This is a humble opinion with regards to the heated debate claiming that ISMA’s president; Ustaz Abdullah Zaik, was imposing racist remarks in his speech. I personally think it was taken out of context. First, it was a response regarding the issue of hudud. Second, what was being said were merely facts. How painful it is to some people, they are facts. Malaysia’s social contract had explicitly laid out the agreement where non-indigenous people were granted citizenship and in return, granting special privileges of the Malays and collectively referred to as Bumiputra (refer to Article 153 of Malaysian Constitution). Thus we have to accept the historical facts. We are being sensitive when the notion of race is employed in a public statement made by a Malay, but I see little outrage when the Malays are being accused of such things and when their rights are being curbed. I am referring to such statements like “Malays are also pendatang”, the attempt to abolish “tulisan jawi” on signboards, the attempt to abolish the monarch system, the outspoken disagreement in opposing hudud implementation and the list goes on.
After the publishing of the article, some parties decided to lodge a report under the Seditious Act claiming that it was a racist remarks and must be taken into action. I think this is not about racism. Ustaz Abdullah Zaik’s statement was a response with regards to the issue of hudud and a response to those who strongly oppose the implementation of hudud (read: DAP). Racism is defined as actions, practices or belief, or social or political systems that consider different races to be ranked as inherently superior or inferior to each other, based in presumed shared inheritable traits, abilities, or qualities. In Kitab Madkhal Lidirasah as-Syariah al-Islamiyah by Dr. Abdul Karim Zaidan, he explicitly laid out the characteristics of racism:
* Helping each other in times of truth or false/oppression
* Feel superior and worthier due to the inborn inheritance, race and blood
* Obsessed with their own race to an extent degrades others
None of the above is affiliated with ISMA. If ISMA is a racist organization, they would not organized International Muslim Thinkers Conference 2014 (IMTC) that gathered Muslims thinkers around the world, from different races and different countries. If ISMA is a racist organization, they wouldn’t bother by this (Cikgu Choy’s case)
Malays once occupied Malaya only until Chinese and Indians migrate due to the British colony’s policy of migration. There is no other country where people can easily get to be a citizen. Even in Britain, to become a British citizen, there are a few tests and exams that they’ve got to go through before being declared a British citizen despite having to live here all their life. (This was based on personal observation on my now British friend who was an Indian-descent, having to pass her citizenship exam.)
Next is the existence of hypocrisy in their democracy. The democratic liberal system that they are fighting for is on their basis of self-interest. Islam has no problem with democracy, as long it does not violate the very basic principle of Islam according to Qur’an and Sunnah. It is their democracy that has problem with Islam. They fought for the Sedition Act to be abolished and recently, they are using it against ISMA in lodging a report. Isn’t everyone has the right to speak their mind freely?
The case here is about the coexistence of identity embedded in one’s nature. One of DAP’s principle is “to abolish the ‘bumiputera’ and ‘non-bumiputera’ notion in Malaysia” that they deem to be no longer relevant. They are fighting for a free, democratic socialist Malaysian Malaysia. Are we to repeat the doomed of Soviet Union’s socialism? Since DAP declared that they are part of the Socialist International, of course they are fighting for potential communist ideology in Malaysia to an extent denying one’s natural identity. If one calls ISMA racist, perhaps one hasn’t heard what ISMA is fighting for. ISMA has been consistent with their stand and principle with regards to the political landscape of Malaysia; the calling for Muslims in Malaysia to go back to the core principle of Islam for the sake of justice.
Coexistence between different cultures and civilizations are acknowledged and the tolerance and harmony has taken its place in Malaysia for the past few decades. A call for respect of the social contract and the constitution should be made. It is important for the differences to be embraced and to be managed, not abolished. If we are trying to abolish the nature state of identity, being Malay, being Chinese, being Indian, it’s like trying to deny the fact that we are born human.
Sorry, the fact that Malay arrive in this country first before Chinese and Indian does not give right for them to discriminate against non Malay. Constitution can be written, just like how Japan rewrite their constitution. Our ancestor does not represent modern generation for whatever agreement they mention previously. Just because they agree on the bumi right, that does not mean we agree on it. Also, bumi right is against international law.
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CERD.aspx
I also want to add that I’m also not a fan of SJKC and SJKT or ‘Must be Chinese’ in job requirement ad. As a non bumi attending Kebangsaan school since primary to secondary, I always wonder why the need of these kind of schools exist. I feel all race base policy in Malaysia must be eliminated.