The Malay Dignity Congress

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blogtunm.blogspot.com Tun M 1. I attended the Congress on Malay dignity – (maruah) because I am a Malay.
2. It is common in this multiracial country for the citizens to retain their identification with their countries of origin even after being in Malaysia and holding its citizenship for three generations. They do not want to lose their racial identities.
3. They manifest this ethnic link through their language, culture, schools and ethnic organisations. They often hold meetings confined to their ethnic group. Sometimes I would be invited to open these meetings and asked to give keynote speeches.
4. In multiracial Malaysia, ethnicity is recognised as legitimate and proper. Other multiracial countries see non-indigenous people identifying themselves with the indigenous citizens almost completely. They adopt the language and culture of the indigenous people and break their link with their countries of origin. They even change their names.
5. It is a measure of the tolerance of the indigenous people in Malaysia that gatherings which are confined to the different ethnic groups are accepted as normal.
6. I am therefore very surprised when I was advised not to attend this Malay Congress to discuss their dignity. Obviously they are concerned over their possible loss of dignity, whatever that might mean. As usual there were extreme views but on the whole they were balanced.
7. It cannot be that while other ethnic groups can have their gatherings to discuss their affairs, the Malays cannot, that their gathering is racist.
8. And now there is even a demand that the Malay initiator of the gathering should be sacked for attending.
9. When the former colonies of the European nations gained independence, many discriminated against the non-Indigenous people. Some had to leave the country. Some were violently attacked.
10. Not so in this country. The non-indigenous people were accepted as citizens. In fact, 1 million of the non-indigenous people were given citizenship even though they were not qualified.
11. It hurts me to think in their own country the indigenous people are not supposed to have their own gatherings without being accused of being racist.
12. And now of course I will be labelled a racist for writing this.

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