The Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders appear to be under a siege mentality. They have stretched their imagination a little too far by imagining Suqiu as an enemy, representing one community, holding the BN government at ransom and demanding it to abolish special rights for another community.
These leaders attempt to create the bogey of one racial group being attacked by another, to influence the whole country to view Suqiu racially and finally to create racial tension or perhaps even chaos within the country.
The BN leaders, with one exception, fail to or choose not to view Suqiu from a proper perspective which cuts across the racial boundary. Interestingly, Dr Toh Kin Woon, Gerakan central committee member, holds a rather different viewpoint from the rest of the BN leaders. He is of the opinion that Suqiu's requests are just and made on the behalf of all Malaysians. According to him, at no time did Suqiu seek "to deny the rights of any one community".
For too long Malaysians have been under the influence of racial politics and we tend to view consciously or unconsciously many issues racially. We are the victims of racial politics and many of us are increasingly disgusted with racial politics now. We want to do away with racial politics and are quick to point our fingers at those playing racial politics whether they come from BN or BA (Barisan Alternatif). This is a positive and healthy trend.
But how should we go about combating racial politics? If we fight racial politics with racial politics, we will forever live with racial politics. If we desire to get out of this vicious circle, the answer is to combat it with an alternative brand of politics that can replace it. We may term this alternative politics as multi-ethnic politics, anti-racial politics or non-racial politics.
Divide and rule
To understand alternative politics, we should perhaps understand racial politics first. After all it is borne out of racial politics and seeks to replace it.
Racial politics, also called communal politics, revolves around a particular racial or ethnic group or community and their interests. Political parties, representing only a particular ethnic group or community, usually speak the language of racial politics.
In the Malaysian political scene, the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) claim to represent a particular community and their interests. They therefore speak the language of communal politics.
To appeal for support from their respective communities, they claim to be their champions. Thus, Umno is the champion for the Malays, MCA for the Chinese and MIC for the Indians.
Racial politics has its root in the 'divide and rule' politics of the British colonialism. The British had deliberately segregated the various communities along different sectors and ruled them separately. They applied differential treatment to these communities and at times even pitted one community against another so as to avert opposition directing at them. So long as these communities were not united against the British, the British could then stay in power forever.
Inheriting the colonial heritage, Umno, MCA and MIC have conveniently continued the politics of 'divide and rule' in the form of communal politics. Though they were combined into one coalition called the Alliance, they continued to speak in different voices to their respective communities in order to appeal for their support.
If necessary, they will resort to any tactic that will ensure the continued support of their communities. They might even go to the extent of talking bad about another community even though to do so would mean to reinforce prejudices, dislike, mistrust, fear and hatred among various communities.
Seeds of disunity
The ideology of racial politics is racism, racialism or communalism. It exploits and intensifies the differences among the human races. It preaches and thrives on prejudices, dislike, mistrust, fear and hatred. It may also preach superiority or supremacy of one race over another. Apartheid, fascism, Nazism and Zionism are just different forms of racism. They have been used to justify discrimination, exploitation, oppression, brutalities, killings, holocausts and subjection of one race to another.
Clearly, racism in any form is against the preaching of any religion and any philosophy.
Racial politics prevents unity and will eventually lead to disunity among the people. Unfortunately, the Barisan Nasional (BN) perpetuates these seeds of disunity, sown during the era of British colonialism and nurtured by the Alliance later.
Umno, MCA and MIC thrive on racial politics and they together dominate the BN politics. Though there are multi-ethnic component parties within BN, they are not in any way influential and effective with their kind of politics. These multi-ethnic parties are often marginalised with their politics. Therefore, they are forced, willingly or unwillingly, to represent only a particular community.
Despite their claims of representing multi-ethnic communities, parties like Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan) and the People's Progressive Party (PPP) in reality represent a particular community only. This situation is understandable where there are already three main communally-based parties within BN. These parties, fighting hard to retain their distinctive communal appeals, would not tolerate others encroaching on their territories.
Obviously, no party is allowed to represent the Malay interests because Umno is the most dominant of all. If Gerakan chooses to represent the Chinese and the Indians at the same time, it will have to face hostile attitudes from both the MCA and MIC simultaneously. As such it chooses only to be at loggerheads with MCA. Likewise, PPP chooses only to irk MIC.
Embarrassing position
Concerned that Gerakan would lose its truly multi-ethnic philosophy, Dr Tan Chee Khoon and others quit the party as soon as Dr Lim Chong Eu dragged Gerakan into joining BN amidst protests from within the party. (Raj Vasil, Tan Chee Khoon: An Elder Statesman , 1987, Chapter 7: "For a Multi-Racial Malaysia"). The late Dr Tan and others are proven right years later as the Indian representation within the party diminishes into insignificance, not to mention the Malay representation.
The Gerakan experience is useful to reflect upon for those who desire to see the multi-ethnic politics thriving. It is unlikely to reform from within BN when it is surrounded with communal politics. More likely, it will be overwhelmed by it. It may ultimately go along with it in order to survive.
Whenever Umno faces crises from within the party or from external factors, it will not hesitate to exploit the Malay special rights and the Ketuanan Melayu issues in order to shore up Malay support. By doing so, Umno has in fact put all the other BN component parties in an awkward and embarrassing position, especially those claiming to be multi-ethnic. Unwittingly, Umno is prepared to sacrifice all its partners and national unity for its own good.
To combat racial politics, alternative politics must go beyond a particular ethnic group or community. It has to be of multi-ethnic character, be relevant to all ethnic groups and communities and represent all their interests.
In this regard, we welcome political parties that are not based upon a particular ethnic group and are multi-ethnically based. Multi-ethnic parties are the first step to moving away from racial politics. However, since racial politics has permeated the Malaysian society for too long, it is possible that racial politics will still be thriving within multi-ethnic parties.
Therefore, alternative politics should not tolerate racial politics whether it comes from either BN or BA. It should rebuke politics that exploit and incite racial ill feelings. It should oppose chauvinism and narrow religious beliefs that cause disunity. It should then seek to foster patriotism and unity among the people in order to create a truly united Malaysian nation.
Humanitarianism, which has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious appeal, should form an essential ingredient in alternative politics. It is characterised by attitudes and behaviour, which demonstrate consideration and care towards fellow human beings.
It should be extended especially towards the weak and disabled in society. No effort should be spared to help them. It also means abolishing all forms of exploitation and cruelty in the country and in the world, and supporting the struggles of the people to establish justice and truth.
Ketuanan Rakyat
Not only can humanitarianism ward off the influence of racial politics but it can also foster unity among the people. Talking about special rights for only a particular ethnic group pales in comparison with humanitarianism. What more if these special rights have been abused to enrich only a sprinkling few close to the powers-that-be.
However, in addition to humanitarianism, we need to advocate Ketuanan Rakyat in alternative politics. Not only can Ketuanan Rakyat fence off racial politics, it can also make people realise that changes come from within themselves first. They are the tuan or boss of the country. They have the ultimate say in and the power to determine the future of the country. They are in the position to reject racial politics.
In this respect, Ketuanan Rakyat also aims to eradicate all remnants of feudalism, to change the attitude of almost 'deifying' those of noble birth and high status, to stop giving extreme privileges to the chosen few, and to eradicate slave mentality among the people. This aspect should also include the recognition that women should enjoy just and equal rights and opportunities with men in economic, political and social spheres.
When the alternative politics we talk about concern the people and their interests, we will be able to enjoy the people's support. Gradually, racial politics will be phased out.
Humanitarianism and Ketuanan Rakyat are important ingredients of alternative politics. Both have the multi-ethnic and multi-religious appeals. Alternative politics, revolving around humanitarianism and Ketuanan Rakyat , transcends racial and religious boundaries, raises the people's consciousness to one above racial politics and gears towards a just society.
ANG HIOK GAI is deputy secretary-general of Parti Rakyat Malaysia. The policies of PRM are based on progressive nationalism, people's democracy, and humanitarianism.
