THE COMMANDER UNCOCKS HIS SIX-SHOOTERS.

I refer to Six hooligans to avoid (SunDec1) and see that UMNO Youth Chief, Mr. Khairy Jamlauddin is determined to carry on in the same ethnocentric disingenuous vein that characterizes the ruling UMNO led coalition. What follows is a brief opinion on the “Enam Jahanam” that Mr. Khairy points to as understood by an average member of the voting public.

(1) Destroying the democratic system. Mr. Khairy points to the fact that Pakatan Rakyat’s inability to reach a consensus on the hudud law some how destroys the democratic and administrative system led by the Barisan National. However the reality is that only if UMNO and PAS join forces will the implementation of hudud become a reality. Non Muslim interest both in BN and Pakatan ensures that this reality never comes to fruition. As it is at this very moment PAS wants to implement hudud law but its ambitions are thwarted by the Barisan National, its component parties and certain Opposition parties. Has the democratic system been destroyed? How would it be any different under a Pakatan led government?

If anything under the BN, the democratic system be it the courts, law enforcement, the right to peaceful assembly have been eroded to the point of farce. Disparity of treatment between two opposing voices also destroys the democratic system of this country. For example, when we have a law professor who is demonized and sanctioned by the establishment for pointing out the factual errors in the administration of the country and a lecturer who teaches at a military college advocating that hudud law be forcefully implemented, his virulent racist rhetoric unchecked and not to mention his anti Semitic posting on his blog going unsanctioned, this destroys the democratic system.

(2) Destroying the system of administration. All Pakatan has done is point to the systemic corruption that plagues the current administration as evidenced by the Auditors Generals reports year in year out. If anything pointing out the shortcomings of any system of administration strengthens the system not weakens it. This is something that any ruling coalition should desire not fear.

(3) Destroying the country’s dignity. Every time racists groups like Perkasa demonstrate (which is their God given right) in the name of Malay supremacy the country’s dignity is destroyed. Every time a government official mishaves badly in a foreign country, the country’s dignity is destroyed. Every time a government official is charged with mismanagement of public funds, the country’s dignity is destroyed. Pointing out these facts does not destroy a country’s dignity, in fact it strengthens it.

(4) Destroying the country’s history. As has been pointed out numerous times, the ruling coalition has distorted our history to fit its ethnocentric agenda. Numerous non partisan scholars have pointed to the sinister diminishment of the role non Malays have played in the formation of this country. Less we forget that it is from the ruling coalition (Deputy Prime Minister) that this absurd notion that we were never colonized emanates from. If anyone has destroyed the country’s history perhaps Mr.Khairy should look to his own party. “Bogus history fuels present day national delusion”, as Polly Toynbee often reminds us.

(5) Destroying the ethnic identity. Whose identity has the opposition been destroying? We are told that we are IMalaysia and the multiethnic Pakatan seems to symbolize this spirit. The only party who sees their ethnic identity under threat is UMNO. The only party which coddles racist groups like Perkasa and Perkida is UMNO. And now a new addition, The Crazy Squad. The only party that instead of engaging in open dialogue but resorts to the race card is UMNO. I put it to Mr.Khairy that it is not an ethnic identity which is at stake but a culture cultivated by the Ruling coalition.

A culture which has had a deleterious effect on this country. One only has to refer to the sad history of Utusan Melayu and the great Said Zahari, perhaps the most overt symbols of ethnic identity to understand how the establishment has battered asunder any form of honest intellectual dialogue. History was repeated when Hata Wahari, was ingloriously kicked form his tenure from the once great newspaper.

(6) Destroying the country’s economic prosperity. As far as the auditor general is concerned opposition states are being run very effectively with Penang taking pride of place. Perhaps what is destroying this country is the culture of corruption that has been uninvestigated for years. Perhaps what is destroying this country are the ethnic divisions perpetuated by a political system bent on dividing the population not embracing it. Perhaps what is destroying this country are the policies that favor one ethnic group over all others.

Mr.Khairy’s response to his Pakatan counterpart about amending the constitution that only a Malay can be prime minister is both feeble and dishonest. As it is, it was Mr.Khairy who not too long ago was publicly pondering the change of Ketuanan Melayu to Kepimpinan Melayu. The Honorable gentlemen from Rembau should have the courage of his convictions and push for the necessary amendments to the constitution. Unless of course he has had a change of heart and believes anyone who is qualified should be able to be prime minister?

I’ll end with an appropriate G.K Chesterton quote. “Cruelty is perhaps the worst kind of sin. Intellectual cruelty is certainly the worst kind of cruelty.”

S.Thayaparan

Commander (R)

Royal Malaysian Navy