COMMENT | I knew that my recent question about Bangsa Johor was nothing but a rhetorical question, but the response was simply overwhelming with 3,400 shares on Facebook.

I wonder how many people would have read the article, but people I know, have given me a very positive response. For that, I am grateful.

I must say, that that question came to me as an inspiration from above and nothing more than that.

As writers, we sometimes need more refreshing inspirations to provoke people to think.

In fact, on the same day, the Sultan of Selangor's revoking of Zamihan Mat Zin’s accreditation also went viral on social media.

I could sense a wave of fresh air and people are exuberant that at last something is being done to address racial and religious bigotry in the country. 

A brand, not a secessionist view

Therefore, everyone with the exception of a few comments by readers were seeking to join Bangsa Johor, which I believe is nothing more than it is intended to be – a brand, rather than a secessionist view.

One particular comment that caught my attention was from an anonymous reader who said that he has suffered enough of the never-ending abuses, discriminations, and insults by some supremacist bigots and the corrupted in the country. 

The reader named a few notorious folk, including cabinet ministers who constantly mocked his race, religion, and even spewing hate-speech, raising apartheid-like thoughts and division, reflecting a divided nation.

This reminds me of one particular incident when I was once offended by a café operator at a small private hospital in Kelana Jaya, who asked me to take home a bowl after I had unknowingly “contaminated” it with pork porridge which the babysitter had prepared for my son.

I was told the bowl could not be cleaned, and for that old, used bowl, I was charged RM10! A journalist friend of mine who is a Muslim Malay was equally angry with the kind of attitude adopted by her fellow Muslim, but when asked to write a piece on it, she refrained.

My letter to the editors on the matter was never published. For that reason, I decided to just boycott the café and the hospital as well. It contributed to the idea that I can no longer hope that things would change for the better.

'Ketuanan Melayu '

When the idea of Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) was first mooted by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, it was to counter the idea that Malays were always an employee, a servant and low in the social rung.

This was to inspire the Malays to rise from their state of ordinariness – that now, they can be the bosses as well. If anything, it was intended to boost their confidence.

It was pretty much the same reasoning with the "Malaysia Boleh" slogan. It was meant to boost the morale of all Malaysians. I believe Mahathir has now realised, for Malaysia to move forward, it takes more than just one race to make it a great nation.

Currently, the nation’s confidence in the ability of Najib Abdul Razak to lead has been largely shaken by the way the 1MDB scandal has rocked the nation both locally and on the international front.

Despite the call by the Conference of Malay Rulers about two years ago, there is still no conclusion to the scandal. Young people who have not registered as voters have told me that they do not see much hope in the politicians.

Although three million voters can make a big difference, many choose to go about their daily lives without any thought of going to the polls to vote in the government of their choice. 

Light on darkened path

Hopefully, with the recent thoughts expressed by the sultans, there will be some light on the darkened path. 

Those who are acting in the name of religion, who have in fact brought shame to both race and religion, are starting to see some repercussions to their wrongdoings.

As Edmund Burke put it, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

I hope that all the excesses that we see done in the name of religion and race can be put to a stop.

This is where Mahathir's ideal - Malay supremacy - has been stretched too far, for far too long and now it is even getting out of hand. 

Beyond what Mahathir himself would have imagined, my observation is that some unfit people have become politicians and lobbyists and have dominated the political arena - whereas others like members of G25 find their moderate voices unable to prevail. 

We could do without people like Umno Sungai Besar division leader, Jamal Mohd Yunos or Mohamad Ali Baharom (also known as Ali Tinju) and Abdul Rani Kulup.

Very few such as lawyer Siti Kassim and members of the G25 are intelligently vocal and these are deserving of our applause.

Their voices should be given more prominence in order to drown out those who lack political and religious maturity and integrity. 


STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008. 

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.