Politics 101 Malaysia

By MOHSIN ABDULLAH, Editor in Chief for News and Current Affairs of Ntv7 and 8TV

The results of the 12th general election has been described as one that “transcended racial and religious sentiments”. Rightly so.

If not how can one explain Chinese from new villages voting for PAS candidates when only sometime ago, the mere sight of the white “kopilah” or skull cap was enough to frighten them away.

Indian voters too broke from the norm and picked candidates they had not voted for before. And how would you explain so called “red blooded” Malays voting for candidates from the “very Chinese” DAP ? This augurs well for all of us as Malaysians.

But, despite the results or should I say because of the results, political parties are still playing the “racial card ” for obvious reasons. That makes me angry. And I get angrier when political parties give other political parties the “chance” or “opportunity” to play the “racial card ”. Again for obvious reasons.

A case in hand. Some “elements” in UMNO used the NEP issue. Sadly the DAP had made statements which presented UMNO the chance to go to town with the issue. It could have been “explosive” but thank God it didn’t “explode”.

Another was Lim Kit Siang’s public outburst over the appointment of PAS candidate as Perak Menteri Besar. Again it gave some “elements ” in UMNO something to shout about and they shouted loud.

Again thank goodness for Lim’s prompt apology—without which, the DAP might have found themselves incurring the wrath of the palace for a long time.

Most if not all of our political parties are “race-based .” Post 12th general elections, we hear of many parties wanting to “reinvent” themselves.

They have “admitted” they have “neglected” their communities. As a result, the community turned their backs on them. Hence the need to “reinvent”.

But just what is “reinventing”?

If the parties want to “fight” for the betterment of the community they claim to represent, well and good. But the concern is when they become too introvert and more “raced based. ”

Worst still if they, knowingly or otherwise find themselves too engrossed with problems of their own community without giving two hoots to problems of others. And it gets frightening if along the way, the parties hurt the feelings of others in their zest to take care of their community.

Ok I’ll be straight. What I mean is this.

There are commentators, analysts and what have you who say the MIC and MCA lost the support of the Indians and Chinese for not being “very Indian” and “very Chinese”. The parties seemed to agree.

So by saying they want to reinvent, does that mean they now just want to “behave very Indian and very Chinese”? The same goes for UMNO. After losing quite a number of Malay votes, should UMNO go about being very Malay? As if they are not Malay enough now.

Already former GERAKAN president Datuk Seri Lim Kheng Yaik had taken a veiled swipe at the party by saying recently that while the MCA and GERAKAN “ managed to control the behaviour of their members, UMNO did not”.

He was obviously referring to the “antics” of some UMNO members and leaders which had hurt the feelings of the non Malays. The hurt non Malays in turn got back at MCA and GERAKAN through the ballot boxes.

Another veteran leader former MCA deputy president Tan Sri Lee Kim Sai blamed the MCA’s election setback on the low profile approach preferred by current party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting.

To Tan Sri Lee, such low profile approach made many a Chinese voter to lose confidence in the MCA. He didn’t say it but I think everyone agrees that what the good Tan Sri meant was, Ong and company should have been vocal in dealing with UMNO. Or was he suggesting a “confrontational approach”? I sincerely hope not.

God forbid if all this “reinventing” thing is to cause BN components going for each other’s throats — all in the name of being popular again with the community they claim to represent and winning votes of course.

I don’t know if it can be seen as Ong’s response to Lee but the MCA president did say on record that — the MCA “will be more vocal on national and community issues”. This he said is part of the strategy to “revamp the image of the MCA and regain the trust of the Chinese community”.

Anyway, “racial stance” is not restricted to BN only. Even the opposition DAP, PAS and the multi racial PKR can or has fallen prey. Now that they have tasted success they would want to keep the prized scalps which is in their possession now. Could it be by playing the racial card too? We pray not.

By all means , “reinvent” as in the case of BN components in the wake of the poll setback. Strengthen or consolidate in the case of the opposition following their election success. But not at the expense of peace and racial harmony.

Playing the race card is easy. It’s not playing it that is difficult. Even in the US race politics is very much alive. We know the number of times when Barrack Obama needed black votes to win certain primaries despite proclaiming “there’s no white America, no black America, no Hispanic America but only the United States of America”.

Back home the recent election results proved we can turn away from race if we want to. There’s hope but we all must work hard .Very hard. Until we totally discard politics along racial lines. We can reject anything racial.

“You may say I’m a dreamer but I’m not the only one”said John Lennon in his song “Imagine”. I echo what he said.

( The opinions expressed by the writer do not necessarily reflect those of MySinchew )