"I'm not A Racist," Says Dr Mahathir
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has defended himself from being called a racist after saying that Malay leaders should not have apologised over an Umno leader's alleged racist remark.Dr Mahathir said he was not defending Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail's statement nor did he like what Ahmad had said.
He explained that he was merely expressing his "disgust" over the Malay leaders' inability to control racism and the culprit should face the Umno disciplinary committee if he refused to apologise.
He added that Ahmad's statement did not contribute to lessening the tension between the races.
"It is degrading for the second highest leader in the Government to be apologising for every instance of improper behaviour by Umno members," Dr Mahathir said in his blog www.chedet.com posted on Friday evening at 6.32pm.
He was referring to the apology by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak made on behalf of Umno over Ahmad's remark.
Dr Mahathir however admitted that he knew he would be labelled a racist when he wrote that Malay leaders should not have said sorry.
The former prime minister came under fire after he wrote in his blog on Thursday that the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and ministers were constantly apologising to the Chinese and Indians due to purported racist remarks by some Malay leaders.
He said non-Malay leaders never apologised when similar racist remarks were made by members of their community such as the Hindraf group and Wee Meng Chee, who made a parody of Negaraku and poke fun at the call for prayers.
He also said the Malays were so scared of being labelled racist that they even wrote in Malay papers that the Malays were not racists. (The Star Online)
***** Frankly I wonder how many Malaysians especially non-Malays truly believe that Dr Mahathir is not a racist. He has over the years not given many indications of being fair to all. When push came to shove he had always come down unabashedly on the same side all the time.
Of course at this point in time it is academic whether he was, or still is, a racist. He is basically out of the main political equation and let us hope for the good of the country he continues to remain there in the periphery.
Labels: Dr Mahathir., Malaysian Politics., Racism
posted by The Malaysian. at 9/06/2008 04:10:00 PM
5 Comments:
Speech by MIC President, Tun V.T. Sambanthan in the Parliament on 1 June 1965:
“Now, in 1955 we won the elections with a great majority. Then we obtained freedom in two years time. During this period, we had to discuss citizenship and various other things. Now what did the Malays do - since we are speaking on racial lines - what did the Malay leadership do? They had 88 percent of the electorate still with them. What did they do with citizenship.
If we look around in Asia and East Asia, particularly, you will find that my race the Indian race, is not welcomed in Ceylon, is not welcomed in Burma. Look at my brother Chinese race, it is not welcomed in Thailand, in Vietnam, in Cambodia, in all the other areas. What help do they get for citizenship in all these territories? In Burma, as we know, Indian have been send packing, in Ceylon they refused them citizenship and in Burma it is likewise. I know it, you know it. And yet in Malaya what happened? Here we found that the Malay leadership said, “We shall take them unto ourselves as brothers, we shall give them full opportunity to live in this country, we shall give them every opportunity to become citizens.” And so, in 1957, for the whole year, we waived language qualifications, and tens of thousand of Indians, Chinese, Ceylonese and others became citizens.
As I said, it has been my great good fortune to have born in this country. Where else can you find a more charitable, a more polite, a more decent race than Malay race? Where else can you get such politically decent treatment for any immigrant race? Where else in the history of the world? I ask you. These are the facts. Who are you to safeguards us? I am 10 percent minority race here. But I am happy here.”
(Note that his speech was delivered to chastise the PAP leaders who were harping on the Malaysian Malaysia concept)
TDM still in the thick of Malaysian politics ..but this race and religion rhetoric is very unhealthy and only our gutter politician use them to further their gains. I personally believe Najib did the right thing, althought how much weight it has given his current credibility is another thing.Haven't they got anything to say about how they are going to take this country forward.
Anonymous,
What is your point? The Malays in 1957 are different from those today? The Chinese & Indians today should be grateful to the Malays from 1957 because they "allowed" the Chinese & Indians to become Citizens? While we are talking about "pendatang", what about the Indonesians who have come here a few generations ago & who are considered Malays today (e.g. Mohd Khir Toyo who's father came from Indonesia. Isn't he then a "pendatang too?).
I was born in Malaysia & therefore I am a Malaysian & proud of it even though most UMNOputras would consider me as "pendatang". By the way, since my forefathers came in 1511 (I am of Portugese descent), I am more Bumi than a lot of the Indonesian descent "Malays" in Malaysia today!
However, I choose to support the PR because the PR believes in a Bangsa Malaysia unlike the BN (read: UMNO) that still is pushing the Ketuanan Melayu issue!
Walau macam mana pun, tindakan Najib boleh diterima sebenarnya. Ini kerana, pendirian orang perseorangan dalam UMNO tidak menggambarkan pendirian parti. Ini menunjukkan yang UMNO sememangnya menghormati semua pihak.
Dr M is a fucking bitch. Go back to Pakistan.
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