Gov't must take note of 'widespread Malay unhappiness', says DPM
The government must take note of the reported widespread dissatisfaction among the Malays regarding Pakatan Harapan's performance, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
Commenting on a survey where 60 percent of the Malay respondents were displeased with the current administration, she said there must be a balance between populism and priorities in policymaking...
The government must take note of the reported widespread dissatisfaction among the Malays regarding Pakatan Harapan's performance, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.
Commenting on a survey where 60 percent of the Malay respondents were displeased with the current administration, she said there must be a balance between populism and priorities in policymaking.
“I read the survey. We must listen to the woes and opinions of the rakyat, and take steps to see if (their perception) is real or imagined.
“The majority of Malaysians are Malays, so when they say the majority of them (are unhappy), we have to take note.
“We have to balance between wanting to do what is popular yet having to consider what the country needs, what needs to be done for the economy and take care of stability (of the country),” Wan Azizah told reporters in Pandan this morning.
The survey, conducted by Ilham Centre together with Penang Institute, also found that 54.4 percent of the respondents did not believe the government was serious about the “Malay agenda”, including upholding Malay rights and Islam as the official religion.
More than 60 percent of the respondents believed that non-Muslims were now in control of the government and that DAP was calling the shots in Putrajaya.
The survey interviewed 2,614 Malay respondents between Oct 24 and Dec 24, 2018.
The detailed findings:
- 59.5 percent of the respondents disagreed that they were satisfied with the performance of the Harapan government since the 14th general election, versus 40.8 percent who agreed;
- 54.4 percent agreed the Harapan government was ignoring Malay rights and Islamic interests, while 45.1 percent disagreed;
- 50.1 percent thought that Harapan was not serious about fulfilling its election manifesto, compared with 49.8 percent who said the ruling coalition was serious on this;
- 58.3 percent believed that the federal government was not serious in dealing with the cost of living problems;
- 62.9 percent agreed that non-Muslims now controlled the federal government after May 9, as against 37.2 percent who disagreed;
- 62 percent believed that the DAP dominated the government’s decisions over other Harapan component parties, while 38 percent did not; and
- 58.9 percent think that the federal government is being driven by a liberal agenda, versus 41.1 percent who disagreed.
Need to understand the 'cocoon concept' where the wellbeing of a large number of Malays was protected by UMNO during the past six decades. A sort of an ecosystem where they were sheltered and protected through jobs, scholarships, easy business loans, contracts ,pensions , and discounted car and housing loans. Jobs were provided primarily through the civil service and GLCs which in time became bloated to become one of the largest civil services in the world. Educational standards were lowered to mass produce graduates. This 'cocoon' was financed by the oil and gas boom of the eighties and over leveraging later on. One reason why our total national debts is at stratospheric levels. In return for this largesse , they were obliged to show their gratitude by supporting UMNO. Initially affirmative action was needed to correct the gross imbalances at the time of independence, but it has long passed its shelf life. Unfortunately, this non competitive 'cocoon' has resulted in a lack of skills to compete in the real world where meritocracy counts. Of course there are a significant number of Malays who are hardworking and skilled and can compete with anyone, but the majority are unable to. Hence the sense of insecurity due to low self esteem and skills . This is today the Malay, Malaysian and Pakatan Harapan dilemma. How due you gradually dismantle this ecosystem ( which is financially unsustainable)and make the Malays more self-confident , without losing your support amongst the Malays.
I do not blame Azizah for her concerns about 'Malay unhappiness' which has a clear subtext of majoritarianism, supremacy and racism. I have often wondered why Malays seem impervious to any feelings of guilt being accorded 'privilege' which other races or religions do not enjoy and I have come to the conclusion that it is Islam which is responsible. The Quran in the Al-Anfal chapter details the notion of 'war booty' accrued from wars with 'Kaffirs' who want to defend their culture, religion and way of life. The blood of a male Kaffir who refuses to forcibly be converted to Islam is 'halal' and his wife and children become the possession of marauding Muslim armies. The wives and daughters of fallen Kaffir soldiers are then distributed amongst the Jihadists to become their wives or sex slaves. The possessions which include the wives and children are collectively described was 'war booty' in the Quran. This behaviour is universally regarded as barbaric and evil but such is the morality of Islam which jars with modern notions of decency. Christians and Jews in the Al-Maidah chapter of the Quran are regarded as enemies and Muslims are advised not to befriend them or to be protected by them. The jailing of the Governor of Jakarta, 'Ahok' for 'blasphemy' was because he exhorted the Muslim electorate not to be 'lied to' by his Muslim political enemies who quoted Al-Maidah as a reason for Muslims to reject Ahok as a Governor because the Quran prohibited Muslims from having a Christian 'Protector' or Governor. Ahok's detractors which included the Muslim clergy then whipped up the Muslims into a Jihadi frenzy accusing him of saying that the Quran 'lied'. The uncomfortable truth is that the Quran and 'authentic' Hadiths are replete with barbarism, intolerance, racism, supremacist thinking and downright stupidity which is not consonant with modern notions of decency and civilised living. Muslims refuse to accept that Islam is in dire need of a 'Reformation' and continue to live in an 'Emperor's New Clothes World'. Rather than talking about a 'Malay' or 'Muslim Agenda', as DPM Azizah should be talking about a 'Malaysian Agenda' which puts each citizen on equal footing and treated with equal dignity. The Constitution can no longer be interpreted in such a way which gives Malays a sense of entitlement and supremacy. If one accepts the notion of unequal citizenship, then the people who should be accorded 'True Bumiputera and Indigenous' status are the Orang Asli, Iban and Kadazan. But such were the machinations of the British who disenfranchised and dispossessed the Orang Asli, Iban and Kadazan of their land and created a 'Chosen People' class, namely the Malay and Muslims in a policy of divide and rule. There was no legal protection or respect for Indigenous peoples land. As a consequence, Taib Mahmud of Sarawak was allowed to shave the pristine forests of Sarawak bald without any meaningful compensation to the Dayaks and other tribes who are the rightful owners. Taib and family have reportedly stolen RM 100 billion from the people of Sarawak mainly through destruction of the environment. The same sorry exploitation happens to the Kadazan in Sabah by the 'Chosen People' such as Musa Aman and their business cronies. What a crying shame that is is only after 60 years that ancestral Orang Asli land is being given due recognition by the Federal government by taking the Kelantan Government to court because of illegal exploitation of Orang Asli land. The grand scale misappropriation of Orang Asli, Iban and Kadazan lands by the powers that be in Malaysia, is outrageous and wicked and makes the land grab of Palestinian land by the Israelis minuscule in comparison .The ruling elite Malays such Najib were merely continuing a time honoured British modus operandi of exploitation and Kleptocracy which ironically leaves the majority Malays who are meant to benefit from their 'privileges' feeling perennially threatened, exploited and in need of a separate 'Malay Agenda'. Make no mistake, the 'Malay Agenda' is nothing but a scam by the ruling Malay Elites to keep the gravy train happily chugging along. When will there be 'Malaysian Agenda' which will benefit the whole nation, namely the underprivileged of all races?
Some of those widespread Malay unhappiness include the perception that Harapan government was ignoring Malay rights and Islamic interests, that non-Muslims now controlled the federal government and that the DAP dominated the government’s decisions over other Harapan component parties. Hopefully, like Wan Azizah said, the government should take steps to see if (their perception) is real or imagined.It must not throw a knee jerk reaction to a survey finding or when there is a survey, which sometimes can be very subjective or framed in such way to get premeditated required answers. While it is good to hear the voice of the people on the ground, the government response must be responsible and after much study on the purported problems. It should not be excuses to implement something or worse, to allow the reasons for the dissatisfaction to surface by deliberately doing something to facilitate it.