Racism is still racism

A PECULIAR side-effect of growing older and becoming more attuned to the realities of the world would no doubt be our acceptance of the status quo. A resigned utterance of the dreaded phrase, “It is what it is.”

There is a marked difference in our tolerance for grey and dark areas as we vault from the controlled environment of our schools to the wild west of adulthood. For instance, in school we were taught to respect the environment and promote conservation with various acts like reducing usage of nonbiodegradable materials. Fastforward a few years, many of us push environmental care to the lowest rungs of our ladder of priorities. Convenience and economic value are paramount when compared to idealism and altruism.

On that note, I’d like to highlight the race game that has been centre stage for Malaysia and the world, and how many of us have succumbed to accepting that change is either too unrealistic or too minute to puncture the veil of ignorance. Those who have come to accept that change is unachievable could be either jaded human rights lawyers, disillusioned policymakers or your average newspaper columnist.

Racial discrimination, at all levels, is not acceptable.

For the past month or so, we have witnessed a military crackdown and violence in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. These recent series of dire events are underlined by decades of systematic abuse and statesanctioned discrimination towards the Rohingya. Tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled Myanmar fearing for their lives as the world watches on.

There is outrage across the world (rightly so) and an uproar but again, we must ask ourselves, is the degree of discrimination of greatest importance when discrimination as a fundamental issue exists across the board in countries big and small?

The Rohingya situation in Myanmar at present and the Apartheid years in South Africa are just extreme examples of racism extending from relatively domicile spheres into Hitlerian quarters. We must be wary of racism being manipulated and flamed by vested interest groups for temporary gain because these incendiary notions have far-reaching consequences.

For instance, decades of antiChinese sentiment led to violence against ethnic Chinese in the May 1998 riots of Indonesia. In this climate of fear, between 10,000 and 100,000 ethnic Chinese, about 3 per cent to 5 per cent of the country’s population, fled Indonesia.

As the same time, we must be wary that Malaysia might be tumbling down a path that would justify acts of hatred towards ethnic Chinese and other minorities. This is due to the modus operandi of certain political figures and groups that aim to frame themselves as ethnic champions and defenders of their race to the detriment of others.

The divisive tones employed by local politicians are worrying as they cast, primarily, the ethnic Chinese in a harsh light. Worryingly, it has become almost common and acceptable political rhetoric by certain individuals and groups to openly direct vitriol towards ethnic minorities. There have been threats to pull financial aid from Chinese schools, and blatant calls to boycott Chinese businesses with allegations that most Chinese businesses profiteer and are dishonest.

For the politically informed, these statements are the bread and butter of race politics in Malaysia where it is important to shift blame to other ethnic groups in order to gain power among your own followers. However, where do we draw the line? Was last September’s anti-Chinese rally, orchestrated by the infamous Jamal Yunus, a watershed moment? Were protests by UiTM students against allowing non-Bumiputeras to study at UiTMs a step too far? Most recently, was it a step too far when Hamidah Arshad, from Umno Bagan division, questioned why a Chinese was appointed CEO and general manager of SP Setia Bhd?

Malaysia has been a nation for 53 years now, but it seems we never truly left behind our colonial shackles of division and conquest. I say it’s time we squarely reject the politics of race, the politics of hate and the politics of fear. But my voice is not enough. It must be the Malay community, who make up the majority of this country, to say, “Hold on, this minority-bashing has gone too far.” It must be up to the Malays to say no to rampant and nonchalant use of racist and divisive politics. It must be up to the Malays to spearhead reform for social injustice, especially discrimination in education and employment opportunities.

This is my country but my voice is not loud enough. The time for accepting and tolerating discrimination has long passed because it has to stop somewhere.

We need the voice of the majority to speak reason and justice, so it stops here.

Comments can reach the writer via columnists@theborneopost.com.