{"id":6960,"date":"2010-10-24T12:22:53","date_gmt":"2010-10-24T04:22:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/?p=6960"},"modified":"2010-10-24T12:22:53","modified_gmt":"2010-10-24T04:22:53","slug":"pm-najibs-speech-clarifies-definitions-and-helps-to-plan-our-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/borninmalaysia\/2010\/10\/24\/pm-najibs-speech-clarifies-definitions-and-helps-to-plan-our-future\/","title":{"rendered":"PM Najib’s speech clarifies definitions and helps to plan our future"},"content":{"rendered":"
I’m sure many of us have read (or have not!) PM Najib’s speech during the UMNO general assembly. While its directed at its members, being Malaysians, the speech also impacts us in terms of understanding how the biggest political party plans to operate in coming times.<\/div>\n
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The full speech (in BM) is available at Bernama website<\/a><\/strong> while I found English version at The Sun’s\u00a0website<\/a><\/strong>.<\/div>\n
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First interesting point<\/span><\/strong> is the definition of Malay which the PM quotes literature (and one wonders why not scientific or empirical study results). According to him, a Malay include Jawa, Bugis, Minangkabau, Banjar, Acheh, \u00a0Kadazan, Melanau, and others (in other words, I say the whole of South East Asian archipelago). \u00a0In that case, we should change the constitution because the “Malay” Kadazan may not necessarily speak Malay Language as main language or mother tongue, but the constitution defines Malay as one who follows Malay customs and speaks Malay and is a Muslim, among others! Either our PM is wrong, or the constitution needs updating. WE can consider using just one term: either bumiputra or Malay since the Siamese, Indian Muslims etc. are considered “Malays”.<\/div>\n
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But what is most humorous is the extension of “Malay” to Arab, Pakistani, Mamak (Indian Muslim) and even converts (mualaf). \u00a0I have written earlier, the dangers of the “dilution” of the Malay stock. In the long run, anyone can claim to be a Malay if they convert or inter-marry.<\/div>\n
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Menyongsong kisah-kisah pencapaian itu, kita ingin bertanya, apakah jenis bangsa yang berjaya menunjangi perjuangan hebat ini? Apakah sistem nilai yang dipegang? Persoalannya di sini, bukanlah kita ingin termanggu dengan kejayaan-kejayaan lalu, namun, marilah kita menyingkap apakah kekuatan dan apakah faktor yang menjadi asas kepada keutuhan pertubuhan yang bermakna ini.<\/div>\n
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Dalam konteks ini, sesuai jika saya mengungkap beberapa baris puisi indah oleh Sasterawan Negara, Allahyarham Usman Awang serta bait-bait coretan gurindam daripada seorang tokoh persuratan, Tenas Effendy yang membicarakan tentang Melayu. Pertama sekali dari segi usul dan asalnya disebut:<\/div>\n
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Melayu itu, kaya falsafahnya Melayu itu, orang yang bijaksana Akal budi bersulamkan daya<\/div>\n
Jawa itu Melayu, Bugis itu Melayu Banjar juga disebut Melayu, Minangkabau memang Melayu, Keturunan Acheh adalah Melayu,<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Saudara dan Saudari,<\/div>\n
Tidak lengkap lagi senarai ini sebenarnya:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Jakun dan Sakai asli Melayu,<\/div>\n
Arab dan Pakistani, semua Melayu<\/div>\n
Mamak dan Malbari serap ke Melayu Malah muallaf bertakrif Melayu<\/div>\n
Mendakap realiti semasa Malaysia pula:<\/div>\n
Kadazan, Bajau, India Muslim dan Siam, Melanau, Bidayuh dan berpuluh suku kaum, Kita bersama dalam serumpun,<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Di sudut perpaduan dan agama dinyatakan bahawa:<\/div>\n
Watak Melayu menolak permusuhan Setia dan sabar tiada sempadan<\/div>\n
Maruah dan agama dihina jangan Hebat amuknya tak kenal lawan<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Seterusnya dari perspektif kepimpinan dan amanah, Melayu dimadahkan:<\/div>\n
Menjadi pemimpin sifatnya agung<\/div>\n
Syarak dipakai adat dijunjung<\/div>\n
Hidupnya mengabdi kepada rakyat<\/div>\n
Taat setia membela umat<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Akhirnya, disimpulkan Melayu itu:<\/div>\n
Dijadikan induk kuat berdiri Umat sentosa bertuahlah negeri<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Saudara dan Saudari sekalian,<\/div>\n
Berdasarkan baris-baris yang saya lafazkan, begitu langsung memperlihatkan betapa, dalam sifat, psikologi, dan sikap atau perwatakan Melayu itu terpamer asas-asas yang membenih nilai kepimpinan murni. Jika digarap lagi, demikianlah orang Melayu, meletakkan martabat tinggi kemuliaan sikap pemimpin dan kepimpinan dalam masyarakat.<\/div>\n
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Terbukti, di sudut leluhurnya, bangsa Melayu itu, sejak sekian lama telah merentas ujian waktu. Keperibadian inilah juga yang menyebabkan Melayu diterima sebagai pemimpin dalam sebuah masyarakat majmuk. Sikap inilah juga menjadi bekal sebagai bangsa yang diamanah menggalas kepimpinan negara.<\/div>\n
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Lebih indah pula, ciri kepimpinan Melayu yang saya utarakan ini, telah dimurnikan dengan tibanya ajaran Islam yang menyeru, mendidik dan mendokong pendekatan wasatiyah. Wasatiyah, adalah suatu kaedah mengamalkan kehidupan individu mahupun masyarakat secara berimbang dan syumul dalam segenap bidang terutamanya dalam soal-soal yang menyangkut perpaduan dan kenegaraan.<\/div>\n
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Sesudah itu, dari masa hingga masa, ajaran Al-Quran serta sunnah disulam dan dijalin kemas dalam anyaman hidup seharian orang Melayu. Sejak itulah juga hingga kini, nilai orang Melayu, padat diwarnai dengan hala cara wasatiyah atau pertengahan.<\/div>\n
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Merujuk para ulama tafsir, disyarahkan bahawa, umat wasatiyah secara tuntasnya adalah umat yang adil lagi berdaya maju, bekerja keras untuk kesejahteraan hidup di dunia dan di akhirat.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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Indeed, in today’s Star, PM Najib. DPM Muhyiddin, Minister Hishamuddin, Minister Shafie Apdal among others say<\/a><\/strong>:<\/div>\n
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<\/span><\/p>\n

LIGHT exchanges over the origins of Malay and whether Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, who is of Turkish descent, could be regarded as Malay, had the delegates in stitches yesterday.<\/p>\n

Fellow vice-president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had the floor in stitches earlier when he said that party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak didn\u2019t include the Turks when defining the Malays in the country during his presidential address.<\/p>\n

Hishammuddin said that even Shafie, whom he called \u201cthe pirate of Semporna\u201d, had eloquently presented his speech in Malay, complete with poetry. Shafie is of Bajau descent.<\/p>\n

Hishammuddin took the joke further by labeling Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as Jawa Bagan Datuk, Malacca chief minister Datuk Seri Ali Rustam as Bengali Malay, Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambri Abdul Kadir as mamak Malay, Datuk Seri Musa Aman as Malay-Pakistan-Dusun. To this, a delegate retorted he is a three-in-one Malay.<\/p>\n

Putra Umno chief Datuk Azeez Abd Rahim was not left out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have checked (with the National Registration Department) and the JPN director-general told me that Azeez\u2019s (ethnic) status is unknown,\u201d Hishammuddin said.<\/p>\n

Umno deputy president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin also touched on a person\u2019s roots.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople ask me what am I. My late father was a Bugis and my late mother was a Javanese. I am a Malay,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Najib, in his winding-up speech, declared that the man of Turkish descent and the guy with \u201cunknown status\u201d are also Malays.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all Malays. We must be united,\u201d he said to loud applause from the floor.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Najib had given a long list of creeds and ethnic groups ranging from Bajau to Pakistanis, Arabs and Indian Muslims who were regarded as part of the Malay root.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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The political parties can say \u00a0many things, but what are the implication to us, the “non-Malays”? The implication, for me, is that one is enticed to be a “Malay” due to the benefits. Since we are in an unequal country (as per PM Najib’s own words), the benefits favor one group, and thus, we can see cases of foreigners (and locals) intermarrying with local “Malays” to get the benefits. How does it feel when the 2nd generation Middle East or South Asia guy buys property for 7% discount whereas you have to pay full price? So where does that leaves the Chinese and Indians who are into the 3rd or 4th generation living in Malaysia? You can convert , OR if you find this situation is unacceptable, then you can make plans for migration (if you are getting old, plan for your children). <\/span><\/p>\n

The second point<\/span><\/strong> is the acknowledgement that our country has been given independence and has progressed this far due to collective effort of all races. But for me, does this acknowledgement translate into action? Due to unbalanced environment, we feel having contributed much more, but the benefits going towards one side. And any achievement by the privileged groups is looked with a perception that it was achieved due to “affirmative help”. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sebab itulah, saudara dan saudari, kita perlu sentiasa berwaspada, kita perlu terus mengingatkan diri masing-masing bahawa, kejayaan pertiwi tercinta sememangnya dimungkinkan oleh sumbangan, idea dan pengorbanan pelbagai kaum. Hakikatnya pun, ia bukanlah jasa, mahupun ikhtiar ekslusif satu kaum semata-mata, akan tetapi segalanya merupakan hasil mahsul, tuaian kudrat oleh semua kaum secara kolektif.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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Third point<\/span><\/strong> is the issue of the “social contract”. The PM is correct in the idea that a contract should be honored and that trust is important. However, for me, a contract is not cast in stone, and as time goes by, a contract should be reviewed to ensure fairness. We can always improve our agreements, make it better. Our forefathers made such agreement at that point of time and if need to, we should reevaluate it. The danger of having such preset mindset that its cast in stone is the unequalness will continue forever.<\/div>\n
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Bertolak dari situlah, bagi bangsa Melayu khususnya, perasaan mereka amat terhiris kerana ikrar budiman yang telah dipateri di ambang merdeka kini diungkit kembali. Sedangkan, berpayung sumpah dan janji itulah kita sanggup membuat pengorbanan terbesar bagi mencapai sebuah kemerdekaan, yakni berkongsi pemilikan Tanah Melayu dengan kaum-kaum yang lain.<\/div>\n
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Serentak dengan itu, penerimaan kerakyatan yang berasaskan prinsip jus soli atau hak tempat kelahiran berbanding prinsip jus sanguinis yakni hak darah dengan sekelip mata telah mentransformasikan landskap sosiopolitik Tanah Melayu untuk selama-lamanya.<\/div>\n
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Dek kerana itu, kita tidak boleh lagi hidup terpenjara kisah nan lalu tanpa melihat ke hadapan. Pokoknya di sini, sepertimana prinsip keutuhan sebarang kontrak yang dibuat di bawah lembayung kedaulatan undang-undang, jika tidak dihormati, maka tiadalah kepastian, walaupun bagi perkara-perkara asas yang telah dipersetujui bersama.<\/div>\n
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Analoginya di sini, jika ia berlaku dalam bidang perniagaan, maka pihak yang berbuat demikian akan mendapati diri mereka, tidak lagi dipercayai oleh sesiapapun, apabila memungkiri janji.<\/div>\n
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Seterusnya lagi, jika ikrar setia yang telah diwaad, dilanggar sewenang-wenangnya apabila tidak sesuai dengan selera atau kepentingan tertentu, akan hancurlah kepercayaan dan rapuhlah rasa penghormatan di antara kita, kerana, masing-masing akan dihidapi penyakit kesangsian terhadap motif, kejujuran serta keikhlasan terhadap satu sama lain.<\/div>\n
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Hal yang membarah sebegini berbahaya, saya ulang, amat berbahaya kepada sebuah negara berbilang kaum, agama dan budaya seperti Malaysia kerana ia berpontensi menghancurkan segala apa yang dibina sejak lebih lima puluh tahun yang lalu.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Fourth point<\/span><\/strong> which is crucial for me, is the clarification that we are in a unequal state. This is important clarification because it helps us understand 1Malaysia and our status as lower category citizen (well, unequal means someone have to be higher and someone lower right?). Of course, this is for the sake of national unity, so if you are patriotic, then you must accept being a lower-grade citizen with less privileges. If not, you can ship out. For me, this is important, because it can help to plan our future. Are you agreeable to sacrificing some of your rights or are you willing to find another place to call home?<\/div>\n
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Satu hal yang pasti, timbal balas dipersembahkan bukan sahaja oleh bangsa Melayu, tetapi juga oleh kaum lain. Ia dimanifestasi melalui muafakat murni iaitu bagi memperoleh kerakyatan, orang bukan Melayu telah sanggup menerima prinsip hak keistimewaan sebagaimana termaktub di bawah peruntukan Perkara 153 Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Kemudian itulah, kewarganegaraan Malaysia pada dasarnya bukan lagi bersifat sama rata dan sama rasa tetapi telah disesuaikan dengan realiti yang ada demi matlamat dan kepentingan jangka panjang nasional<\/span><\/strong>.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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Fifth point<\/strong><\/span>, the driving home of the point that its a no win situation if you are thinking of “readjusting” the constitution. Any changes to the relevant acts need multiple stages of approval, which would never be given:<\/div>\n
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Sememangnya, manusia tidak wujud dan hidup dalam sebuah utopia. Manusia tidak dapat lari dari realiti dan persekitaran. Malaysia adalah sebuah negara berasaskan keluhuran perlembagaan dan kedaulatan undang-undang sepertimana ideologi kebangsaan yang ternukil dalam panca prinsip Rukun Negara.<\/div>\n
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Seperti yang kita maklum, kedudukan orang Melayu serta Bumiputera dan kepentingan kaum-kaum lain dari segi politik telah termaktub jelas dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Ia terkunci kemas dalam artikel-artikel Bahagian 3 mengenai kewarganegaraan, Perkara 38 berkait Majlis Raja-Raja, Perkara 152 tentang Bahasa Kebangsaan dan Perkara 153 mencakupi antara lain Perezapan kuota perkhidmatan dan permit untuk orang Melayu.<\/div>\n
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Seterusnya, saudara dan saudari, kita mesti memahami dan mengetahui bahawa, pindaan terhadap artikel-artikel ini tidak boleh dilakukan tanpa persetujuan Majlis Raja-Raja mengikut Perkara 159 Perlembagaan Persekutuan.<\/div>\n
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Ia ditambah kukuh pula oleh Perkara 10 Fasal 4, yang memberi kuasa kepada Parlimen, bagi menggubal undang-undang, melarang perbuatan mempersoal apa-apa perkara, hak, taraf, kedudukan, keistimewaan, kedaulatan atau hak kedaulatan yang ditetapkan atau diperlindung oleh peruntukan Bahagian 3, Perkara 152, 153 dan Perkara 181.<\/div>\n
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Sehubungan hal ini, hendaklah kita mengetahui bahawa apa yang menjadi polemik hebat hari ini, sama ada tentang kerakyatan selepas merdeka atau hak istimewa orang Melayu sebenarnya, sudah menjadi perdebatan akademik. Ini kerana, dari segi perundangan, peruntukan-peruntukannya sudah pun tersurat dan sekaligus terpateri kemas.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Seandainya mempunyai majoriti dua pertiga dalam Parlimen pun, tidak akan mampu mengubah setitik apa jua, tanpa kebenaran Majlis yang dianggotai sembilan orang Raja-Raja Melayu. Dalam kata lain, sia-sia sahaja jerit pekik untuk menggunakan peruntukan tentang kerakyatan bagi mengancam kaum lain kerana peruntukan yang tertulis ini begitu konkrit sekalipun darurat diisytiharkan, ia tetap tidak boleh disinggung.<\/div>\n
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Di sebalik semuanya, suka tidak suka, ada sebab yang amat kuat mengapa perkara-perkara ini tidak dibenarkan untuk dipinda kecuali dengan perkenan Majlis Raja-Raja. Hikmahnya, adalah supaya peruntukan-peruntukan tersebut di letakkan luar daripada forum perbincangan. Jika dibuka juga kepada perbahasan, maka kita bimbang, kita khuatir, ia akan membangkitkan keresahan serta mengapi-apikan “primordial instinct” atau naluri asal wujud antara etnik.<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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These, for me, were the salient points that I’m sure will help us remind us on where we stand as different citizens in the country. \u00a0Of course, the constitution never said about how much quota should be given, how the reservation of seats\/permits is calculated etc., how long this unequality should go on, and such. I suppose that is left to the\u00a0intelligence\u00a0and the foresight of the government of the day. All that is the implementation, and here is where there’s a glimmer of hope. If a government can promise and show how it can provide “balance” and “justice” and “equality” in an unequal-based constitution, then it will be good. If the government continues to hide behind excuses and issues veiled threats, well…<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The full speech talked about challenges faced by the political party, the importance of working together and other stuff as well.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Note: do you know that national examination rules can be changed at political party gathering?<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’m sure many of us have read (or have not!) PM Najib’s speech during the UMNO general assembly. While its directed at its members, being Malaysians, the speech also impacts us in terms of understanding how the biggest political party plans to operate in coming times. The full speech (in BM) is available at Bernama […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[112,122],"class_list":["post-6960","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-borninmalaysia","tag-discrimination","tag-najib-tun-razak"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6960","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6960\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/poobalan.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}