Stumble It!
Originally I was writing this as a comment but it ended up as an article.
Maybe it sounds ‘fair’ if we all get the same opportunities and rights. But to me we have to understand the definition of ‘fair’ or ‘just’ itself.
In Islam, if you have a daughter and a son, you can’t give both your children scarf and tudung as presents. It’s irrational. So what is the real ‘fair’? It is when all the parties involved gain things that they should gain but based on their natural needs.
In other case, we also have to understand that in life, there must be hierarchy. As Muslims, our faith or believe is based on hierarchy as well. First is Allah, Rasul, Malaikat etc. As well as respects, we have to prioritize Allah, then Rasul then our parents etc. Same as polygamy. You have to concentrate more on your 1st wife. She has the biggest share of the husband’s properties.
In adaption of this Islamic principle, we have to understand which parties should have the right rights. So in the context of Malaysia, as pribumis or bumiputras we must not and shouldn’t forget about our rights here. Because if not, in the end we will end up like America, they maybe will have a new black president. Or even a clearer example is our brother or neighbor, Singapore (no need to explain here).
But for me, we can’t compare the multi-racial America with multi-racial Malaysia. Because that is a free country. Originally a land of the Indians (red-Indian) but then conquered by immigrants from Europe and now is built based on unity of different races in their country. So the whites can’t declare that they have more rights because it’s the Indians’ land and the blacks can demand a lot as what the whites have done to them. To save the situation, they declare ‘democracy’ as their principle. The whites do not have to worry because they are the majority.
Back to Malaysia. The bumiputras are not wrong to say that they have more rights because it is their land and undeniable. The immigrants are not and have not ever been discriminated like the blacks in America.
Even though bumiputras composition is about 70% of the total citizen of the country, but they only managed to conquer and own only about 30% of the total private business sector. Based on the composition of Chinese which is about 30% they managed to own about 40% ownership in the private sector. So to calculate, how many of the Chinese are wealthy today? And how many of the bumis are poor? So is it unjust to give quotas for the bumiputras?
The non-bumis can demand buy saying that they are now the babies of Malaysian land and had work hard together to build the nation. Yes it is true, but I don’t think the DEB had ever discriminated them. It is just a fair way to help the bumiputras to success as the British had done unfair methods through their times. When we are saying about quotas, it doesn’t mean that we don’t give chances to the non-bumis, but we have more spaces for the bumis to climb up high.
A simple example in school, few students get the chance to receive RMT food during breaks because they do need it. They also have the rights as others to eat. It is just a way to help them eat properly too. In this case, it doesn’t mean that the other student who didn’t get the RMT food, can’t eat and are not allowed to eat isn’t it? They also can eat because they can eat; they have the chance to eat. Now this is what we call as fair.
Yes maybe the social contract should be revised over and over to adapt with the current social condition. But it must always base on the true ‘fair’ and ‘just’ definitions.
Indeed, the bumiputras should never forget their rights even though the non-bumis are stressing and demanding for their rights too. When many of the bumiputras have succeed in their life and can stand tall in the same line with other races, please do not forget how they climb to the peak and do not forget their race blood brothers and sisters below them. The non-bumis will never stop demanding and it never going to end. Like in the pepatah Melayu, ‘dah diberi betis, nakkan peha pula’. Whatever races in our country will never say enough of what they get. It’s the nature of human; we will say we want more.
Filed under: Social Issues | Tagged: Economy, Politics, Social Issues
First, The God created men and women, huwmen, and each is given rights.
A world without borders and boundaries. Here we live a life full of abundance.
Individuals then begin to belong, not to a world, but a division as large a country and as small as a house surrounded by walls.
We forget that when we leave this world into the hereafter, all these one cannot bring along, all will be left behind.
Meanwhile, since we are here, the fact that there are races, is just for us to know each other. Not to be superior in might, nor to usurp in any way through force or war.
The idea is sharing. A togetherness.
In relations to the Bumiputera Rights. It is a right of the natives, and should be well respected. However those who are in the push and pull factor, they come here to Malaya and now Malaysia. It can be temporary then.
As we choose to be divergent in a country a permanency living together in order and harmony, a social contract is valid and viable, to protect fairness. Especially when a particular segment are tied closely to their motherland.
However now it has changed. The children, including ours, when they go to school, all are born here. Therefore, a social contract by our forefathers and mothers too, can be changed, with our will together.
No one can be a victim or being deprived by an agreement done by some one else long ago.
So, let’s do it, and move on as totally happy as each can be, together.
dear ZUBLI,
“First, The God created men and women, human, and each is given rights.”
each is given right is true. but do remember in the equality of god…HE favors on those who follow Him..there are lots of difference in every religion. all might contain the so called the universal values, but the the true religion is only one…
I’m not playing religious card here…for everyone, surely you believe your religion is the true one, and the others are simply not true…It is up to you on what basis you want to justify the ‘true religion’ but i believe there’s only one of it..
2.”Meanwhile, since we are here, the fact that there are races, is just for us to know each other. Not to be superior in might, nor to usurp in any way through force or war.”
With utmost respect to you, I partly agree with this exclamation. For me, this is not the matter of superiority but the survival of the BUMI’S. We are getting the smaller part of the pie where we are suppose to have the most of it simply we are huge in number and this is our ancestor’s country..we shouldn’t gain less of what our forefathers have fought for long long time ago. Do remember, we especially Malays defended our homeland. It was our forefathers who fought the Portuguese, British, Japanese, and The Malayan Union. And all that took almost 480 years worth of sacrifices; blood and life. So, I don’t think we should give up our rights after only 50 years…
It was not the non-BUMI’s who defend the TANAH MELAYU. They came just around mid 1930. However, I do acknowledge their involvement in the formation of this nation. But just remember who sacrifices more..
Here, I’m not denying the right of those not BUMI of having the bigger part of the pie but we must also protect te survival of this BUMIs….Even with all those ‘Hak Istimewa’ the equity shares of the Bumi’s only rise for about 0.3 % whereas the non-BUMI’s for about 3%…based on this facts…as we move further into the future, the BUMI’s will be left out in terms of economy compared to the non-BUMI’s..
The main repercussion is:
1.Increase in poverty level among the BUMI’s. The population of BUMI’s increase, yet their income grows slowly. So when a small total income is divided with a large population, the number will be so small. This indicates that there are more poor people among the BUMI’s. Simply put, the majority of lower income group will come from the BUMI’s.
2.”No one can be a victim or being deprived by an agreement done by some one else long ago.”
No BUMI’s of this country should ‘live’ in smaller part of his motherland. This agreement is not a deprivation. Its fairness. We let the non-BUMI’s have the bigger ‘food’ from our table, but just let us, the BUMI’s eat properly. That’s the analogy. You cannot say it’s a form of opression. We never obstruct the non-BUMI’s from having anything. What we want to do is just to help the BUMI’s only. That’s all. If it is a deprivation then it should states :” NON-BUMI CANNOT HAVE THIS AND THAT”…Dont look it as deprivation, but as assistant for BUMIs
In fact, the rich of non-BUMis can have what the BUMIs cant have; private education, private doctor, self-sustain education, better house and cars…etc.So just let the govt help the BUMIs. For the unfortunate non-BUMIs, yes the govt are helping them too…but their number is not as great as the BUMIs..
3.”So, let’s do it, and move on as totally happy as each can be, together.”
Let the BUMIs happy with the HAk Istimewa. Let the non-BUMIs happy with the economy in their hands.
I believe for now, we should maintain the right for BUMI’s. It’s still not the time yet to do any change…
Akak setuju dengan Ash. Bangsa lain hanya minat kesenangan dan keuntungan, nak kan hak sama rata konon, tapi yang sanggup berkorban utk Malaysia berapa kerat je? Lihat aje peratus bangsa lain dalam pasukan keselamatan kita. Akak yakin kiranya bumi bertuah ini diserang, yang lari pasti chinese yang kaya raya tu. Maklumlah kaum tu takut mati….Sorrylah akak tak mahir Eng.
i don’t understand ash’s big words,..
they are just dumb, haha
the thing is, when you are debating, heck, you are not supposed to debate hak istimewa org melayu, anda boleh didakwa di bawah akta Hasutan, so we cannot debate on it, but we may discuss it..
but back to to the issue, do you even understand what the special rights of the malay? or it’s implication?
who wrote the social contract? who signed it?
my comments will be based on the assumption that you know and understand these important factors first..
on one issue
the special rights are NOT deprivation of rights, if it is so, then it is discrimination, and the perlembagaan clearly states that there shalt be no discrimination… the issues in the special right are just helping the bumi’s, to let them battle on a level playing field
during the 480 years of colonisation, the bumi’s are DEPRIVED from rights such as education etc, check up the Malayan history, and hence the founding fathers find it necessary to have these special rights to boost the competitiveness of Malays, otherwise we are so lagging behind
now tell me, who is the first Malay medical pactitioner?
secondly, yeah, we can compare America and Malaysia
tell me, when is the rights of black is recognised by the american?
name me one black president?
the thing is, what is all the fuss about the special rights?
it is a part of an agreed upon contract.
you don’t want the rights?
okay, abolish the contract
you’ll lose perkara 40
that’s all
yeah, saya ada soalan pop kuiz untuk anda
siapakah yang mengusulkan gagasan Malayan Union? apakah motifnya dengan gagasan itu?
Namakan seorang pejuang tanah air bukan berbangsa bumiputra apabila penjajah mula betapak di tanah Melayu?
Salam,
Sebuah rumah ada pemilik/tuan rumah ada tetamu dan ada
pembantu rumah.
Tetamu biasanya datang dan pergi,jarang yang nak menetap.
Pembantu rumah adakalanya bekerja turun temurun.
Soalannya???? Perlukah tuan rumah memberi hak keatas rumahnya kapada mereka tadi????Mengapa anak2 tuan rumah diajak membincangkan hak mereka dirumah mereka sendiri????
Dear forgotten fool,
I would like to thank you for visiting OPEN DEBATE. I would love to hear more of you around.
First of all, it has been OPEN DEBATE policy not to use ill words in the discussions. ‘Dumb’ is not an exception. Be professional everyone.
I agree that we must be careful in as you said discussing this issue because in the act it states:
(f) bagi mempersoalkan apa-apa perkara, hak, taraf,
kedudukan, keistimewaan, kedaulatan atau prerogatif
yang ditetapkan atau dilindungi oleh peruntukan
Bahagian III Perlembagaan Persekutuan atau Perkara
152, 153 atau 181 Perlembagaan Persekutuan.
So everybody, do be careful.
Nevertheless lets debate on what Forgotten fool have said.
1.”on one issue
the special rights are NOT deprivation of rights, if it is so, then it is discrimination, and the perlembagaan clearly states that there shalt be no discrimination… the issues in the special right are just helping the bumi’s, to let them battle on a level playing field”
Thank you for reinstating my comment on Zubli’s previously. This is what i’ve been explaining. The Hak Istimewe BUMIPITERA is not a sort of deprivation but an helping hand for BUMIPUTERA only not that the NON-BUMI didn’t recieve any help at all..yes, they too gain assistance from the government but in this case, Hak Istimewa is a specialty for the BUMIs.
2.”during the 480 years of colonisation, the bumi’s are DEPRIVED from rights such as education etc, check up the Malayan history, and hence the founding fathers find it necessary to have these special rights to boost the competitiveness of Malays, otherwise we are so lagging behind”
Again you are supportng my argument. “We let the non-BUMI’s have the bigger ‘food’ from our table, but just let us, the BUMI’s eat properly. That’s the analogy. You cannot say it’s a form of opression. We never obstruct the non-BUMI’s from having anything. What we want to do is just to help the BUMI’s only. That’s all. If it is a deprivation then it should states :” NON-BUMI CANNOT HAVE THIS AND THAT”…Dont look it as deprivation, but as assistant for BUMIs”
3.”now tell me, who is the first Malay medical pactitioner?”
Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak was the first Malay doctor to graduate in 1911 from the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School (later named the King Edward VII (KEVII) College, Singapore in 1912)
4.”secondly, yeah, we can compare America and Malaysia
tell me, when is the rights of black is recognised by the american?
name me one black president?”
First of all you didn’t state the on what sense that you think we can compare our country social fabric with the America’s.
What i can see, there are many big differences between the two. We cannot simply compare. America’s social integrity starts from slavery, ours from different social occupation because of the DASAR PECAH DAN PERINTAH British.
There are no previous black president that i know of. Isn’t this is a proof that even the so called most democratic country in this world are not so democratic after all.
There are too many differences despite some similarities. The subject is too huge and requires substantive studies. If you would like to open this a a new topic, you are welcome to email me your post. I’ll publish it in OPEN DEBATE…ashraf9julai@yahoo.com.
5.”the thing is, what is all the fuss about the special rights?
it is a part of an agreed upon contract.
you don’t want the rights?
okay, abolish the contract
you’ll lose perkara 40
that’s all”
It’s not any fuss dear friend, this is a very sensitive issue that if any decision make by the government upon this, would change the social structure of this country forever.
It’s not the case of you want it or not but whether it’s still relevant or not relevant in this 21st century from the view of the BUMIs and the NON-BUMI’s.
God created everyone. So, let’s not make a distinction based on race and religion. We must learn to live together and treat each other well, regardless of our race and religion. There should be no discrimination based on race and religion. Our policies must be designed to help those who lag behind, regardless of race and religion. Those who have more must help those who have less and we do so regardless of race and religion. If we keep focusing on race and religion, the rest of the world will pass us by and we will be left behind because we are going to throw away good resources through inefficient use. On the other hand, if we use the best of our human resources where they are most effective, we benefit all Malaysians. In education, for instance, rather than having quotas which only serves to lower standards, we should focus on raising the quality of primary and secondary education so all our children, regardless of race and religion, have the quality of education they need to equip them to realise their full potential. We educate our children well, not because they are Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans, etc. We educate them well because they are our children and we want the best for them and for Malaysia. So, please have a bigger picture of our nation and of your world. Don’t remain under a coconut shell.
dont take this personal…
the thing is,i agree with acap at all costs..
dear forgotten fool..
if u thing this issue is not a big fuss…
that itself is demeaning and a direct and obvious disrespect towards the bumis..
it is our RIGHTS..and privilege…
WAN ZAWAWI
“Our policies must be designed to help those who lag behind, regardless of race and religion.”
My question, aren’t the BUMIs are those who lag behind?
You people have gone overboard lah.. When the whole world is going around fighting for their rights in a globalised world by equipping themselves with knowledge, malaysians are going around fighting for rights.. Nonsense.. The best way is meritocracy and democracy in the cleanest way possible.. lets change our thrid world mentality to something more relevent then only we shall sit down n talk about this so called Social Contract and all this demands.. Get a life malaysians.. sigh…
yeah..
u are right blimey..
demokrasi is the cleanest way..
tp kan where is the democracy in our country??
is democracy is practised wisely in our country???
think about it
Dear all,
Whatever is happening to our nation for the past few months boils down to the dearth of good understanding of the social contract between the races. But first, what is the social contract that supposedly binds us all? It is the Federal Constitution, the supreme law in Malaysia, so clearly underlined by Article 4(1) of the Constitution:
“This Constitution is the supreme law of the Federation and any law passed after Merdeka Day which is inconsistent with this Constitution shall, to the extent of the Constitution, be void.”
So if one asks what our social contract is and where he can find one, show him the Constitution book. Its pocketbook version costs only RM10. In this book, one will find that actually the rights of all the citizens are preserved, and such preservation brings about the economic sense too.
The problem in our country is the number of Malaysians who fail to understand the tenet of our Constitution is growing exponentially with the growth of Malaysians who can already think on their own, with some external influences, desired or otherwise. Our older generation understands the social contract requirement much better, perhaps due to the hardship they experienced in gaining our Independence and in fighting the insurgency. They also went to school together during which time there were no Chinese and Tamil schools.
The idea of these vernacular schools were mooted by the Chinese and Tamil communities amid concerns their younger generation would lose their native language skills going to the national schools. Due repsect to their love for respective languages and cultures, their such intentions have bred unfamiliarities between the younger generation of different races. Unlike their parents, very few of them attend the same school at the primary and secondary levels, where the sense of belonging and togetherness develop better, faster and more effectively compared to the similar process at the tertiary level ie college and university where students already prefer to hang around with friends of the same skin color and mothertongue.
So, the intention of native language preservation by establishing vernacular schools and sending children there has had its negative impact to the unity of Malaysians and understanding of the social contract among the younger people. The society has become so fragmented than ever before, with trivial issues transormed into sensitive ones due to the lack of understanding mentioned above. The people are becoming more ethnocentric in fighting for survival and basic needs in life as economic uncertainties become more apparent resulting from a possible global recession following higher food and fuel costs as well as the credit crisis – the 3rd of the 3F – plunging our major trading partners ie the US and Europe into turmoil. The Government has done a lot for the people especially the poor and less privileged, giving more budgetary allocations to improve their lives. We’ll look further into this issue on a different platform ya.
So what can be done to imrpove unity among the ethnically diverse Malaysians? Education is one very effective tool. But first, the vernacular educationist proponents must put the national interest before that of their own. Go back to the single national school education. They don’t have to worry about the preservation of their respective mother-tongues because a proposal may be put forward to make it compulsory for all students to learn one of these mother-toungues as a third language at the national school. This not only helps preserve those languages but also allows students of various races to interact more with each other. This is not the only solution; it is but one of the ways we can think of.