What of the Chinese -in a nut shell.

What of they Chinese? What if the Chinese could rein in their desire for physical wealth and comfort like there is no tomorrow and often times at the expense of other races and ethnic groups? What if the Chinese could relax a bit about their superiority complex and how they feel like being the master race of the Asian community, knowing it all and proven so by their history, whether they declare this openly or otherwise. What if the Chinese could be little bit more tolerant in dealing with their counterpart the Malays accepting their flaws and weaknesses with more compassion than an opportunity to take advantage of. What if the Chinese could be more sincere in their commitment to becoming a true Malaysian and not just hypocrites  who propagate their Native China  cultural heritage and language through education and the rest of it making sure that they are never anything else but Chinese at the core? A very small percentage of Chinese in Malaysia can totally declare themselves free from racial prejudice and genuinely believe so.

Let us admit this. The Chinese community contributed enormously to the growth and the development of our country over centuries.

Instead of giving them due credit for their hard work and sacrifices, UMNO has used them as punching bag for its failure to uplift the living and educational standards of the Malays.

(a) The Chinese know what they want and are willing to put up with obstacles and hindrances in their way to get ahead.

(b)Their work ethic is the envy of all Malaysians.

(c) They are investing heavily in the education of their young.

(d) They continue to modernise their companies for opportunities abroad, since they cannot get contracts in our country on their own merit, and must, therefore, be sub-contractors to favoured UMNO businessmen.

(e) At home, they (the Chinese) expect a government which is transparent and accountable, NOT a corrupt one. In the last election, THEY VOTED AGAINST UMNO-LED BARISAN NASIONAL FOR THIS REASON.

 Dato Din Merican

MAILBAG

What is the Malays' great fear or suspicions about the Chinese? The first thing that comes to mind is economics, the share or distribution of wealth which the Malays sees as in the hands of the Chinese. The Chinese still hold in contention of the use of Bahasa Malaysia as the National language and what is most unacceptable to the Malays is the Chinese sense of arrogance whenever they get the upper hand as was one of the main immediate causes of the May 13th. Incident of 1969. If the the Chinese back then had been more cautious and downplayed their victory in the general election of the time they might have got away with more than they had bargained for. But sadly enough this was not to be and it opened the Malay eyes for good to the fact the Chinese really have no love lost for them if the shoes were on their feet. Perhaps this sentiment still holds today among most Malays especially those living in the rural areas. The Malays living in the Kampongs and especially those living along the east Coast of the country will always harbor a distrust of the Chinese as a whole. However there are those that have earned their trust from having lived alongside each other for a generation or two.
Today although the nation has somewhat matured in its thinking and understanding, the political structure is beginning to reflect a more collective spirit among all races that in the last general election saw an almost end to the Barisan Nasional a coalition of parties with UMNO leading, rule of the country. But the Malays still has much to trust their counterparts and those less educated are still viewing the Chinese with a whole lot of trepidation if not contempt. With the  emergence of new and more radical Malay leaders heading Malay nationalism movements and parties, the prospect of a merging of unity among the Malays and the Chinese are no more better than they were thirty or forty years ago although the prospect of civility between the two races has somewhat improved among most of societies.

"What is my premise? It is that the Malays are the hosts, and we Chinese and Indians the guests. We came in such large numbers that it is no wonder the word "annexation" has been used of us. Indeed, it could be said that the Malays allowed us to pitch a tent and we ended up taking possession of the land.... If I were Malay, I would not have allowed such a state of affairs to go unchallenged: my sense of pride and honour would not allow it. Malay self-esteem would require that, having rid themselves of the colonial master, they wrested economic power from the Chinese."

"I also look at the lot of Chinese and Indian migrants to other countries and that of those who had stayed home. This is enough to make me feel thankful that I am here and not there. To take the Chinese first, think of those Boat People (many of them of Chinese origin) forced to flee Vietnam, think of Cambodia where the Chinese were killed or driven away, think of Indonesia, with its persecution and expulsion of the Chinese, think of the Philippines where for so long, the Chinese were effectively denied citizenship..." A complete awakening of the minds of all the different ethnic groups that makes up this nation is perhaps beyond reach however it is imperative that we come to a thorough understanding of where we stand and what we stand up against in order to make any headway into providing a viable solution for the dilemma that we are in . Thee is no right or wrong but there is the possibility of meeting half way and with tolerance and sacrifices made, with give and take we can still forge a relationship between us that will serve the whole in the future. We have to have that light at the end of the tunnel and not the darkness that seem to loom ahead of us in the for of yet another confrontation which if and when it hits the fence will be more violent and disastrous than the previous one. Are the Chinese after political power? I have Chinese friends–and Indian friends too– with whom I discuss issues (corruption, abuse of power, discrimination, good governance, race relations, and so on). From them I get the sense that : 1. THEY ARE QUITE HAPPY TO HAVE A MALAY PRIME MINISTER AND A MALAY DOMINATED GOVERNMENT. That is a given. 2, They respect our King and his brother rulers. But at issue to them (and me too) is what kind of Malay leadership we should have for Malaysia. 3. THE CHINESE WANT ENLIGHTENED AND PROGRESSIVE MALAY LEADERS WHO WILL NOT USE RACE AND RELIGION FOR THEIR POLITICAL ENDS. 4. They feel that Chinese bashing after GE-13 should stop. 5. They want to be respected as Malaysians with rights guaranteed by the constitution, not as pendatangs, to have some say in the affairs of state in so far as policies affect their interests, and they want to contribute to the future development of Malaysia. I am sure that, like me, THEY ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH A FORMER PRIME MINISTER WHO HAS ABANDONED HIS BANGSA MALAYSIA VISION in order to further HIS INTEREST IN SEEING A MALAY MALAYSIA. I will have none of this. Just give me a Malaysia for all citizens, irrespective of race, creed, colour and religion so that together we can face the challenges of a 21st century world. - Dato Din Merican