At a talk in Trengganu organized by GERTAK (Gerakan Kebangkitan Rakyat), Tun Mahathir lamented the disunity among the Bumiputras as caused by the various political parties trying to win over their loyalty. Since they form only about 60% of the population a three-way split as could be caused by UMNO, PKR and PAS will give each party 20%, a minoritiy in terms of a racial population breakdown percentage. That's as alarming as Idris Jala's warning that the nation will go bankrupt by 2019 if the current rate of subsidy and debt accumulation persist.
I'm sure someone in the government will deny the wisdom of such projections, or prediction. This is a rich and properous nation with billions of ringgit in the kitty to be distributed to the needy and, of course, to the meritorious. The 10th Malaysia Plan had already indicated the allocations to be made to the various development sectors and some multibillion ringgit plans such as the MTR Plan have already been announced. Malaysia will not drift into bankrupcy like Greece and everything will be fine, so long as the New Economic Model and the 10th Malaysia Plan are fully implemented.
The fact is, it's not just the Bumiputras that are disunited or being fragmented as pointed out by Tun Mahathir. It's happening to the Chinese and Indian communities as well due to the fragmentation of the leadership within each community, triggered by party politics. Barisan is creaking with tension just like its major component parties viz. MCA and MIC , and just like PKR and its own components. There is disruption and fragmentation in the political parties, in the communities and even in the families where the young seem to be quite rebellious and prefer to move away from their parents as soon as they can maintain themselves.
There are all the political, economic, social and other factors tearing modern society apart. Individualism as a by-product of
modernization is hastening the process of societal fragmentation. Politics and the brutal pursuit of money and wealth not only break up the people in society but steer them into a collision course due to the win-or-lose situation which all competitions breed. The zero-sum-game reality still prevails although people talk about the positive-sum-game and the win-win situation. How can we all win if there is only a limited amount of resources or bounty to share. Everyone can win and have a share only if the supply is limitless and there is no need for any competition to get it. This rarely happens in life when resources are always scarce except for the air we breathe, and people never feel satisfied with the share they have. Everyone wants to have a bigger and bigger share, always eating into the share of others.
With all the divisive elements working of us then, how does society hold together? What cohesive forces work to balance up the divisive ones? They ARE there but the trouble is we never bother to recognize and enhanced them so that our society will progressively become more cohesive rather than distruptive. They include the sense of values and ideals that we share in a society and nation, the hopes and aspirations that we hold as our common life goals, the customs and traditions that give our life its meaning and purpose and the laws and social contracts that we develop for ourselves to ensure our own safety and comfort.
These are some of the social fabrics that hold us together and when we fail to understand and recognize them, protect and nurture them as we fight our way to achieve progress in society, and remove all the contradictions and malignancies, we expose ourselves to the dangers of fragmentation and internal decay. Thus, it is not just a problem of promoting and maintaining national unity among the various racial denominators that we face in this country but also the problem of strengthening the cohesive forces within each community. If the cohesive forces in each community are weak, the nation as a whole will become weak. Political wrangling and enmity will then become like flints that can set the whole fabrics of society on fire irrespective of color and creed.
So, let's call on the social scientists of the nation to examine the cohesive forces of our social fabrics in order to ensure that they remain strong and healthy to withstand the disruptive forces generated by our quest for progress and development. Don't just keep on increasing and intensifying the distruptive forces with partisan politics and communal interests fanning the anxiety of our multiracial population. Otherwise the divisive and distruptive forces we see at work today will ultimately undo what all the development plans have so far done to make this country a better place to live in.
8 comments:
Akhi Norzah,
It’ll be a yo-yo. 50 yrs of BN rule was blissful until leakages are pointed out. They were there before until cyberspace and blogosphere brought them out in the open.
BN should continue to rule. The euphoria of sudden power acquired by the Pakatan states as we have seen made them lose directions and purpose . After just 2 yrs & given half a chance they indulged in corruption as though there is no tomorrow. It is an out of the frying pan & into the fire sort of situation. The Pakatan ( including Kelantan) are therefore no better. In fact they turned out to be worst.
The other factor that needs to be factored in is the hidden agenda of those in power. Invariably any and every decision is racially tainted but cleverly concealed or rationalized that they appear ideal and perfect.
Decisions are skewed to appease racial sentiments. Fair decisions and policies are always considered unfair and unacceptable by the detractors. Each saying their kind is getting the inferior end of the stick.
These sort of situations are not seen in non multi-racial societies in other countries.
BN will continue to rule. If by a stroke of good luck Pakatan were to win the GE13 the same types of weaknesses and failings would endure. How do you expect to marry off strange bedfellows (Pas and DAP) with opposing policies and each wanting to the leader to sustain? PAS recently said they prefer PAS to lead Pakatan should the PKR’s advisor be sent to Sg Buluh. Pakatan will predictally have a short span of life. The infighting of PKR will be the fashioned that would be transferred to the other partners. This will shake the foundations of the Pakatan and BN would easily take over again.
It is a yo-yo as long as the social fabric comprise of different races as we have here. Nobody is fully satisfied and the delicate balance is tenaciously maintained.
The social scientists looking for solutions would have their hands full right from day 1 – it is a protracted process and not going to be easy
I agree with all the points raised, Akhi, and thank you for a very frank analysis of our current political scenario. My worry is tha tthe ocial scientists at this poin of our national development are not even called on to give their analysis, views and recommendations. Only the views of the economists prevail. While we talk about a fair income distribution, the last few decades of development in Malaysia has seen income concentration doubling or tripling. The push for higher productivity and income despite serious leakages has seen several social norms and value nexus crucial to promoting social cohesion being destroyed. Who is doing the repair job?
Akhi Norzah and Hank,
I would rather keep my views on what is the future of politics in our beloved country. But looking at the present trend, we are backsliding no matter who wins.In my view it is high time for our political system to be reformed in the light of the fractious nature of politics which is dangerously drawing us near to the precipe. If the British Coalition Govt is going for political reform despite its long lead time in democratic process, we too must have a long hard look at our electoral process and revamp the decaying political landscape. We must get out from our mind trap and find a long term solution to our overdue ethnic war of attrition. As resources are beginning to shrink, the spillover of emotions will bring us back to the brink of disaster. We must have a completely new and fresh approach towards solving age-old problems and obviously not by the old mouldy system which is getting rusty and stale.
Akhi Norzah and Hank,
I would rather keep my views on what is the future of politics in our beloved country. But looking at the present trend, we are backsliding no matter who wins.In my view it is high time for our political system to be reformed in the light of the fractious nature of politics which is dangerously drawing us near to the precipe. If the British Coalition Govt is going for political reform despite its long lead time in democratic process, we too must have a long hard look at our electoral process and revamp the decaying political landscape. We must get out from our mind trap and find a long term solution to our overdue ethnic war of attrition. As resources are beginning to shrink, the spillover of emotions will bring us back to the brink of disaster. We must have a completely new and fresh approach towards solving age-old problems and obviously not by the old mouldy system which is getting rusty and stale.
"it is high time for our political system to be reformed in the light of the fractious nature of politics which is dangerously drawing us near to the precipice." That's a very apt and eloquent description of the fact, Akhi. "We are backsliding, no matter who wins." And that's frightening. I think it reflects the current dilemma faced by Malaysians. If GE13 comes at the end of this year, which party to support. Shall we have more of the same or try something new with all the risks and uncertainties that will go with it? I can see no bright star that brings adequate promise in the opposition sky and no fixed and strong northern star in the existing horizon. Maybe we need a comedian like Harith Iskandar or Aflin Syauki to lead the governmental circus, hehehe.
I wanted ti add Saiful Apek's name as possible candidates to lead the national circus but he ahs already git himself into trouble.
Norzah,
I live in one of the 'Malay' states. How they quarrel and take revenge! The winner all is the minority. I often vent my frustration to my pupils, trying to open their eyes, hoping to inspire them to be better than their parents.
Akhi Pakcik Hassan, living in a Malay majority state gives you an experience which could be far different from what you find here in KL and Selangor, Perak, Penang ec. Everytime I went to Trengganu and Kelantan, I could feel the serenity and calmness I used to enjoy many years ago,especially when living in the
peaceful village. Some say that is the sign of underdevelopment to which i vehemently disagree for it is that kind of peace and harmony that we seek for as an end goal of development. What is modernization if it's full or stress, strain, conflict, societal fragmentation, enmity between neighbors etc. There're many aspects of life in the Malay States that the other cosmopolitan States can emulate. Salam.
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