Pakatan must do more to convince rural Malays

The Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties must target the urban especially the rural Malay population in the country if they want to rule the nation during the next general election.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) committee member and Sungai Siput MP Dr D Jeyakumar said that Pakatan cannot just depend on the Chinese and Indian voters who are in the minority for their political survival.

"Pakatan has to first address the psychological fear of the Malay community that they will be marginalised and treated as second class citizens if Pakatan takes control of the nation," Jeyakumar pointed out.

"For the past 52 years, Umno has whipped up this fear among the Malay community that they will be overrun by the other races and only Umno and BN can safeguard their interests and ensure their survival.

Change the misconception and mindset

"We have to change this misconception that has been embedded in the minds of the Malay community and change their mindset that all races can equally share the country's economic cake without infringing on Malay rights," he reasoned.

"We have to make the difference and talk to the rural Malay community that we are sincere and want to help them.

"The BN, especially under former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad's rule, has ensured that neither the Chinese nor the Indians form the majority racial composition in any constituencies in the country, at the nation's demarcation exercise," He pointed out.

He said the BN has the propaganda machinery, manpower and control of all mainstream media to continuously brainwash the rural Malay population that they are doomed if the opposition takes control of the nation.

Whereas, "Pakatan is at a disadvantage in this area as it does not have access to these tools of communication nor the manpower or the machinery and has to depend on the new media, which incidentally is not accessible to the rural Malay population", he added.

"We have to make a difference and enlighten the rural Malay community that we are sincere in helping them better their social and economic status in society.

Segregation of races has worsen

"The segregation of races is worse now under Barisan Nasional's 52 year-rule of the country and one cannot build unity among the various races based on empty slogans alone like 1Malaysia," he explained.

Jeyakumar said this in his speech at the Hari Malaysia forum themed "Towards a United Malaysia" organised by PKR at a hotel here last night.

"The reality is that the various races are still divided under the divide and rule policy practised by the British during their colonial rule of Malaysia and this policy is still being used by BN to maintain their political stranglehold on the nation", he further added.

Jeyakumar was among five political figures who addressed the forum, attended by about 600 people.

The other speakers are ousted Pakatan Rakyat Menteri Besar and PAS Bukit Gantang MP Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin (right) , Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham, Perak PKR deputy chief Chang Lih Kang and Ampang MP and PKR women's wing chief Zuraida Kamaruddin.

The moderator for the three-hour forum was PKR Simpang Pulai assemblyperson Chan Ming Kai.

Zuraidah who was born and raised in Singapore stated that she experienced the good quality of life and education in the island republic for which she is now contributing back to the Malaysian society.

However, she claimed the same cannot be said of the rural Malays in Malaysia who are economically disadvantaged by the BN government.

She alleged that the majority of Malays have been moved from the mainstream of Malaysian life to rural areas like Felda by the BN government to apparently give them a 'better quality' of life.

"What quality of life is BN talking about when they segregate the rural Malay people who are doomed to spend the rest of their lives in such schemes with no guarantees for the future of their children?" she asked.

Not given the opportunity to compete

"They are not given the equal opportunity to compete and develop like the other races and there is no long term planning for their future. Even the land they are toiling on now can be later taken back by the BN government," she said.

She cited a recent example in the Iskandar project in the Johor economic development corridor, where about 38 families who have toiled the land for nearly 50 years, now face resettlement by the government to which they are resisting.

She also lambasted the BN government for taking away all the income earned from the natural resources of Sabah and Sarawak but giving nothing back in return.

"As a result of this lopsided policy, there are no infrastructures or development in these two states and most Sabahans and Sarawakians are living in dire poverty," she added.

An example she pointed out is the rape of the indigenous community Penan girls by lorry drivers working on these logging sites. As there is no proper mode of transportation for them, they have to hitch rides with the lorry drivers and, in the process, get raped.

She called upon the true Malaysian spirit, the spirit of empowerment to take care of others, of improving the livelihood of suffering fellow Malaysians.