♥ K a r i n a ♥ Wednesday, July 07, 2010
“Chinese Malaysians Asking Far Too Much”
By Zaini Hassan
Source – Straits Times, published Apr 30, 2010
WHAT else do Chinese Malaysians want? Let us put aside the reasons why they do not support the current government in Kuala Lumpur. Let us study first what else they want.
For that, we have to go back to history. The Chinese came to Malaya to seek opportunities. They had lived a hard life in mainland China for hundreds of years. Like the whites who migrated to the American continent because it was the land of opportunity, the Chinese migrated to Malaya to make their fortunes in this bountiful land.
The strategy of their forebears has borne fruit. The Chinese have attained what they wanted. They now live in the lap of luxury in this land of opportunity called Malaysia.
In fact, it is not only in Malaysia that they have attained what they wanted. They have even gained full control of Singapore. Singapore is not their original country. The Singapore Chinese and the Malaysian Chinese were originally boat people. The difference is that those who landed in Singapore managed to gain full control of Singapore, but those who landed in Malaysia did not manage to control Malaysia.
In Malaysia, the Chinese live in peace with the Malays, the indigenous people and the Indians. In comparison, in Singapore, the Chinese control politics and the Government. In Malaysia, the Malays still control politics and the government. The systems of both governments are the same, but it is vice versa: The Malays dominate in Malaysia while the Chinese dominate across the Causeway.
In contrast, the Malays in Singapore and the Chinese in Malaysia are very different. The Malays in Singapore lead ordinary lives while the Chinese in Malaysia lead
lives that are ‘more than ordinary’.
In fact, former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad once stated that if all the Chinese-owned buildings in Kuala Lumpur were lifted from the map, only the buildings in Kampung Baru, a Malay area, would remain in the city.
All the other buildings are owned by Chinese Malaysians. The well-known shopping centres in Malaysia are owned by the Chinese.
The Chinese Malaysians are fantastic. They control all the cities and major towns in peninsular Malaysia, as well as Sabah and Sarawak. They produce the largest number of, and the most successful, professionals. The school system of the Chinese Malaysians is the best among similar school systems in the world.
The Chinese account for most of the students studying in the best private colleges in Malaysia. The Malays can gain admission into only government-owned colleges of ordinary reputation.
With regard to corporate and private organisations, it is the Chinese who dominate. The Malays number just a few; most of them are low-level employees. In fact, knowing Mandarin is a prerequisite for applying for jobs in these organisations.
Finally, an annual survey by the Malaysian Business magazine has found that eight of the 10 richest people in Malaysia are Chinese. The following is the list of the 10 richest people in Malaysia:
Mr Robert Kuok Hock Nien
Mr Tatparanandam Ananda Krishnan
Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng
Tan Sri The Hong Piow
Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay
Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan
Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary
Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua
Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King
Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun
This is the reality in Malaysia, my beloved country. Is the current government, which has been in power for 52 years, cruel and totalitarian? What else do the Chinese Malaysians want? I think I know, and I think you know too.
I was reading Fourfeetnine's blog and I stumbled upon this article which was publised quite some times ago but I never had the chance to read it when I was at Melbourne. It's a controversial subject but this is what a lot of us feels strongly for. However, I don't generalise all and group people in groups according to their races because there are good and bad in all races but just merely reffering to this articles in particular. How is it possible for a "big" newspaper like that to put out something that clearly contains elements that could possibly bring more harm towards the country than to form this idealistic "One Malaysia" now or even in the near future.
Yes I am a Chinese living in Malaysia and I love
my country (I support every single local sports that Malaysia took part in, I have best friends from all races, I respect every single person) but the things that are happening and the ongoing political issues simply spoils this whole perfect image of the country that I have in my head throughout my whole life. I got to admit that politics never really was in the list of my "interests" nor I have really bothered with them but taking up communication, international studies and jounalism studies have changed that of mine. To me, it's important to keep track of the news not only for the purpose of building up your general knowledge but to know what is going on around the globe.
Does transparency truely exist? can newspapers agencies come up with newspapers that are free from having "bias" opinions? To be honest, I have absolutely no clue. I shall not write anything that might land me in trouble (who am I anyway? haha) but just me wishing that Malaysia would be that "ideal" home of mine again.
Naive much?
