's credibility by first resorting to sincere dialogue to help plug the formation of of tribalism within Malaysia's borders. Put your own house in order before preaching to the neighbours. Issues that divide rather than bond communities abound; Article 11, the systematic demolition of hindu temples, the state of vernacular schools, the revisionist streak running through the school text books, the National Economic Policy. He has unfortunately declined to allow any sober dialogue between the communities on an array of contentious and sensitive issues that are plaguing the nation. Sensitive issues will not go away - they have this nasty habit of lingering around and creating open wounds in a nation's consciousness. ¶ 12:44 PM
In his speech, the Prime Minister made an incisive statement: "The politics of fear must cease to dictate the conduct of relations between peoples and nations. If they do, then prejudice and irrationality will continue to prevail in the affairs of the world and dialogues will continue to fail." He further added:"In our relations, we must not be patronising and condescending and certainly not threatening."
The Prime Minister's willingness to go onto a world pulpit to tout the benefits of dialogue as a balm to the world's ills is commendable, noteworthy and certainly statesman-like. What is also striking is that in the microcosm that is Malaysia, he consistently refrains from touting the same cure to address the urgent and disturbing matter of the ever-widening gap in inter-ethnic ties. He is right that dialogue and not confrontation, is the only sane route to enhancing understanding and accentuating the commonalities amongst differing communities. The world is grappling with a rise in tribalistic tendencies amongst ethnic and religous groups in the face of a new set of rules called globalisation, created by the world's great powers i.e from the West.
The world is far less safer now than it was in the pre-911 period. The fear of the effects of globalisation is also an overriding factor for many nations especially in the developing world (including the Muslim world). Any solution to bridge the perceptions (whether it is real or imagined) can only begin with the seed of sincere dialogue. The solution is obvious but it is also virtually imposssible to implement in an chaotic global environment that has a myriad number of stakeholders.
The Prime Minister, would do well to enhance his and his nation's credibility by first resorting to sincere dialogue to help plug the formation of of tribalism within Malaysia's borders. Put your own house in order before preaching to the neighbours. Issues that divide rather than bond communities abound; Article 11, the systematic demolition of hindu temples, the state of vernacular schools, the revisionist streak running through the school text books, the National Economic Policy. He has unfortunately declined to allow any sober dialogue between the communities on an array of contentious and sensitive issues that are plaguing the nation. Sensitive issues will not go away - they have this nasty habit of lingering around and creating open wounds in a nation's consciousness. ¶ 12:44 PM
