| September 16: the end of nationalism and tribalism? |  |  |  |
| Posted by admin | |
| Friday, 05 September 2008 10:27 | |
| Islam and other religions require this form of social justice to be applied to the lives of human beings. Islam does not discriminate one on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, creed nor national origin. Azly Rahman After 51 years of Merdeka, we still hear fellow Malaysians being called pendatang or immigrants; fellow Malaysians who have lived and sacrificed for this country -- and pay taxes too. Post-industrial tribalism is a natural social reproduction of the power of the media to shape consciousness, and to create newer forms of consumerist human beings. Nationalism, including Malay nationalism of the Mahathirst era, is an artificial construct that needs the power of "othering" and "production of enemies" and "boogeymen and boogeywomen" for ideological sustainability. But what is "nationalism" and does "Malay nationalism" actually exist in this century? Does the idea of 'natio' or "nation" or "a people" survives merely on linguistic, territorial, religious homogeneity when these are also subject to the sociological interrogations of subjectivity and relativity? Nationalism is a psychological and cultural construct useful and effective when deployed under certain economic conditions. It is now ineffective as a tool of mass mobilisation when nations have gained "independence" from the colonisers and when the "enemy" is no longer visible. All that exist in this post-industrial, globalised, borderless, and mediated age of cybernetic capitalism is the idea of "post-industrial tribes" that live and thrive on chaos and complexity and on materials and goods produced by local and international capitalists. Revise the old formula We are in the 21st. century. About two years from now, we will arrive at the year 2010. The non-Malays and non-bumiputeras have come a long way into being accepted as full-fledged Malaysians, by virtue of the ethics, rights and responsibilities of citizenship. They ought to be given equal opportunity in the name of social justice, racial tolerance and the alleviation of poverty. Bright and hard-working Malaysians regardless of racial origin who now call themselves Malaysians must be given all the opportunities that have been given to Malays since 40 years back. Islam and other religions require this form of social justice to be applied to the lives of human beings. Islam does not discriminate one on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, creed nor national origin. It is race-based politics, borne out of the elusiveness of nationalism, that creates post-industrial tribalistic leaders; leaders that will design post-industrial tribalistic policies. It is the philosophy of greed, facilitated by free enterprise runamuck that will evolvingly force leaders of each race to threaten each other over the control of the economic pie. The claim of "civilisational Islam" or "Islam Hadhari" must be backed with a philosophy of development that restructure society no longer on the basis of newer forms of post-industrial tribalism that accords the political elites with the best opportunity to amass more wealth, but to redesign the economic system based on an efficient and sound socialistic economic system. It might even require political will to curb human enthusiasm of acquiring more and more of the things they do not need. In short, it should curb temptations to out-consume each other in the name of greed. To be civilised means to wake up to the possibilities of humanism and not plunge into a world of more sophisticated racism. The universal principle of humanism requires the privileged few to re-examine the policies of national development that prioritise the creation of more real estate projects than the construction of programmes that meet basic needs of all races and classes of peoples. To civilise a nation means to de-tribalise the citizens into a polity that will learn to share the wealth of this nation by accepting this land as the "earth of mankind" (bumi manusia) rather that a land belonging to this or that race. In a multi-racial, multi-religious, country such as Malaysia, nationalism is a complex yet withering concept. In a globalised world of globally- and government-linked companies this concept of "fatherland" or "motherland" is a powerful weapon of the wealthy to mount arguments that hide the real intention of empire-building. The lifestyle of the country's rich and famous require nationalist sentiments to be played up so that the more the rights are "protected" the more the political-economically rich few will have their sustained control over the people, territories, natural resources and information. This, I think is the picture of post-industrial tribalism we are seeing as a mutation of the development, appropriation and imitation of the Malay feudalistic mentality. The clear and present danger in our post-industrial tribalistic world lies in old formula we are wrongly using. The essential question now is – as a 'Malaysian nation'/Bangsa Malaysia haven't we agreed upon a common history and a common destiny? Let us celebrate the end of racism with the sinking of Bahtera Merdeka. For too long race and religion has been used a twin-concept of fear and domination of those robber-barons who call themselves nationalists in a post-industrial tribalistic world.
Comments (15)  ... written by Tom n Jerry, September 05, 2008 10:32:47 Inshah Allah PR takes over on 16 September 2008;Alhamdulilah Badawism gradually phased out to oblivion!  report abuse disagree 0 agree 34 ... written by shan, September 05, 2008 10:33:23  FOR HE IS THE DEFENDER OF THE "PENDATANG,PENGHUNI DAN SEBAGAI-BAGAINYA report abuse disagree 3 agree 194 ... written by cwy, September 05, 2008 10:45:54 No religion practises racial discrimination! It is Umnolism ( or more aptly Animalism ) that emphasises the superiority of Umnoputra ( a lazy and greedy race ) ! report abuse disagree 0 agree 64 ... written by ssathia, September 05, 2008 11:18:00 "Islam does not discriminate one on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, creed nor national origin." This is what the Quran says. Quoted from respectable Yusuf Ali's translation: Surah 5:51. O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. Surah 5: 57. O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith (indeed). Surah 5:64. The Jews say: "(Allah)'s hand is tied up." Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for the (blasphemy) they utter. Nay, both His hands are widely outstretched: He giveth and spendeth (of His bounty) as He pleaseth. But the revelation that cometh to thee from Allah increaseth in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy. Amongst them we have placed enmity and hatred till the Day of Judgment. Every time they kindle the fire of war, Allah doth extinguish it; but they (ever) strive to do mischief on earth. And Allah loveth not those who do mischief Surah 47: 4. Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been Allah.s Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of Allah,- He will never let their deeds be lost. report abuse disagree 14 agree 19 ... written by teo siew chin, September 05, 2008 11:48:02 oh man Shan - the pic you did is sooooo good! though perhaps if you can change the armory to key-pads, keyboards, pens&pencils, ipods, blackberrys, cell-phones ... seeing he uses 'non-violent' methods and such and have some band-aids on him on account of the abuses he suffers Dr Azly - you have clearly stated the formula for a new Malaysia. Question is, can we be rid of the enemy within? Slowly but surely! report abuse disagree 1 agree 26 ... written by CPY, September 05, 2008 13:30:05 Sept 16: Dawn of New Era NEP is replaced by a better policy, No more kulitification but meritocracy, Anwar Ibrahim will be cleard of sodomy, Because the police is not under UMNO's policy. We no longer need to be compared by Burma, Myanmar & Panama, But we compared with Taiwan & even Japan, Singapore sure joinback Malaysia, Because no skilled Malaysian work in Singapore ma! report abuse disagree 1 agree 21 ... written by dkkl, September 05, 2008 15:14:37 Time has changed! We are living the the real 21st century and ppl nowaday will not just stay in one country forever. They migrate everywhere whenever there is an opportunity... That's what I called Globalisation. Globalisation not only change in cultural but economic as well. Investor from foreign country will move to any country where is there is business to make. In fact it is a trend now. USA, Germany, Japan, China, Korea, UK, Australia, New Zealand and etc welcome talented ppl from almost anywhere which were given equal rights and prvileges. That's the reason why their country is consider a world class country and so modern. However, the third world country like Cambodia and Vietnam also welcome all talented ppl from various country to help in the progress even though they are left behind decades from Malaysia. Unfortunately, in Malaysia, the government welcome thieves & kulis from Indonesia and was given equal rights as bumiputras mean while they rejecte talented ppl from various country and till today they still called them 'pendatang'. So the question is malaysia heading back to the 18th century during malaca time? Had they totally forgotten that all the big cities and town in malaysia was founded by the chinese & indian immigrants. And if not for these immigrants, perhaps they still stay in kampung as farmers and fishermen ? I should say that thos UMNO utter the racist words is truly 'Ketinggalan Zaman'. They are unfit to be a leader of a country and should be cast away from administer the country. Otherwise all malaysians will fall behinf cambodia and vietnam. report abuse disagree 0 agree 21 ... written by nangkarajah, September 05, 2008 22:20:22 I hope DSAI and Pakatan will take note that if they want CROSS-OVER it will BE IMPOSSIBLE to wrest Sabah/Sarawak BN MPs away from their 2 billionaire-taukehs (towkays). Don't tell me you haven't notice what MONEY and POWER can do, especially in these two states. Here in east mALAYSIA the people are still living in the age of CARI MAKAN, where if you don't have INCOME from your taukeh (towkay) you starve to death like the stray-dog anjing kurap getting thinner and thinner until collapse and die beside the road. So if you want cross-over, you can ONLY rely on your fellow West Malaysian BN MPs to do so. You know why they're dying to cross-over to your Pakatan? Because after March 8 general election, BN MPs and Pakatan MPs IN SEMANANJUNG are for the first time in history AT PAR (equal) in numbers. So majority enjoyed by BN comes from Sabah and Sarawak. So that means East Malaysians now call the shots and can now dictate to AAB and BN Gov't. Even UMNO can be dictated by them now. Picture it this way----as long as it's a BN Gov't in Putrajaya it is being kept alive like a patient in ICU by the two billionaire-powerful East Malaysian warlords supported by their 50 or so richly-rewarded and therefore intensely-loyal COMMANDOS in Parliament. So does this not mean that West Malaysians although you're 85 per cent majority you've NO MORE say in the future and destiny of the nation? So, the only way West Malaysians can reclaim their birth-right of having a controlling-say in the future and destiny of the nation since independence 51 years ago (by virtue of their being overwhelming 85 per cent majority) is to cross-over to Pakatan and therefore let Pakatan form CENTRAL GOVERMENT. Do West Malaysians have a choice other than this one? I don't think so. So DSAI and Pakatan, CONGRATS! In advance, if you know what I mean. It's already, as they say a FOREGONE CONCLUSION! report abuse disagree 7 agree 1 ... written by bexe, September 06, 2008 05:44:50 Politicians have no right to be preachers. Equally preachers, evangelist and their likes have no standing in Government. Mixing the 2 is a lethal cocktail that would bring pain and destruction. Governments should govern - bring a better life for all people, economically, socially but never religiously. report abuse disagree 1 agree 6 ... written by EYFF, September 06, 2008 13:30:12 Is a person a Malay due to his race (and that of his father) or by constitutional definition? An Indian Muslim is a Malay. A Muslim Strait Chinese is not a Malay! A pre-Merdeka Christian Malay is no longer a Malay! An Indonesian Muslim residing in Malaysia is not a Malay! Mahathir whose father is an Indian is a Malay and more Malay than AAB whose father is a Malay! TDM is an Indian Malay. AAB is a Chinese Malay. RPK is a Eurasian Malay. Anwar is an Indian Malay.etc, etc... So who are Malays or are not?? Will all the true Malays please kindly stand up? report abuse disagree 0 agree 19 ... written by Loh, September 10, 2008 20:32:45 Sorry off topic. Need to borrow space to comment on TDM's article. But unable to submit comment to his blog. Comments on Social Contract 3 by TDM appearing in CheDet.com 10/Sept 2008 ///1. I am sorry to have to revert to the social contract issue again because of some disturbing development. 2. Young Malays, including professionals are said to have espoused liberalism and meritocracy. They question the need for affirmative action and the New Economic Policy. They believe that the Malays should compete with the other races. If they fail then they do not deserve the dominant role in the politics of Malaysia. They should accept non-Malay leadership of the country.///--TDM I am proud of the Malays who think that life is individual responsibility and the agenda in life should be decided by the people themselves. The sense of pride and shame should relate to oneself. As society progress, it should be the collective efforts of people, government and the society in general to provide assistance to the needy without regard to their colour, creed or religion. That should prevent opportunities use the mechanism of divide and rule to hijack the role of government for serving their private purposes. ///3. This view of the young Malays sounds refreshing. Unfortunately these liberal Malays are in a minority. The majority of the Malay professionals and young Malays have hardened their stand on the position of their race since the disaster of 2008. They are incensed especially by the arrogance of the Bar Council. They now question the social contract and reject the need to adhere to it. This sounds almost like the Chinese stand. But the difference is startling and disturbing.///--TDM TDM did not conduct a survey and can hardly be believed to know whether the liberals were in the majority or in the minority.. It is not known why young Malay professionals should be incensed by the Bar Council’s actions which wanted to revive the moral and legal authority of the role of the judiciary. The action of the Bar Council to organize discussion of conflicts of laws regarding religions served the need of the legal professionals. If the Malay professionals should take the action of the Bar Council as an excuse to question social contract and reject the need to adhere to it, then they are mixing irrelevant issues. That if true shows only that the professionals might be trained, but not educated. It is not true that the Chinese reject the social contract or refuse to adhere to it. To the Chinese, the social contract is represented in the original constitution of Malaya, including Article 153 which had the provision for a review. The Chinese reject the claim by UMNO that the amended constitution could be considered the original contract. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by Loh, September 10, 2008 20:47:08 ///4. They disagree with the Tunku giving the one million citizenship without regard for the conditions for getting citizenship. 5. They say before this the Malays made up the majority of the citizens. They could rule the country by themselves. But the Tunku reduced this Malay majority until they have to depend on non-Malay support. To them the humiliation they are facing are entirely due to the Tunku. 6. This act by the Tunku is part of the social contract. They reject it and they demand that the Tunku's action should be considered to be against the constitution and should be rejected. They demand that the citizenship given by the Tunku should be withdrawn or nullified.///--TDM TDM has not conducted a survey to ask for the opinion of the Malays how they feel on the above observations. They could not be the considered opinion of Malay professionals other than TDM himself. TDM has simply written up the above three paragraphs to claim that it was how the Malays think. It is TDM who holds those views, and TDM claims that they are the views of the Malays. His Malay readers agree to whatever he says, and soon it becomes public opinion. That is how TDM mould the opinion of Malays. When the gets a few thousands comments agreeing to whatever he writes, then he is claiming that the country is at the brink of destruction, and he has to replace PM AAB to save it. TDM is dangerous. ///7. They also question the other concessions given the non-Malay communities, especially the schools and the use of other languages.///---TDM There are 60,000 Malays in Chinese schools, and they are happy to be given the opportunity to learn another widely used language, the Chinese, in the world. The defeated UMNO candidate in the recent Permatang Paul by-election claimed that it was his father’s greatest gift to him to be educated in Chinese school. The education issue had been settled after 51 years with Najib claiming that he cares for all communities citing education policy as his proof, TDM consider it proper to raise the settled issue to provoke Malays. TDM is willing to let the country burn so that he stands a chance to be UMNO decision maker again! Only the teaching of science and mathematics in English remains controversial with almost all teachers and parents disagreed with it. But TDM is happy watching the people suffer, rejoicing at his power of destruction to the country. ///8. In short they seem to reject the social contract altogether and to go back to the situation before the leaders of the communities made their bargain. 9. Questioned as to what would happen if the British refused to give independence, they suggested that the Malays resort to armed struggle and co-operation with a neighbouring country. They suggested that we should have formed Melayu Raya together with this neighbouring country.///--TDM TDM has wild imagination and he attributes it to the ideas of Malay professionals. He further claims that they form the majority. If after spending a fortune of the country resources at educating them, the products should hold those views, TDM as the PM for 22 years should hang his head in shame. Certainly these are not the views of Malay professionals. Otherwise, the Malays would now want to be part of Indonesia without having to fight the British. Who then would decide the use of billions of oil money? TDM thinks that the Malays are fools, and so NEP should continue. He still hopes to see that Malays are stupid. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by Loh, September 10, 2008 21:00:30 ///10. I must admit the retrogression of their viewpoint but this is becoming more current as the debate on the social contract goes on. They are particularly incensed by the Bar Council which seems to them to be questioning Malay rights according to the agreement in the social contract. 11. So far we hear only the non-Malays rejecting the social contract. This is the first time I hear of Malays rejecting the social contract. I think the Government should handle this problem carefully. Otherwise it may become widespread and effect the fragile harmony between the different races.///--TDM Crocodile tears from TDM. 12. I did not like putting this on my blog. But I have no access to the Government. In any case I doubt the Government would take this twist on the Social Contract seriously. Dato Seri Abdullah would deny that anything is happening.///---TDM I too cannot submit these as comments to CheDet.com. I did receive an email reply telling me to click on the link to comment. It never worked. ///13. Malaysia had remained stable for half a century because sensitive issues were not publicly discussed. The Government now appears to practice selective freedom of speech. As long as you don't attack the Government especially Dato Seri Abdullah you may say what you like whether racist or seditious. But if you attack the Government or Dato Seri Abdullah every effort would be made to silence you or to keep you out of the news.///---TDM For 22 years TDM could not mould the people to desensitize any issue between races, he has failed miserable as a PM. It is clear now that it was never his intention to barging the nation up on the social and economic ladder. He wanted the country to be stagnant so that he could be the emperor all the time, including the opportunity to pull string behind his son’s throne! ///14. The selective freedom is stirring up racist feelings everywhere. Hence the remarks made by the State Assemblywoman from Perak and Dato Ahmad Ismail in Penang. And now we see the support given to Ahmad and his condemnation of MCA and Gerakan leaders by all the 13 UMNO divisions in Penang.///--TDM The antics had stayed this long with Ahmad Ismail refusing to apologize and end it earlier because TDM provided support to him in CheDet.com ///15. I believe racist sentiments among Malays and non-Malays are rising. If it flares up the stability of this country may be affected permanently. We may see political wrangling of the kind we see in several other countries. In the process the economy of this country would be destroyed. 16. This slide must be stopped. No one should disregard the obligation to uphold the social contract. 17. That understanding between the leaders of the three races had served us well. So has the ban on questioning certain provisions in the Constitution.///--TDM People who read only these three paragraph would have thought that he is a statesman. Is he? ///18. I had tried during my time to balance the treatment of the different races. I had been labeled a racist before. But towards the end of my tenure the Chinese in particular supported me. But throughout I never forgot my obligations to the Malays.///---TDM It is race politics that require balancing all the time where might is right. If TDM has allowed justice and fairness to prevail, all issues will be decided as right or wrong, and not Syed or Wong. But to retain NEP, race politics has to be preserved. NEP is required so that cronyism will stay. ///19. Dato Seri Abdullah has tried to placate everyone. He has given one billion Ringgit here, one billion Ringgit thereinggit there; he has given unknown sums of money to Tun Salleh Abbas and the other judges who had been dismissed in order to placate the Bar Council, he has promised billions of Ringgit for numerous corridors, billions for transport, lower oil prices etc etc. But no one believes him because the promises and fund allocations have not materialised. The fact is that nobody believes him or trusts him. No one has been placated. 20. The racialist trend will continue. I frankly don't think Dato Seri Abdullah can handle it. 21. What is the solution? Right thinking people must make their rejection of Dato Seri Abdullah's leadership heard. If we don't then whatever racial harmony that exist would be eroded and will destroy this beloved country.///---TDM He might have another paragraph, to claim that only TDM is the saviour of the race and religion, and may be the country so that non-Malays can pay taxes. He takes it as self explanatory and thus has not included it. report abuse disagree 0 agree 0 ... written by Old Man, September 14, 2008 13:25:32 I'm sure we Malaysians have great respect for the late Tun Hussein Onn. But what a shame having a son Hishamudin holding a keris rather than a book to be called an Education Minister? It looks like he should be re-educated starting from Kindergaten.  |
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