Lately
too, many heart-breaking events have happened, and they led us to want to
re-evaluate on how to address them and move forward. They are nation-building
issues such as the national and state flags have caused upheaval in social
medias. Wrong display of them, whether intentional or otherwise have led to the
questioning of loyalty and patriotism. Similarly, the issue of the singing of
the national anthem in Mandarin and Arabic courted controversies. These were
followed by the issue of smuggling into Malaysia the asses of the late
communist leader Chin Peng, whose name triggered nostalgic bad memories
especially for the security forces and the victim families.
This
chain of events is antagonistic to the fundamentals and political science of
this country. Some might have forgotten that our country is multiracial and
religious and founded on many core values that are shared by the various
communities, Malays, Chinese, Indian Dayaks and Kadazandusuns.
Malaysians,
especially the younger ones did not go through the suffering of during the
Malayan Union 1945, the violence upheaval during the attempt of Communist Party
of Malaya (1948-1989) to wrest power after Japanese surrender, the violent riot
and bloodshed of the 1969 and the economic recession of the early 1980s may not
be able to relate and appreciate why
older generations are very sensitive to these sentimental events that brought the
multi-racial, multi-ethnic Federation of Malaya and later of Malaysia.
Perhaps
the major flaw of our nation's founding policy especially after the formation
of the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 was that there was not enough political
will to carry through the multi-racial, multi-ethnic nation-state that was
founded based on many good values such as cooperation, moderation and the
spirit of give-and-take. The British territories that agreed to form Malaysia
such as North Borneo (Sabah), Sarawak and Singapore were clearly bounded in
many respects especially in political, economic and social but the political
will to implement and honour these ‘agreements’ faded as soon as the new
nation-state was in operation. After 57 years of Federation Malaysia, it is
most unfortunate that some territories such as Sarawak and Sabah are still
unhappy and are pushing for independence or succession, argued with the central
government over the terms of oil royalties and state powers that the formers
feel are being increasingly being monopolised by the centre.
History
reminded us that Brunei’s last-minute refusal to stay together to realise the Federation
of Malaysia was the failure to arrive at terms on oil issue between the Sultan
of Brunei and Tunku Abdul Rahman. But backward, smaller and poorer nations such
as Sarawak and Sabah were persuaded to join Federation Malaysia by various
parties including the power that oversaw and secured the two territories.
Likewise,
Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew was aware that Singapore was at the forefront of the
communist threat, and that Singapore did not have enough resources to resolve
social issues such as housing problem, socialist parties and powerful NGOs.
Therefore, Lee Kuan Yew has no choice but to join Federation Malaysia. In many
ways, Lee Kuan Yew is very grateful to Tunku Abdul Rahman. Although the island
state stayed for a short while in the Federation, that period provided the
breathing space to thwart communist threat and influence from settling in
Singapore.
AFTER 57 YEARS
After
57 years the formation of Malaysia, what has happened to our country? Are our
people really united in the name of Malaysia? Is language policy such as Bahasa
Melayu as the national language helping in creating a united “Bangsa” Malaysia?
Apparently, we are still separated by ethnicity and readily identifies
ourselves as either Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban or Kadazan instead of
Malaysians. We are not united as Bangsa Malaysia in any real sense of the term.
The
terms Bangsa Malaysia and Bahasa Malaysia are two important terms but lack of
distinct definition. What is Bahasa Malaysia? Who and what do a bangsa Malaysia
look like, i.e. in term of defining characteristics?
Some
time in the 1980s, the term Bahasa Melayu was changed to Bahasa Malaysia.
Perhaps this was done to placate non-Malays. There is no need for that as the
language is still recognizably ‘Malay”. Changing the name was merely rhetoric.
Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Malaysia are two different things altogether. Bahasa
Malaysia include languages spoken by Malaysian such as Mandarin, Tamil, Kadazan
and Iban.
Similarly,
Bangsa Malaysia has not been properly, clearly and authoritative define. What
or who is a bangsa Malaysia? What do a Bangsa Malaysia display, in terms of
characters, e.g. culture, language, way of lives. The term first surfaced in
1991 when Vision 2020 was launched. Till this day, there is no authoritative
definition of what constitute bangsa Malaysia.
Recently
I attended many seminars on nation-building where many Malay educationists also
talked about the Bangsa Malaysia. There is a general agreement that they are
ready to accept a larger concept like the Bangsa Malaysia, but they too are
still vague on what Bangsa Malaysia is?.
In
the recently conclude 2019 UMNO General Assembly, UMNO Youth Chief was reported
to have spoken of the country as belonging to all races. Of course, this is
obvious. Malaysia belong to those who are legally a
Bangsa Malaysia, but who is he referring to as Bangsa Malaysia? The question
still does not have answer yet.
In
such a flux situation, there is an urgent need to formulate a new policy and to
further institutionalize the Bangsa Malaysia. What form and how this can be
realised may need more discourses among various segments of the society that
are parts of the whole process. However, there need to emerge a political will
to tackle this long-standing issue in nation-building.
Our
next-door neighbour, Indonesia is undoubtedly doing a little better than us in
forging their nation-state through their Pancasila ideology. We have the Rukun
Negara, but this is also not really helping in pushing for the emergence of
bangsa Malaysia.
The
ideology of the Bangsa Malaysia must transcend racial and religious boundaries.
What has been agreed in the Federal Constitution remains, but in order to move
forward we must have a Bangsa Malaysia. For a start and for some time,
Malaysians overseas for whatever reasons have display this bangsa Malaysia
spirit, and that is when asked of their origin, they would answer "I am a
Malaysian, Bangsa Malaysia". But this
spirit faded when they are closer to home. Why?
When
speaking with foreigners abroad, no Malaysian would introduce the Proton car as
a Malaysian Chinese car, the Petronas Twin Towers as belonging to the Malays,
and Malaysia football team is a Chinese-Indian-Malay, but are proud to
introduce them as Proton Malaysia, Petronas of Malaysia and the Malaysian
football team respectively.
Until these fundamentals are addressed, discourses on
them will oscillate from defining them based on the dominant race.
Dr
Al-Azharri Siddiq Kamunri. The writer’s area of study is in politics and
Government and has interests on issues relating to nation-building, national
security and patriotism.
Read also https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/506440
Read also https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/506440
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