I am saying this aloud for the very first time...I have always pent it up within me, assuring that it is my naive self that is being paranoid...but hell, this is my blog...so sue me...I am just trying to practice my freedom of speech...there has been bloggers who have been arrested for speaking against the country...honestly, 'speaking against' is quite subjective...if the post by the bloggers are not supported by facts, they are blasphemous...but these posts are being supported, by true chronicles and witnesses...we are just merely voicing our dissatisfaction with the government...I would not consider that 'speaking against'...it is just sharing the truth...
*sigh*...anyways, if you see my name on the newspapers for such arrest, you will know why...
Anyway, that isn't the point....Please note too, that I am just merely commenting as an observer, who probably does not get the whole picture, as I am just reading sources from the newspaper (which is government-controlled) and some internet links (which many are also government-controlled, though I'm not sure which one...)...
I read snippets of news and I'm scared...I wonder if any Malaysians feels the same...You can smell and feel tension in the air...so much so, at times it suffocates me...It seems now, more often than before...that not a day passes by, without serious political events happening...some events also highlight racial issues...which, as a Chinese citizen, I fear for myself...my family...and the people who are non-Malays...
For these past few decade, since the independence, Malays have claimed supremacy and dominance over the country, and through the Malaysian New Economic Policy have claimed many tangible economy benefits. A few benefits that I can think off my head are :
*sigh*...anyways, if you see my name on the newspapers for such arrest, you will know why...
Anyway, that isn't the point....Please note too, that I am just merely commenting as an observer, who probably does not get the whole picture, as I am just reading sources from the newspaper (which is government-controlled) and some internet links (which many are also government-controlled, though I'm not sure which one...)...
I read snippets of news and I'm scared...I wonder if any Malaysians feels the same...You can smell and feel tension in the air...so much so, at times it suffocates me...It seems now, more often than before...that not a day passes by, without serious political events happening...some events also highlight racial issues...which, as a Chinese citizen, I fear for myself...my family...and the people who are non-Malays...
For these past few decade, since the independence, Malays have claimed supremacy and dominance over the country, and through the Malaysian New Economic Policy have claimed many tangible economy benefits. A few benefits that I can think off my head are :
- 5-15% discount for Malay citizens when it comes to purchasing lands and houses...
- All private business must meet the quota of having 30% Malay workers, to be given a license...
- Private businesses must offer a Malay a certain percentage of partnership, for easier approval of projects by the government...
- 95% of government projects are given to Malay croonies, which they are then distributed to sub-contractors, who will hire Chinese workers for the labour...but nah, we are too smart to know where all the REAL money goes to...
- All fast food joints, and banks are bought over by government, and allowed to be dominated by Malays...well, except for one bank...
and many more...
The political ground is shaky...Chinese and the Indians are getting frustrated...as the benefit list for 'Malay supremacy' grows...The elections have proved it...Chinese people, are now strong in spirit, though very much lacking in numbers...they are the pillar of Malaysia's economy, and they are no longer afraid...they are getting braver by the day...and so are the Indians...
My concern is this...so what if the Opposition is strong...Barisan Nasional is slowly breaking apart, under our very eyes...her members try to stand strong...but is faltering...there are too many loop holes, that are uncovered...too much leakage...especially when their strongest opponent, Ex-Prime Minister Tun Mahathir is playing his cards right...my question is, what will happen to us Chinese and Indians when the current government is over-thrown?...
So, yes...we are now free from the dictatorship of Tun Mahathir...we are now in the hands of a more liberal ruling by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi...it really breaks my heart to say this...but it is my opinion that this third world mentality of the country (the spoon-feeding/"serve me first" attitude), is just not ready to handle liberalism...As much as I do not agree with many of Prime Minister Abdullah's policies, I feel very much for him...he is caught in between...practicing modern thoughts and risk the country turning upside-down (it is happening now)...or practice dictatorship and suppress freedom in exchange for peace (as of Tun Mahathir)...
Now, the Opposition is strong enough...and by the looks of it...if things continue to be this messy, the Opposition may take control completely by the next election (5 years from now)...but are the Chinese aware that the Opposition are also dominated by Malays...Yes, one might argue, that the rule of the Opposition can't be as bad, as what is happening right now...but can people look beyond Anwar's enthusiastic promises and engaging speeches?...If one were to follow Anwar's history properly, he has been involved in every Islam society possible...even in his speeches, he has declared his intentions for the New Economic Policy to be revised, so that there should be a higher quota for unit housings and stock market that should be met, for the Malays...
Has Anwar mentioned anything about standing up for the Chinese and Indians, pray tell?...as far as I know, there is none...and yes, though we may be the pillar of economy for Malaysia...but what makes one think that some idiot of a Malay politician should decide that we should be stripped of our citizenship, and should only be allowed to work by visa only? (Please note that I am thinking of the worst possible senarios, though this is unlikely to happen)...China have made it clear that they will not accept us back, since we have officially migrated...where will we go?...If we offend the Malays, do you not think that there is a possibility that they may try to make our life harder, by say...raising petrol prices for us, but less for themselves?...
Yet, with complete honesty...I do not have any better suggestions to put forward...I just feel as if we are moving too fast, when it comes to protesting and making our views known...I feel as if we are jumping from a heated pan, into the fire...having to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea...both options can cause us a lot of pain...anguish...and I feel helpless, seeing my beloved country falling apart...there does not seem to be security anywhere anymore...
I feel as if the political situation in Malaysia, is like a land mine...it is so fragile, that one wrong move, and the world blows up in front of you...And should a racial war arise in these couple of months...I would not be at all surprised...
So, am I scared?...You can bet the Malaysia's National Reserve fund, that I am...you should too, if you are a citizen residing in Malaysia...in fact, I am so scared that it ain't funny anymore...
I probably should think of migrating...and get my family out of here...Australia, maybe., I don't know..that is the closest and cheapest route, to a more politically stable country, I think...
p/s : my apologies if some may find it offensive...I will review this post again, once I have re-collected my thoughts...I am not kidding, when I tell you I'm scared...my fingers are clammy even as I type...my heart is beating at a fast rate...so I may not be able to think as clearly as I wish to...
The political ground is shaky...Chinese and the Indians are getting frustrated...as the benefit list for 'Malay supremacy' grows...The elections have proved it...Chinese people, are now strong in spirit, though very much lacking in numbers...they are the pillar of Malaysia's economy, and they are no longer afraid...they are getting braver by the day...and so are the Indians...
My concern is this...so what if the Opposition is strong...Barisan Nasional is slowly breaking apart, under our very eyes...her members try to stand strong...but is faltering...there are too many loop holes, that are uncovered...too much leakage...especially when their strongest opponent, Ex-Prime Minister Tun Mahathir is playing his cards right...my question is, what will happen to us Chinese and Indians when the current government is over-thrown?...
So, yes...we are now free from the dictatorship of Tun Mahathir...we are now in the hands of a more liberal ruling by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi...it really breaks my heart to say this...but it is my opinion that this third world mentality of the country (the spoon-feeding/"serve me first" attitude), is just not ready to handle liberalism...As much as I do not agree with many of Prime Minister Abdullah's policies, I feel very much for him...he is caught in between...practicing modern thoughts and risk the country turning upside-down (it is happening now)...or practice dictatorship and suppress freedom in exchange for peace (as of Tun Mahathir)...
Now, the Opposition is strong enough...and by the looks of it...if things continue to be this messy, the Opposition may take control completely by the next election (5 years from now)...but are the Chinese aware that the Opposition are also dominated by Malays...Yes, one might argue, that the rule of the Opposition can't be as bad, as what is happening right now...but can people look beyond Anwar's enthusiastic promises and engaging speeches?...If one were to follow Anwar's history properly, he has been involved in every Islam society possible...even in his speeches, he has declared his intentions for the New Economic Policy to be revised, so that there should be a higher quota for unit housings and stock market that should be met, for the Malays...
Has Anwar mentioned anything about standing up for the Chinese and Indians, pray tell?...as far as I know, there is none...and yes, though we may be the pillar of economy for Malaysia...but what makes one think that some idiot of a Malay politician should decide that we should be stripped of our citizenship, and should only be allowed to work by visa only? (Please note that I am thinking of the worst possible senarios, though this is unlikely to happen)...China have made it clear that they will not accept us back, since we have officially migrated...where will we go?...If we offend the Malays, do you not think that there is a possibility that they may try to make our life harder, by say...raising petrol prices for us, but less for themselves?...
Yet, with complete honesty...I do not have any better suggestions to put forward...I just feel as if we are moving too fast, when it comes to protesting and making our views known...I feel as if we are jumping from a heated pan, into the fire...having to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea...both options can cause us a lot of pain...anguish...and I feel helpless, seeing my beloved country falling apart...there does not seem to be security anywhere anymore...
I feel as if the political situation in Malaysia, is like a land mine...it is so fragile, that one wrong move, and the world blows up in front of you...And should a racial war arise in these couple of months...I would not be at all surprised...
So, am I scared?...You can bet the Malaysia's National Reserve fund, that I am...you should too, if you are a citizen residing in Malaysia...in fact, I am so scared that it ain't funny anymore...
I probably should think of migrating...and get my family out of here...Australia, maybe., I don't know..that is the closest and cheapest route, to a more politically stable country, I think...
p/s : my apologies if some may find it offensive...I will review this post again, once I have re-collected my thoughts...I am not kidding, when I tell you I'm scared...my fingers are clammy even as I type...my heart is beating at a fast rate...so I may not be able to think as clearly as I wish to...
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