'Yes, it's a good idea if research on this unwritten but often (misquoted) contract is carried out by eminent and independent historians.'

Consensus on 'social contract' imperative

RR: We must respect truth and righteousness. All sane Malaysians must respect this. Yes, we need social engineering or a social economic action when the have-nots are deliberately denied opportunities because the upper class controls the reins.

But such social engineering should cut across race and religion and address all the needy, the poor and the underprivileged, be they Malays, Indians, Chinese and others. This will ensure justice to all and bring good citizenship.

Loyal Malaysian: This article is a voice of reason in a sea of emotional rantings. Yet Clive Kessler's well-argued points will not be received favourably by the Umnoputras. For he has unequivocably stated the ‘Ketuanan Melayu' that those Umnoputras have been beating their chests so loudly about is a myth, an 'exercise in anachronistic revisionism'.

Cala: Professor Kessler, well said and thank you. In a nutshell, you are proposing that every party should go back and re-look at the original piece of document before more confusion is made. To me, we are living in a real world where numbers matter. Is it not true that the dominating party always get to change anything under the sun?

But it has to remember ‘formal rules may be enacted/changed', it is the informal belief-system that determines the acceptability. No amount of coercion helps. Indeed, he who has the hearts of the masses has the kingdom. Not otherwise.

Klangboy: The social contract is one big fat lie. What social contract? It was only defined after May 13, 1969 and modified again and again. Our founding fathers agreement was for all to live together, and English was used to educate, not divide. Why talk about the social contract only 50 years after and not before Malaysia was formed?

The only contract is what was written in black and white in the constitution, period. Any amendments after that do not constitute any contract. It amended the real contract written in 1957. Example - quotas in licence and civil service.

What quotas when 90 percent or more are reserved for the Umnoputras? How many heads of town councils are non-Malays, how many heads of GLCs are non-Malays? So what contract are you talking and mumbling about?

Anonymous: What is there to talk about a consensus in the 'social contract' if there is none in the first place? If it was the understanding achieved before Merdeka in 1957 because of Reid Commission and later on enshrined as the federal constitution, then let it be and respect this so-called 'understanding'.

To call this as re-branding the 'social contract' is seriously flawed in the first place and plays into Umno's propaganda through the Biro Tatanegara (BTN), which then makes the 'social contract' an issue.

Furthermore, I would say that Sabah and Sarawak, which joined Malaysia later by right are not subject to this 'understanding' but through the separately signed Points of Agreement (POA). Just ask yourselves, are the POA being honoured by the government controlled by Umno?

I would say no. So, everyone needs to just to respect the spirit that enshrined in the constitution and POA, and move on with our lives. Why waste time on Umno's rhetoric and spinning?

Clearwater: We need a transparent social contract with terms broadly spelt out and whose accuracy is supported by historical documents. We can even put it to a nationwide referendum. Yes, it's a good idea if research on this unwritten but often (misquoted) contract is carried out by eminent and independent historians. This will surely put paid to all that ketuanan garbage.

KSN: This seems like a good idea. To clarify, confirm and specify what was agreed to in the social contract. That done, there will be no need to abuse the contract to fit political agendas by all and sundry. There has to be a lot of records of the discussions that took place to start with.

Najib gears up for polls with rousing speech

M Suresh Kumar: When will be the day when our politicians do what is best for our country as a whole? By favouring one race against others, our politicians are actually breaking down the country, doing injustice, driving the 'nons' away and going against all codes of ethics. What is conclusive is that they are a self-serving lot.

Malaysia is a multi-racial country so everybody should be treated equal. Look at our country's performance nowadays - we are going down in every area that is surveyed.

Jesmine Joseph: It is ironic that on one hand, the PM speaks of ‘1Malaysia' and on the other he is holding the minorities by the neck and threatening them with the ‘social contract' and kezaliman yang dahsyat . May 13 is history but a change of government to the opposition is ‘My Way' for most Malaysians now.

Yobama: Najib is dead right in saying that whoever rules Malaysia will not be able to amend Article 153 of the constitution without the consent of the Malay rulers. So what else is new? Anwar Ibrahim has also been saying the same thing. On that score, there is nothing to differentiate between BN and Pakatan Rakyat.

However, the matter should not be left hanging there. Pakatan promises a cleaner, transparent and accountable government whereas Umno is silent on these. BN has ruled over 53 years and a whole generation has grown up and seen how unjust BN's rule has been.

Look at the state of the judiciary, the police department, the AG's Chamber, the Election Commission, etc, which have all been turned into component ‘parties' of the BN to do its dirty work, under the pretext of ‘struggling' for ‘agama, bangsa dan negara'.

What sort of struggle, may we ask? How many of the BN guys have been detained in our prisons or Kamunting in their struggles? None that we know of. Your ‘struggles' constitute only fiery rhetoric at PWTC - year in, year out.

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