Deputy Umno Youth head Khairy Jamaluddin, when declaring open the People's Progressive Party's Youth wing convention recently, warned that there are limits to freedom. He said while there was the open atmosphere where government policies and leaders could be criticised by the media and where issues could be discussed, there were limits that needed to be adhered to. According to him, racial sensitivities still exist and that we should respect these boundaries.
The government, he said, could revert to a more controlled atmosphere if certain people chose to abuse this freedom. He hoped that the few people who were bent on testing the limits would not be too extreme as this would prompt restriction.
Khairy warned that: 'Umno Youth will come down hard on those who breach the limits and ignore the boundaries of law and racial sensitivities'.
The question is why warn others when much of the needless saber-rattling and blood-curdling talk comes first from Umno? In fact, for the first time Malaysians witnessed the worst manifestation of negative, divisive and destructive polemics when speakers at the Umno general assembly ignored the boundaries of law and sensitivities.
Remember the Malacca delegate Hasnoor Sidang Hussein who bluntly stated that: 'Umno is willing to risk lives and bathe in blood in defence of race and religion'.
Remember the Terengganu delegate Razali Idris who reminded that: 'Malay rights cannot be challenged, or else the Malays will run amok and May 13 will recur'.
Remember Umno Youth exco member Azimi Daim who said: 'When tension rises, the blood of the Malay warriors will run in our veins'.
Remember the Umno delegate from Perlis who directed his question at youth chief Hishammuddin Hussein Onn: 'Datuk Hisham has unsheathed his keris, waved his keris, kissed his keris. We want to ask Dato Hisham when is he going to use it'.
Prior to these Malaysians have witnessed how Umno Youth members violently disrupted the Apcet II conference and we have not forgotten that one Umno Youth exco member, during the Suqiu controversy, threatened to burn down the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
We were equally alarmed when recently, a group of Umno members barged into the MCA Kelana Jaya member of parliament's office and demanded a retraction and apology for his speech in Parliament simply because he had raised concerns of the lack of non-Muslim places of worship.
Even the concept of Bangsa Malaysia held dearly by Malaysians has suddenly become unacceptable and untenable to Johor Menteri Besar Ghani Othman who fears that the concept could pose a threat to national stability. Instead of using the concept of Bangsa Malaysia to strengthen racial unity, particularly when Malaysia is just one year away from celebrating 50 years of nationhood, there are politicians who endure to ensure divisiveness.
Thus it must have come at no surprise when New Sunday Times (of all newspapers!) recently reported that since November this year, more Malaysians than ever are selling their properties and cars seeking to migrate .
According to a migration agent, they used to get on an average 15 to 20 enquiries a day. However between Nov 14 and Nov 19 alone there were 6,500 enquiries for Australia, 5,500 enquiries for New Zealand, 4,000 enquiries for Canada and 3,500 enquiries for other countries including Norway and Switzerland. And who exactly are migrating? According to another migration agent, the callers were of all races - Malays, Chinese and Indians.
The newspaper also reported that real estate agents also revealed that an increasing number of people mainly from middle-income groups and above and owned properties worth RM250,000 and more.
They wanted to sell their houses and the reason given by most of them is that they are migrating and needed to dispose of their houses. Like real estate agents, used car dealers are also getting enquiries from would be emigrants. A used car dealer is quoted as saying there was an increased number of sellers in the market recently.
Irresponsible acts, divisive, provocative and seditious polemics from politicians hoping to score sectarian points has - without any doubt - done grave damage to the Malaysian psyche and to nation-building particularly. There is indeed quiet soul-searching going on. Importantly, Malaysians are most concerned about their future and more importantly, about the destiny of Malaysia.
Many are fearful that recent events may well be the manifestation of a future Malaysia. Perhaps it is the apprehension and the wariness of the future which is forcing many to consider migrating. More worrying is the fact that even Malays are considering to emigrate. That to me does not bode well for Malaysia and Malaysians.
