Hantu Laut
"For 50 years political stability was what attracted investors. Now a weak government has tried to regain popularity by pandering to the demands of extremists. The floodgates are open and all kinds of sensitive issues are being debated. The result is the resurgence of racism on the part of all ethnic groups, " he said.
Probably the most profound statement made by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad since he left office.He thinks Malaysia is unlikely to achieve Vision 2020 as envisioned by him when he was Prime Minister.
I share his views that the present government is weak and was trying to appease the different racial groups in the country but have achieved the opposite, there are more racial and religious tensions now than ever before.Not only there is a tendency to move toward Islamism, even minority groups are pushing their own extreme agenda of their own version of their religions.One such group is Hindraf.
The one that have taken the extremity of racial and religious issues are the Indians under Hindraf, conveying an over-exaggeration of mistreatment of Indians in this country.Most Malaysian Indians are now ardent supporter of Anwar Ibrahim's PKR as one can see from the turnout at his ceramah.Although many Malaysians might not agree with me I believe Hindraf is a religious extremists organisation and highly motivated by politics and Hindu extremism.
PPP, an insignificant Indian led party and a member of BN have jumped on the bandwagon of anti-ISA and threatened the government of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi that it would leave the BN if the ISA is not abolish.
Most small components of the BN were scaredy cats when the BN was almighty and wouldn't dare squeak a word of dissent or disagreement on anything including the ISA.Their leaders were very happy with UMNO and the BN leadership then.
Political opportunism is a good as 'Necessity is the mother of invention'
10 comments:
Parti parti komponen BN sebelum ini begitu selesa dengan corak pemerintahan kerajaan untuk berhadapan dengan rakyat dan turun padang di setiap pilihanraya dengan penuh semangat setiakawan dan tidak banyak isu yang sukar duperhujah dan difahamkan kepada rakyat atas setiap dasar dan polisi kerajaan.
Parti pembangkang dari dahulu hinggalah sekarang sebenarnya tidak ada isu nyata, mereka hanya melontarkan sekadar 'tanggungjawab' untuk bercakap. Tetapi hari ini walaupun mereka membawa isu yang sama seperti dahulu tapi kini 'carry with the weight' kerana kerajaan hari ini bercelaru, lemah dan pondan.
Rakyat sudah hilang keyakinan kepada BN dalam sekelip mata kerana Abdullah bin Ahmad.
We have 50 years of political inertia, not political stability.
Mahathirism - a form of guided capitalism in exchange for absolute political control - will be disastrous for the country if the future leaders attempt to reinstate it.
I don't see Hindraf as an etremist organisation. Some of the statements its leaders made were overboard, yes, but it was born out of desperation for their situation. As a community, Indians are the "collateral damage" of the New Economic Policy and Mahathirism.
Hindraf has not committed any violence, has not encouraged any violent acts. On the contrary the violence was all from the police in brutally trying to suppress them.
Watching the video of police firing tear gas into the Batu Caves temple compound, and shooting water cannon at the peaceful Hindraf crowd at the temple gates was a key event in my turning in disgust away from Barisan Nasional.
I don't intend to ever support BN again unless it can truly reform its ways.
My experience of Hindraf is not extremism but rather, misguidedness and confusion.
Uthayakumar never had much of a plan B to begin with, that is why Hindraf seems so kucar kacir.
Hindu extremism as a political statement is not something u see in Malaysia. It was born as a backlash towards attack...in certain parts of India, and is as ugly as Islamic extremism.
Over exaggeration of the plight of Indians? Not in my experience.
The increasingly vocal cry by the various races, i agree, is because they are emboldened by a weak leadership.
But last time they were silenced by fear. It is not that they were happier before. It's just that the worm has turned.
Mahathir was an able leader, I won't dispute that. However, IMHO he was more of a Macchiaveli than a compassionate leader.
kluangman,
Memang betul, tetapi mereka adalah kerajaan pilihan rakyat.Hanya rakyat atau simple majority di Parlimen yang boleh menukar dan mengalihkan kerajaan baru.
kittykat46,
Unfair assessment.Though autocratic in certain ways he has brought development and progress to Malaysia.
Hindraf,Berseh and all those who went on the streets had broken the law because the law says it's unlawful to do so.
You may disagree with me but the mere fact that they defy the directive to disperse is in itself can be construed as confrontational which can lead to violence.
I have always stood by my belief that protest and demos are not going to solve problems.
galadriel,
I agree with you.It is misguidedness that lead to extremism.The same with those Muslims who blow themselves up to kill innocent people.The Muslims terrorists who blow up the World Trade Centre in New York taking thousands of innocent lives, they were also misguided.If they have learned to respect their religion they wouldn't have resorted to such barbaric act in the name of the religion.
What's the use of democracy if it can only be achieved by conflicts and bloodshed.
Mahathir, you either love him or hate him.From the hits he gets for his blog, you know he is still very popular.
Chauvinism, indian, can be quite bad..
PPP "has no choice" 'cos the Hindraf 5 are like heroes in the Indian community..
But I interviewed a DAP ADUN about what he plans to do about unity in his DUN....he has no answer except unity is barisan's job..???
as in what they think about Malays..that they are all Hindu/Indian anyway...
I hope you realise that much of the political pressure against the British to leave the country, back in the late 1940's and early 1950's were acts of civil disobedience which were essentially unlawful.
Or is your standard "Its OK if its done by UMNO ?"
kittykat46,
There was no law against demos and protest then.
When the Indians in India first demand independence and organised demos how many were killed by the British? The Brits consider such act a rebellion and used violence and force to quell it.
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