Malaysia, Truly Asia........ This was piece of marketing ingenuity that helps propel Malaysia onto the world tourist map. This slogan left lasting impression of a country rich in cultural diversity as well as its natural beauty. Many nations have emulated Malaysia on such tourism advertisement.
When Mahathir was PM, his national slogan was Vision 2020. Badawi slept through with no special vision. The success of Truly Asia and Vision 2020 was attributed to Mahathir. Not to be left out, PM Najib rolls out ‘1Malaysia’ campaign in a hope of creating a new beginning. It sounds good to the ears but no one knows exactly what it encompasses or embraces. But since its inception, it has only met with suspicion and cynicism. But some contend that Najib should be given a chance to prove his seriousness and sincerity about building a new Malaysia.
But alas, no one is excited about it. Does it mean equal rights for all races? No way it will happen in Malay dominated UMNO government. Ever since the last GE, the number of domestic incidents related to race and religion has spiral out of control. The dismal failure of the government to handle all these issues fairly without prejudice has further eroded the relevance of ‘1Malaysia’ campaign. It is the government uneven handedness that displeases the non-Malays. In fact race relation has worsened and religious conflicts are escalating. Today Malaysians are more polarised on ethnic and religious line. How does ‘1Malaysia’ can fit into the present political landscape? Any Malaysia can tell you this is a big joke. It is just an electioneering gimmick to hoodwink, cajole and pacify the ordinary folks.
I can recalled many incidents that are not consistent with the philosophy of Najib 1Malaysia. Ahmad Ismail of Penang UMNO unceremoniously calls non-Malay ‘pedatang’ or immigrant and he was never investigated for sedition. Yet DAP MP and a news journalist were arrested under ISA for supposedly criticising mosque being too loud in the Morning Prayer call. And it was the Malay aligned newspapers that spin the stories. The severed and bloody ‘cow head’ demonstration against building a Hindu temple near Muslim areas was never condemned by UMNO leadership. Beers were confiscated from 7Eleven shops by religious enforcement officers for beibg unislamic. For the first time a Muslim woman was sentenced to canning for drinking beer. This Muslim court's sentencing embarassed the country which proudly claims itself as moderate and progressive. The latest conflict now is who has the wnership of the word “Allah”. This was followed torching of the churches and as I wrote, even a Sikh temple. Where is 1Malaysia?
Najib should look back at Malayan history. LKY was booted out of Malaysia for trying to introduce “Malaysian Malaysia”. It became popular and Abdul Rahman saw it as a threat to the Malays dominance and had Singapore evicted out of Malaysia. If Najib truly believes in the philosophy of 1Malaysia, he surely has guts walking on the minefield in his own backyard. He sure can get the support of non-Malays. How is he going to dismantle the NEP, education quota system, Bumiputras special rights and removing all the special perks that Malays received for '1Malaysia' vision to be truly meaningful?
Najib’s vision of 1Malaysia will die a natural death. To succeed, Malaysia has to made constitutional changes in the Parliament. He needs to change people mindset and it have to start right out of his own party UMNO. The best course of action for him is to quietly abandon this slogan before it becomes a liability as well as the butt of jokes.
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