- Stop the racist politics of suspicion and hate in the country
- The 2013 election results: back to the drawing board for both coalitions
- Spewing a poisonous brew on the Chinese ‘Lack of Multiracial Spirit'
- Vote for a revolutionary kind of development
- Perlunya lebih ramai calon-calon wanita dalam PRU
- BN’s triple cocktail of Race, Hudud and Fear is not working
- Fiscal risks to Malaysia's polls
- Opposition will clinch popular vote in GE13
Umno and the burning down of 1Malaysia
Written by Dr. Lim Teck Ghee Friday, 14 December 2012 18:05
Commentary
The Prime Minister, Najib Razak, has stated that his vision of 1Malaysia is intended to counter the growing national divide between Malaysians on race, religion and other sensitive socio-cultural issues. He has also argued that the aim of the vision is to strengthen national unity on the basis of inclusiveness – “this policy means that we’ll try to be as inclusive as possible, in a sense that we should have a government that is able to reach out to all communities”. (Interview with CNN, Talkasia, 1 Nov 2010)
Not only was this vision of 1Malaysia markedly absent from the recent Umno general assembly but the real driving force of the party – one completely at odds with 1Malaysia – emerged from the shadows during the singing of a song by Tokyo Umno Club representative Arif Yassir Zulkafli.
The lyrics of the song ‘Lagu Warisan’ can be seen to encapsulate the ideological leifmotif of Umno. It provided the emotional and psychological high point of the meeting and explains why the song left delegates in tears and in spontaneous rendition.
It also explains why the Umno mind and mentality has remained unchanged during the last 66 years of the party’s existence – insecure, envious, delusional, un-accepting of other Malaysians, and propagating a bankrupt doctrine of ‘Blood and Soil’ nationalism akin to that of the Nazis and fascists.
Blood and soil nationalism refers to an ideology that focuses on ethnicity based on two factors – descent and homeland. Readers interested in learning more about blood and soil nationalism can read the Wikipedia.
Anak Kecil main api
Terbakar hatinya yang sepi
Air mata darah bercampur keringat
Bumi dipijak milik orang
Nenek moyang kaya raya
Tergadai seluruh harta benda
Akibat sengketa sesamalah kita
Cinta lenyap di arus zaman ini
Indahnya bumi kita ini
Warisan berkurun lamanya
Hasil mengalir ke tangan yang lain
Pribumi merintih sendiri …
Melayukan gagah di nusantara.
The translated version in English reads:
A small child plays with fire
His desolate heart burns
Tears, blood and sweat (yet)
His land belongs to outsiders
His forefathers had abundance
Now his inheritance is mortgaged
The result of discord amongst ourselves
Love disappears in the modern tide
How beautiful is our land
Passed down from generation to generation
But the profits flow to other hands
The natives moan unheeded
Aren't Malays the brave in the archipelago
Recommended references: For more on the translated lyrics, read Dr Azly Rahman HERE as well as his article ‘A Malay view of Biro Tata Negara and Ketuanan Melayu’
Impact of Lagu Negara
The poisoning of Malay minds through the negative portrayals of non-Malay communities and depiction of the Malays as victims whose birthrights have been stolen by “immigrants” is continuing unabated.
For now, it has left the 1Malaysia concept in ashes.
The danger is that these sentiments contributing to a siege mentality can be so deeply embedded that they become impossible to deal with rationally. When inflamed by irresponsible parties, they can easily get out of control and can be the catalyst for violence.
Lagu Warisan - the signature song of Malay ‘patriots’ yearning for a return to a Malay motherland free of pendatang - originated from the Biro Tatanegara, a propaganda arm of Umno in the civil service.
In his article ‘BTN is hardly an innocent selling toothpaste' (Dec 17, 2009), C.T. Wong writes that
“[when] the moral codes are suspended [and a] new moral code is substituted… the cry for defending one’s race or religion or country carries a new and sinister meaning. The perpetrators of ethnic violence hijack the mind and the feelings of its own race for their purpose of gaining or consolidating powe. […] Systematic, conscious and deliberate efforts are being made to create the Enemy in the public space in some of the mainstream media or government-sponsored programmes. The explicit or implicit elimination ideology is so openly propagated that the normal revulsion against cruelty towards other human beings is alarmingly lacking."
To the BTN, we must add a double-faced Umno mouthing the rhetoric of solidarity and inclusion when with non-Malay audiences, and fanning the flames of extremist racial emotions when addressing the Malay constituency.
Taking the fight to Umno
The line separating good and evil and truth and falsehood may appear contentious and complicated. However we should not run away from drawing this line, however difficult is the task.
Minimum proactive actions include speaking out and calling for the removal or neutralizing of those institutions and individuals guilty of sowing and escalating racial distrust (and religious disharmony), in particular that emanating from the ruling circles and the bureaucracy, especially from Umno ranks and the official print and electronic media, particularly Utusan Malaysia and TV3.
Leaders of the other Barisan Nasional component parties who have been silent, indifferent or impotent towards the escalation of the hate politics of race and religion must find their voices and put pressure on Umno towards genuine reform. Other key stake players such as PAS and Muslim NGOs must be more active in influencing Islamic elements towards more progressive positions that can counter the politics of racial envy and hate propagated by Umno.
Failure to respond to ‘Lagu Warisan’ and its supporters will see the country’s racial tensions and divisions escalate towards a breaking point, with the minorities very much on the defensive and the authorities either reluctant to intervene or to act in favour of the minority.
The rule of law becomes the tyranny of the majority; perpetrators of racial and religious hate and disunity feel that they can get away with irresponsible actions aimed at maintaining dominance or curbing dissent; and the country’s basic tolerance gives way to hardened and polarized positions on all sides, setting the stage for instability and social strife.
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19-12-2012 | anaks - RETURN MALAYA TO ORANG ASLIS
"His land belongs to outsiders"
Err you mean Malaya belongs to the Orang Aslis??? They are the real owners!
Also this racist song does not apply to Sabah Sarawak- with Malays as the minority!
We are all PENDATANGS including Najib and Ibrahim Ali...!
So we should all leave for our original homeland in Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia and Yunnan China.
Why not?
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19-12-2012 | Ghab - Politics is war without bloodshed while war is pol
We are in a catch 484 situation living in the midst of our selfness and selfishness. A calamitous society is in the making and in dilemmas. It has evolved into a fragmented society by races. Like one commentator remarks, " prior to Mahathir Malaysians were really Malaysians, not so racially segregated."This notion suggested we are now truly fragmented society. We are living in the environment of suspicions. When we talk to friends and neighbors, we are not looking into their eyes anymore. When we walk we greeted nobody except polarizing toward our trusted kind. What it means our values of human relation are rapidly fading. We are now living in the environment of constant racial tension and waiting to face an eruption. It could be anytime and just need a crazy guy to ignite. Peace and harmony are non for an option. Scary and scary indeed! A choice to vote out with our feet is a save option.
Why? It is because of Umno's and its cohort doing things they did for the last 55 years. Because the Malays have been brainwashed by Umno's and BTN's propaganda and their racist patriotism. Because the authority does not protect the minority and only favor the Malays. Because the minority has been marginalized. Because of that Mahathir will go down in history as an incarnation of Hitler. Because Umnos poison the Malays with their lies. Because the Malay patriots yearning for a return to a Malay motherland free of pendatang. Because Najib's vision of 1 Malaysia was absent in the recent Umno general assembly. Najib's sincerity is in question. Because the lyrics of 'Lagu Warisan' explains Umno and Malays minds and mentalities unchanged....a bankrupt doctrine of 'Blood and Soil' Nationalism akin to that of the NAZIS and FASCISTS.
My goodness gracious!! This is bad, Man! Malaysia is not good and save place to live for peace-loving people anymore. These Umno and Malays are going to be Nazis and Fascists. This is no illusion. It is the truth. The Nazis Malays and Fascist Umno are here to stay and defend their motherland for whatever cause, whether they win or lose in the near coming election. They are not saying about Democracy, Human Rights or Civil Liberty, they are saying about war. Oh! No wonder Professor Dr Azly Rahman and Dr. Bakri Musa the fortunate Malays left Malaysia. The lyrics of 'Lagu Warisan' are frightening. The Malays really mean business now. Where shall I go? No way, Man! I will stay down and fight back. Fight for what? What about all my good Malay friends? Who cares!!How do you fight? First, you remove and neutralized the ruling circles ,especially from Umno ranks and the official print and electronic media, particularly Utusan Malaysia and TV3. How to remove them? Maa! You must retain and shape up your proactive action, you must influence and get Pas and Muslim NGOs to mold up and be more active. They are not in the progressive position. We must make them use their Islamic elements to counter the politics of racial envy and hate propagated by Umno. My God, Bro! They are Malays. They have all in common, being Malays and their religion is Islam, culturally intact and share the same long history. No! actually Umno and the Malays are weak now. They are fragmented. Malays Pas and Malays PKR are not together. You must understand this, Malaysia has changed, the Malays has changed to become weak because of their own weakness. It is their doings not us. This is the time, Maa! We are firmed with our political ideologies of maticulturalism and Malaysian Malaysia, not I Malaysia.
The words of Mao Zedong, "Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed." let this quotation spelt out with much hope for our minds to rest.
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17-12-2012 | Jerrine
As i can recall that even in my young days racial, religion & colors of our skin has never marked in our eyes & mind as we used to treat each other as 'Friends' Too bad as we grow we seems to be separated with the difference in US. Lucky for me that Good Friends in those days lasted through the tick and thin and it amazed us that the difference among us has never entered the mind or do we mind at all.Society as of today is making/forcing us into Separation. Even Kids of the New Generation is brought up with Colors In Their Eyes TOO. Real Sad.
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15-12-2012 | Kcirtap Yerac - Don
"Lagu Warisan - the signature song of Malay ‘patriots’ yearning for a return to a Malay motherland free of pendatang - originated from the Biro Tatanegara, a propaganda arm of Umno in the civil service.
"negative portrayals of non-Malay communities and depiction of the Malays as victims whose birthrights have been stolen by “immigrants” is continuing unabated.
"UMNO double=faced,unaccepting of non Muslim immigrants,etc,etc
OMG!
OMG!OMG!
OMG!OMG!OMG!Are the non Muslim,non Malay component coalition partners in BN aware of this??
Have MCA,MIC,Gerakan and PPP been blind to all this all these years??
Have the leaders been fooled by the UMNO leaders all these years??
Why are they still supporting UMNO??
It's just too ridiculous for words;can someone please knock some sense to MCA,MIC,Gerakan and PPP and get them to abandon UMNO and just do the right thing.
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15-12-2012 | Jessie
It is frightening to think young Malays have been brainwashed by this racial line by UMNO and BTN. God knows what goes on in the UMNO meetings and the kind of lies and poison that is fed to the Malay masses when the Chinese and Indians are not around. Mahathir will go down in history as a Hitler reincarnation - no wonder he cannot accept the truth about the genocide against the Jews.
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15-12-2012 | Morris G. - An outsider's view
I think those past and present warlords have really done a "great job" by pushing most of the rich, talented pendatangs migrated elsewhere for the past 20 years or so.Rightfully, Spore ,Aust,NZ,UK,US,even Brunei,Indon should send their heartfelt thanks to these helpful warlords for sending endless talents and money over, even now. What's left behind are those pasar malam traders,hawkers, gangsters,old folks and a struggling middle class pendatangs who stubbornly refused to understand and submit to these warlords' intimidation who are the chosen-ones, probably due to lack of a good education.ONLY A PARADIGM SHIFT in cavemen politics(read holymen pretenders,rent-seekers,yes-men, cronies,hired trouble-makers,hallucinators of threats,idiots & clowns,money-friendly lawmakers,supremacy fanatics,hypocrites)can stop the nation from spiralling down and it has to start from a few good men who dare to put the nation first.Good luck to these few brave men.
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The down fall of UMNO will only happen if it implodes. When the economic pie is not growing and all hands of UMNO MPs are in the till; shrinking the contents(money) until no more to steal. Down fall will definitely happens; until then business as usual. In fact UMNO is going in that direction UMNO ministers and key holders of power are marrying too many with many children. These wives and children will yearn for positions and political powers. How much can Malaysia cater for these group of UMNO parasites ?!
When the son of a neighbouring country presiden was charged in court for corruption. The father president remarked: "My son is the prince. Why can't he enjoy the the perks(meaning corruption)". Down fall this president when there was no money. He had to beg for bailout.
When the female minister was alleged to be involved in cow-scandal, she remarked: "Which minister had no problem". These are the mentality or rather the quality of people administering the countries. When there are money to enjoy, all are very well. When there is nothing left, they died soonest