Deminegara's "Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua" - My Reply to "Malaysian at Heart"

On 24/05/2009, Rocky posted an entry in his blog entitled, "MCA Youth to lodge police report against 1Sekolah promoters", in which he took Deputy Education Minister Dr. Wee Ka Siong to task for contemplating lodging a police report against the bloggers who initiated the "Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua" campaign. I posted a reply to that entry which was published in the comments section. Since then, due to technical issues, I have not been able to post any comments in a number of blogs, including Rocky's. This is an issue with my own PC and/or router, and no fault of the respective webmasters. So, until I solve this problem, I am posting here my replies to the response from a commenter who signs off as "Malaysian at Heart" in Rocky's blog entry, so that our discussion may be continued.

This is my original reply to Rocky's blog entry (I have re-paragraphed it for better readability):

Malaysian Heart said...

These are kijangmas own words, taken from here:

"Anyway, suffice to say that you and your kind are NOTHING. Just the dust, the debu that powders my feet, the habuk, the "duli" yang mencemarkan my tapak kaki.

And nowadays these debus have the audacity to talk up to the Melayu Tuan Tanah on level terms, as if we are on par, makan sepinggan, duduk semeja, tidur sekatil. And these debus now even have the nerve to question the very symbols of our nationhood -- the keris, songkok, jawi, ... even fatwas! -- on a land that MY ancestors forged through centuries of battles and conquests and where countless died defending against foreign invaders. And now these products of the unwashed rejects that rolled off the plank of the rickety tongkang now see it fit to question the fundamental tenets of this land that was created from the blood and sweat of MY ancestors?"

This is just one of numerous such statements by kijangmas & his supporters. That Rocky can describe them as "pro-unity bloggers" trying to create "a 'true' Bangsa Malaysia" speaks volumes about his own character & mindset. If Rocky believes that making a police report is "militant", how would he categorize this from kijangmas (my emphasis in bold):

"We must unearth our martial past. We were warriors, the greatest seafarers ever, the ruling-class of the Nusantara. We built empires, we colonised other lands, our language became the lingua franca of the seas from Madagascar to Okinawa to Rapa Nui (Easter Island). That's 60% of earth's circumference. We must be that again. Do away with the lemah lembut lembik persona that has caused an epidemic in Malay transvestites and Mak Nyahs and budak lembuts everywhere. We must toughen up. Can we live off the land? When was the last time we held a cangkul? Jala ikan? Sembelih ayam? Sembelih orang would be too much to ask for now, but still ....."

Surely Rocky is not suggesting that Wee be denied his right to lodge a police report. If anyone of us believes that a crime has been committed, it is our civic duty to lodge one. "Agreeing to disagree" does not absolve us of that duty. However, if Wee makes a false report, then he must be prosecuted & punished.

Personally, I do not believe that criminal action can or should be brought against kijangmas & his group. There is no law in Malaysia against racist hate speech or being kurang ajar; neither should there ever be, as it would infringe on their right to free speech. Indeed it is better that all Malaysians read for themselves & see this group (that includes you too, Rocky) for what they really are.

4:17 PM

(end of comment)

Subsequently, "Malaysian at Heart" responded to my reply:

Malaysian at Heart said...

Waaaa… MalaysianHeart. You have cut and paste Kijang Mas quotes out of context, weed out the revealing or self-explanatory ones, and present out your case here. Do you know that KM writes in retaliation to those who write in MORE racist manners in his blogs? It is fortunate that he weeds out the ultra-racist comments, if not then we really have explosive situations. Some other blogs are not fortunate anyway: The racist comments coming from you guys are greater in magnitude: yours is much more menyakitkan hati! I could only, within a few minutes, cut and paste these, from Rocky, Jebat, KM:-

Malay is not a gentle race, on the contrary, it is an emotional & violent binatang. – yellowpower

Hey bumibodoh, kalau lu minta ditanam hidup2 di tanah Melayu, gua bisa menunai hajat lu! … we must be honest to call a babi – babi. - Abangcina

Those bastard Malays that easily get emotional had very low EQ and IQ as well. They cannot control their emotion. That’s why our country cannot advance. Everyday shouting “Daulat Malay”. - OBAMA

melayu oh melayu...
non malay...see how all the low class malay shaking here....
tengok sendiri lah standard orang cina and bandingkan dengan melayu.. lu orang melayu apa class..
pergi minum air kencing cina sikit lah kawan... - COMMENTER

As expected most of the low class Malay commenters here are scared shitless of equal rights. What a bunch of pondans these Malays have turned into. Eg proft and LGT.
It's inevitable you WILL bow and accept equality eventually. Or your children will anyway... - COMMENTER

Those reading the above who are above 60 years of age, was around during May 13, 1969 let me emphasize here: these are NOT 13 May 1969 Procession Quotations. These are voices that are heard PRESENTLY, but it sure does sound similarly nostalgic, doesn't it?

Perhaps I could probably paste more if I research longer. And I haven’t even BEGUN to get into blogs like Harris Ibrahim, MalaysiaKini and Raja Petra, who allows malay-bashing racists to write in whatever they want and deletes daily 500-600 (according to that RPK interview) pro-malay comments.

Yes, Malaysian Heart. Bigotry is a result of another bigotry imposed on them. You racist me, I racist you even more.

I also found out that apart from this place, you have also posted this comment of yours at some other spots. Meaning, you just are not interested in a rebuttal. You would like to broadcast anti-malay sentiments wherever you find there is a reader. Showing that you have a purpose, an agenda in mind.

9:27 AM

(end of comment)

As I could not post my reply to "Malaysian at Heart" at Rocky's, here it is:

@ Malaysian at Heart,

Thanks for your rebuttal. I choose kijangmas’ quotes which I believe reflect his vision for Bangsa Malaysia, his attitude towards his fellow Malaysians & national unity. I do this because they are relevant to understanding the project that he & his friends are proposing. To help readers see his words in context, I always include the link. Since you have raised this issue, I will add a request that readers visit those links to judge for themselves if those quotes are relevant or not.

I condemn racism & racist comments no matter who they come from & who they are targeted at. Please read my latest blog post (Putting the shoe on the other foot) to see where I stand on this, & kindly do not include me in with those racists who have offended you.

I agree with you that racism incites racism. However, it does not necessarily have to result in more of the same. Two wrongs do not make a right, and a true leader would have the courage & the integrity to break the vicious cycle by responding to hate with truth, not more hate. Such a leader would inspire his opponents & bring them over to his cause. It is the dajjal & the demagogue who "lead" by spreading deceit & inciting hate among people. May I suggest that you (& km) look to the examples set by Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.), Gandhi & Martin Luther King instead of following in the footsteps of racists like abangcina, commenter & obama (the racist, not the president). If km is unable (or unwilling) to rise above reacting to provocations with counter provocations, is he the kind of leader that you (or any Malaysian) should be following?

I have posted my comments here, at Pn. Nuraina's blog, de minimis, i am Malaysian and others where this memorandum is being discussed. I believe that is what blog comments sections are for. To suggest that this means that I am not interested in rebuttals is a non sequitur. So far, among the rebuttals that I have received, I have been "accused" of being an Ayah Pin devotee and of loving kijangmas' posterior. I could see "rebuttals" like those having a place in a (lower) primary school playground, but how do they advance our discussion & mutual understanding? I feel that their only objective is to start the provocation rolling and hope for an equally silly reaction in return. On that note, thanks for not stooping to their level.

However, you have wronged me by accusing me of broadcasting anti Malay sentiments. Criticizing a person who happens to be Malay doesn't necessarily mean that I am anti Malay. Going by that logic, anyone who criticizes wee ka siong is anti chinese, the person who murdered kugan is anti indian, and if kugan's murderer happened to be an orang putih, prosecuting him would be anti orang putih too. Subscribing to this type of logic would mean the end of civil society in Malaysia & a descent into the tribalism & ketaksuban of zaman jahiliah, when supporting your clan was more important than standing for justice & fairness. If we are to progress as a nation, people who are truly "Malaysian at Heart" need to go beyond seeing things from a race based, assabiah perspective.

My purpose and agenda is very open & transparent. I believe that km & co's project is an attempt to institutionalize intolerance against the culture & language of our fellow Malaysians, disguised as an effort to promote unity. As a Malaysian, I cannot approve of this even is if I personally would stand to gain by it. This is not about Malay rights or Chinese rights, it is about common decency & humanity. If we allow issues like culture, language & education to be hijacked by chauvinists to further their own agendas, it will lead to further racial resentment & distrust in Malaysia, and as we can see from the responses & counter responses to this issue, it has already begun. I believe that this increased distrust & tension serves km & co's purposes just fine.

Not all the people who support SSUS have chauvinist agendas. Many Malaysians, myself included, rightly see that 1 school for all is fundamentally a good idea. However, many have missed the insidious racism & intolerance that underlies this project. Therefore, I want to share with Malaysians what (I believe) this project really is. I support my arguments with data sourced from km & co's own writings, and everyone is free to decide for themselves. I can't help feeling that this uneasiness amongst km supporters when I refer to their own words in my comments, belies an anxiety that the true nature of their project (& indeed of themselves as human beings) is being unmasked.

Finally, if I may, I would encourage you to dig out the racist comments from any websites including Malaysiakini, Peoples Parliament & Malaysia Today & expose them for all to see. We must never tolerate racism from whomever. It certainly takes time & effort, but it would be worth it. Let us name & shame those bloggers & commenters & let them answer for it. Whenever I find such comments there, (and I have found them), I call them out on it, regardless of who they are. I have seen even commenters in deminegara criticize racist comments. For example:

On December 11, 2008 3:31 AM, Omong, (who kijangmas names as having one of those who "provided a stirring repository of references and research findings" for the memorandum) said...

"KijangMas Dear
I have consciously started checking out whether the shop owner is Malay or Chinese when I stopped at the R&R along the highways. I was about to pay for my purchase when I realised the cashier is Chinese. I put back my tidbits and went over to the other shop where the workers are Malays and purchased from them. The reason I went in to the first shop was because the shop is really stocked up with a lot more variety of goods. But who cares? I will support Malay enterprises from now on. I also have to be extra observant to note that Malay workers may be working for Chinese owners."

In response to that, on December 11, 2008 2:59 PM , anonymous said...

"Omong said...
KijangMas Dear

I have consciously started checking out whether the shop owner is Malay or Chinese when I stopped at the R&R along the highways.
====
So now Omong, now they have succeeded in making you a racist.
Do you know that the chinese who open shop at the R&R is also in a similar predicament as the Malay who opens the shop next to his ?.
so in your mind , this Chinese guy is a rich towkay ?.
Sickening isn't it how people have now become more racist ?
I buy from a shop because it is convenience and the service not because of the race or colour of the shopkeeper.
Real shame, another notch for racism in Malaysia."

Also in response to Omong, on December 11, 2008 6:42 PM, skyforce said...

"To Omong,

What is wrong with u?
I believe the Japanese killing your people during World War 2 is more 'dosa' than what chinese did today.
Do u buy Japanese product???
Please think again.

SkyForce"

And what was kijangmas' response to all this? On December 12, 2008 3:10 AM, kijangmas said...

"Sky Force and Anonymous (December 10, 2008 10:59 PM),

Why do you people care if Omong buys from a non-Chinese shop?
Isn't your disapproval of Omong buying from a Malay shop reflect YOUR own
racism? So Omong MUST buy only from your Chinese shops? Wah, business-by-force ah?
Why so easily ruffled nowadays?
So much for economic supremacy ..."

Please do click on the date & time links to read for yourselves the original comments in context & to follow the whole thread.

I do not know who anonymous & skyforce are, or what else they may have said elsewhere, but I respect their ability to see what's right & fair in this case, & their courage to speak up for it. If we all stand up to racism, we may help end it in our country. However, to do so, we must first ourselves renounce the use racism. If we only condemn others for racism but indulge in it ourselves, isn't that just being a hypocrite?

Thanks, & may your heart be truly Malaysian,
MH

(end of comment)