On 31 Aug 2009, I began the day by going to the Prime Minister’s blog to read his National Day address. I then dressed in black and joined hundreds of others Christians to worship God. Our service included prayer for our nation: for peace, justice and wise leaders.
Two days ago some Muslims sought to incite Hindus. About fifty people marched with a cows head to protest the legal right granted to Hindus to relocate a 150 year old temple. The police watched as the protesters stomped on the cows head: no detentions, no arrests, no orders to disperse.
The PM didn’t mention that in his National Day address.
I am still grieving because about a month ago, the police gassed thousands of Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur for protesting against the Internal Security Act (ISA). I am still grieving over the death-in-custody of Teoh Beng Hock. I am still grieving because the former Chief Minister of Selangor made false reports and a Member of Parliament was detained under the ISA. I am still grieving because this same UMNO leader is not being investigated – even for living beyond his means. I am still grieving because MACC has announced no procedural changes subsequent to Teoh’s death. I am still grieving because the Royal Commission over the Lingam affair came to naught. I am still grieving because YB Zambry could move the courts in 3 days and be declared Chief Minister, while YB Nizar is still waiting for a hearing.
The PM didn’t mention these things in his National Day address.
What the PM did say in his address grieves me too. He said after patriots gained independence from colonial rule, the task of determining the nation’s direction passed into the hands of “native sons.” He then spoke of communist upheavals and socio-economic imbalances reinforced by multi-ethnicity. He said “we” defeated the communists and “we” brought social justice in two generations.
Who are the “native sons” who determine the direction of the nation? On what basis can one link socio-economic imbalance with multi-ethnicity? Is there no evidence of social injustice? Who is the “we” who defeated the communists – does it not include some “colonists” who came to Malaya after the Palestine mandate ended, some of whom died here in the course of duty? Even “pendatang”?
The PM went on to speak of people who are using our diversity to create discord. He said “certain quarters” are shaking the bridge built by our forefathers and disrupting the peace to serve “their own warped agenda.” He said walls now separate us. He said we must restore the bridge and demolish the walls. He said our situation could deteriorate if we neglect wall-demolition and bridge-building.
What am I to make of the PM’s speech?
I wish he had better identified the enemies. Did he mean people who vote and campaign against UMNO and the BN, people who have become activists on behalf of justice and mercy? Or did he mean Malays whom BN newspapers and BN politicians have called “traitors to the Malay race”? Or did he mean the authors of the incendiary articles? Or did he mean people who stomp on cow’s heads and Hindu rights?
How did the walls get there in the first place? Could it be due to BN eroding judicial independence, tolerating corruption, accepting deaths in custody and continuing detention without trial? As for “the bridge” – whatever that means – only poorly conceived and constructed structures fail.
The PM reminds us of the communists and their brutality two generations ago; he is silent on police brutality and selective prosecution in this generation. He speaks of the economy, service delivery and prosperity. He is silent about corruption, about coercion, about an awakened sense of public service amongst Malaysians – and our public sense that progress at any cost is progress at too much cost.
Perhaps the truth is that the direction was set by the elite of one group at the expense of others and now the “others” have been expanded to include some who were formerly members of the first group.
The PM began his address by a reference to Allah and ended by calling us to pray for God’s guidance.
Let us pray for unity built on a multi-ethnic quest for freedom to speak, to be heard and to be treated fairly. Let us pray for the PM to listen carefully, to speak plainly and to act justly; to focus on enduring social health, not political or economic wealth; to hold forth hope, not to stir up fear and find scapegoats.
It’s not about colonists, communists and collaboration. It’s about coercions, concessions and corruption.
The Micah Mandate is a Christian-based public interest advocacy ministry that seeks a transformation of our nation through justice, mercy and humility.
