Sunday, August 31, 2008

Merdeka

GEORGE TOWN: Don’t let him off the hook lightly.
This was the call by Gerakan vice-president Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in urging action against Bukit Bendera Umno division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail. This was following reports that Ahmad had allegedly called the Chinese pendatang (immigrants) at a ceramah during the Permatang Pauh by-election.

And thus it is revealed.
After 51 years of independence, many Bumiputras still think like that. As an anonymous reader had commented on my blog some time ago, their 'nenek-moyang' got here first.

We may have gone far as a a country, but as a nation of many cultures, this reeks of racism and backward thinking. After 3 or more generations of people born and bred in Malaysia, some still refer to the Indians and Chinese as 'immigrants'. Never mind that we hold Malaysian passports, pay taxes (and probably support their cause too, since we pay more for property and for their 'elitist' colleges).

If you ask me, I think he should be fired. And the Prime Minister should not be making pathetic excuses for him, ie. "he did not mean it." These are irresponsible and grave comments to be made by a political leader. He is an adult; if he has balls and is half a man he should be, he should not be hiding behind stupid excuses.

It's a crying shame; we celebrate 'independence' but what do we have to show for it? Generations of entitled people who see us as less than citizens. Thankfully, not all Bumiputras share those sentiments; some people I know have better sense than that. Here's to hoping that someday, we get to really become one nation, of One People. I just hope I get to see that in my lifetime.

Happy Independence Day, indeed.