your say 'During his reign as PM of Malaysia, he was propagating and building up all the bad 'chi' by injecting poisonous venom into the mind of the Malays.'

Dr M: Chinese voters not always anti-BN

Sjmc: It is very wrong to racialise Chinese Sarawakians for voting DAP. DAP contest in Chinese-majority seats not only gain the support of Chinese voters but voters of all races.

Only a racist sees this through racial lenses. Dr Mahathir Mohamad is right in saying Chinese were not anti-BN in the past, including helping him obtaining two-thirds majority in 1999. But he is wrong in racialising the success of DAP in the recent Sarawak state election.

Only an idiot will simply classify Chinese as rich and the Malay poor. Genting's Lim Goh Tong is only one of the rare exception. There are many Malay tycoons who are filthy rich in this country, but can we say Malay are rich too?

Alan Goh: Only last week, immediately after the Sarawak election, this ‘apa nama' ex-PM labeled the Chinese as racist for voting along racial lines and for supporting DAP. In the past, the Chinese have been stupid and hoodwinked into giving BN support and worse still, the two-thirds majority to allow the Umnoputras to run riot in Malaysia.

Look at the massive corruption committed by Umno/BN politicians, the failed judiciary and education system. Look at the racial ratio of civil servants today as compared to the 60s and 70s. Not only the Chinese but rational Malaysians are beginning to question Mahathir's legacy.

Loo Soon Fatt: If there are any extremists, Mahathir and his Perkasa stooges are on top of the list. At last, he admitted the Chinese saved him and BN in the 1999 general election. Mahathir, pray hard for the Chinese to save you and BN one last time.

Ttloo: Dr M really knows to do the job. During his reign as PM of Malaysia, he was propagating and building up all the bad 'chi' by injecting poisonous venom into the mind of the Malays.

As patron of racist Perkasa organisation, he supported the action taken against non-Malays especially Chinese. Today and on the right occasion, he will commend the good deeds of the Chinese contribution. The next day, the Chinese will be his punching bag.

Mahathir, it is bad enough to forget the origin of your forefathers but please do not forget the contribution of the Chinese and others. Malaysia do not need a Dr Jeykl and Mr Hyde, and that's you.

Quigonbond: What an insult to the Chinese. They grew their own capital, asked for no special treatment, and accepted the need to have social engineering to bring other needy races up to speed.

But it's not always about money. The Chinese are proud to be called Malaysians too during Commonwealth Games in 1998 when we won the Thomas Cup as a team, etc. And not all Chinese are rich. What the Chinese have today, they earned through hard work (except perhaps a few BN cronies).

They are now clamouring for more - not more money, but a better quality of life that is reflected in the state their beloved country is in. They voted the opposition because they could no longer tolerate corruption, abuse of power and wastages arising from incompetent ministers and bureaucrats.

Ultimately, this anti-Chinese sentiment is nothing but half truths - the truth is urbanites and some semi-urbanites have awakened politically. The divide is geographical, not racial.

Dr Jacob George: What a perverted logic. Instead of accepting his role and his vulgar administration laying the foundation to the problems we have today, he continues his charade against Pak Lah. A despicable man no better than the other vulgar dictators the world had seen.

Pity Him: Yes, the people are indeed very smart to know who these extremists are. Mahathir does not have to elaborate.

Before you call DAP racist, look at the mirror

David Dass: I think before one looks at the present situation and point out areas of separation and division one has to examine root causes.

There was a time when people were tolerant and respectful of each other. There was a time when the government school system was attracting more and more students of all races because it was perceived to be superior. There was a time when the civil service and the armed forces were multiracial. There was a time when the presence of a church or temple would not be a source of discomfort and tension. Things have changed now.

And we can debate these changes as much as we want but the fact of the matter is that the civil service and the security forces have become mono-ethnic, Chinese kids have moved to Chinese primary schools and then to private universities and the building of a church or temple is always fraught with so much difficulty. And then we have the 'Allah' and Al Kitab issues. Much of the change occurred during Mahathir's time.

And our young people are leaving the country in droves. More people are educated with the alternative media views being expressed more vigorously. Why is that a bad thing?

We are a democracy and freedom of expression is a guaranteed right under the constitution. As is freedom of association and periodic free elections. Great changes have taken place in our country.

An increasingly educated population means that they are more discerning and have higher expectations of government. There is an increasing impatience with race-based politics and more and more young people are demanding an end to race-based parties.

That will not eliminate racism. There will always be racists in our midst but at least racism will not be legitimised through race-based parties. Every politician will have to learn to address mixed-race membership. There should be no quarter or space within our country where people should be allowed to speak deprecatingly of another race.

Geronimo: When Mahathir and Umno talk about power-sharing, this is most laughable. All the nondescript ministries are given to the non-Malay ministers while Umno hogs all the important posts.

What sort of power is it in the Housing, Health, Plantation Industries and Commodities, Energy, Green Technology and Water, Transport, Natural Resources and Environment, and Tourism ministries? There is no value in these ministries and they merely serve as window dressings.

Actual power lies in strategic ministries such as MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry), Finance, Defence, Education, Home Affairs, Information, just to name six. Hand two or three of these over to MCA and MIC, then we can talk about power-sharing.

Not Convinced: Here's Mahathir's logic - DAP is racist, not MCA.

 

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