Open Letter To Miscued Umno Loudspeaker Akmal Saleh Your Land Is My Land Too

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BASED on some of your remarks, it appears that you are not proud to be a Malaysian because you regard yourself a Malay first and last.
In your mind, to be identified as a Malaysian first would mean you have to rub shoulders with the other races, hence losing your separate identity in the process.
Sure, you were born a Malay and would forever remain as one but what is so disconcerting is that you think the whole country is yours by virtue of the fact that you came into this world in Tanah Melayu.
You get mixed up with Malay and Tanah Melayu. You believe that Tanah Melayu simply means that the land belongs to you and you alone.

Of course, you have historical records to back up your claim that the term had been in use since the 17th century. Therefore, going by your logic, you equate Tanah Melayu with Malay and thus Malays own the whole country. It’s kind of interchangeable.
But at that time in the ancient past, there were no immigrants except for European settlers who came as conquerors and not as labourers. The conquerors saw only Malays and they went along with the narrative that this was a Malay country.
Then began the large-scale migration of Chinese and Indians into Malaya in the 19th and 20th centuries to mine tin and tap rubber trees. There was not enough native manpower to work in the booming tin and rubber industry.
Constitutional rights of non-Malays
Today, the country we now call Malaysia is teeming with the descendants of the early immigrants. Their forefathers did not come here to spend their vacation but came ashore to toil and sweat in the rubber plantations and mining sites.

The early immigrants have put down firm roots in this new land and have put forth robust branches (descendants) who are now flourishing as full-blooded Malaysians.
But here you come wielding your keris in the role of a modern Malay warrior who sees all the land as the property of the Malays in the name of Tanah Melayu.
There is no doubt that you are anak jantan (slang for brave child) who is portrayed as fearless and outspoken – and at every opportunity you get – would launch your high-octane attacks on your fellow citizens whose forebears have worked themselves to the bones to develop this country jointly with the indigenous population.
All your racist-fuelled diatribe has one common objective: to exert the rights of the Malays to occupy all the land that makes up the peninsula based mainly on historical evidence.
This could mean you and your army of supporters could resort to extreme means – if need be – to push out the minority ethnic groups from their rightful place under the Malaysian sun.
Before asking them to vacate their land, you will read aloud your proclamation: “In the name of the Federal Constitution, you have no right to own this land which belongs to us.”
Political weapon, mileage
This spirit of Tanah Melayu will keep goading you on to “seize” more land that rightfully belongs to the minority groups.
Do you really think you can deprive the non-Malays of their stake in this broad land? Do you think you can cut their branches and root them out with impunity?

All are stakeholders and all will defend their piece of land because they are now staying in Tanah Kita and nowhere else.
Tanah Melayu is no more relevant because this vast fertile land is the birthplace to so many races, cultures and religions. Every piece of land is the property of all Malaysians.
You can cite history to buttress your claim but these are different times. You have to move on with the times and that means history is no longer on your side.
You cannot point to Tanah Melayu anymore because it is no longer there. In its place is a land whose multi-racial society is its strength and beauty.
Now, it is petty of you to say that just because some Malay leaders want to be Malaysians first, they have abandoned their struggle for their race and religion.
You are missing the point: the change of stance is to acknowledge the reality that Malaysia is a melting pot of diverse people and faiths and that you must take good care of them all
But you, Akmal, chose to ignore this valid point and instead preferred to exhibit your “Malay-ness” to underline your struggle for bangsa Melayu and Tanah Melayu.
You are also a politician harbouring political ambition and your fight to keep the status of Tanah Melayu solely a Malay preserve will certainly endear you to the Malay electorate.
But to use Tanah Melayu as your political weapon to further your political career without regard for the rights of others to own Malaysia will only inflame inter-ethnic tension.
Akmal, don’t push Malaysia to the brink –  a country we all cherish and love and want to see it grow and prosper with every Malaysian having a stake in its future.
Phlip Rodrigues is a retired journalist.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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