As a Chinese Malaysian, it is rather difficult for me to write this piece. But I want to do it anyway because I care for the future of this country. I think the race baiting is getting out of hand.

Lately, Chinese Malaysians have been blatantly labelled with many names, some totally degrading and insulting. Chinese Malaysians are also the target of envy and unwarranted hatred. Every fault, every fissure and every ailment is blamed on the Chinese. Numerous tags, from ‘Cina babi’, Christian Jewish conspirators, communists, greedy capitalists, to chauvinists and racists, are being tossed at the Chinese.

But, what are the faults of the Chinese really? Did the Chinese at the Bersih rally ask “the Malays to go back to kampung”? What evidence did accusers like Ali Rustam and others have? Did the Chinese ever claim that Kuala Lumpur belong to them or the DAP? How did that accusation come about?

To me, even if there were one or two individuals who committed such indiscretion as claimed, I think Ali Rustam and others must differentiate between exception and general rule. The action by one or two individuals does not depict the general sentiment of the community. The most important aspect to consider is whether Bersih and Chinese leaders from political parties at the rally have made such incendiary urgings.

Similarly, did the Chinese ever seek to overthrow the government unconstitutionally? Asking the prime minister to resign was the urging made by many Malaysians, including prominent and towering Malays and ordinary Malays at the rally. I think it is grossly unfair to dump everything on the Chinese. This is intentionally trying to incite and inflame.

Please don’t blame the Chinese for every ill that is infesting the country today. On the contrary, Chinese Malaysians have been loyal citizens contributing much to the vitality of the economy. The whole wide world knows the Chinese alone are incapable of changing this country. But can we ever fault them for their resolve in wanting to see the nation inflicted with less baloney and abuse?

Sometimes, I can’t help but feel that there is so much of envy and wasted energy directed at totally unproductive and useless arguments. If Malaysian Chinese are generally competitive, enterprising and better off economically, are they supposed to take the blame for causing inequality and marginalization in the country?

The last time I checked, the Chinese did not make policies or hijack allocations that make them enterprising, competitive or rich. So can we have some sense of proportion when making accusations?

If Chinese Malaysians crave for competitive education in languages other than Bahasa Malaysia, can we just blame them for being selfish not desirous of national disunity? My take is national unity will only be more enduring and sustainable when Malaysians in general are savvy or competitive enough to earn a good living? Not everyone in the country is in the ‘business of governing’. If this nation fails to be productive and useful to others, it shall die a lingering death.

Never serious in finding real solutions

I think, as a nation, we are never serious in wanting to find real solutions to our problems. Every day we are just happy to indulge in race and religious polemics and damn the rest.

This is my suggestion; if Chinese are more successful in business and commerce, why not learn more from them? Why continue to rely on Mara, government agencies and half-baked universities to produce even more unemployable apprentices and graduates only fit for employment in the public sector?

Why not ask the Chinese small businesses to take up some of the training responsibility? Divert some of the allocations from Mara, government agencies and universities to the Chinese firms and I am sure they are willing and able to do a better job.

To me, there is no harm trying this out. After all, we do not have many success stories to shout about to begin with. Another failure would probably not make much of the difference.

Jamal Mohd Yunos thinks it is a breeze to run a store in Petaling Street. I say it is time for him to recognise his ignorance.