I refer to the now infamous speech at the ‘1Malaysia’ seminar in Malacca by Nasir Safar, the now former special aide to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak where he was alleged to have called the Indians and Chinese in Malaysia 'pendatang' (immigrants) adding that the Indians who came to Malaysia were beggars and Chinese women came to 'jual tubuh' (engage in prostitution).
This speech amounts to nothing less than urinating on our fellow citizens from a great height. It is also not the first time that a threat has been made to revoke the citizenship status of non- Malays especially of the Chinese and Indians.
The Indians and the Chinese have long been recognised as citizens of this country. There is a provision in the federal constitution stating that while Malays were the indigenous people, non- Malays have their right to citizenship.
For the majority of non Malays, especially those born after Merdeka, this is the only country they know as ‘ Tanah tumpahnya darah ku ’. They cannot ‘ pergi balik India ’ or ‘ pergi balik China ’ for those are alien countries to them.
This is their country. I like to believe we are a civilised nation under the stewardship of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and not Uganda under Idi Amin . .
The early Indians came to this country as labourers and worked in just about every sector which required brawn. They were employed in the plantations, the railways, the ports, the mines, the local town councils and road gangs to name a few .
They were not ‘beggars’ but if at all they 'begged', it was for fair treatment, fair wages and fair recognition of their efforts. During his recent visit to Chennai, India, Najib said, ‘Eighty-five per cent of Indian Malaysian are ethnic Tamils and my visit is to recognise the Indian Malaysian contribution to the development of Malaysia’ (spot on, Mr Prime Minister).
The entire early Chinese womenfolk do not deserve to be insulted and labeled as prostitutes. They toiled relentlessly to earn an honest living together with their menfolk in the tin mines, rubber estates, vegetable farms, fishing industry, small businesses and the building industry.
PM Najib had also said in Chennai that ‘...it was important to recognise all those who contributed to nation-building, irrespective of their ethnic background"(right on, Mr Prime Minister).
It would be bad enough if some run-of-the-mill political wanna-be had made such a statement as Nasir’s but it is down right scary when a racial bigot and one so close to the top leadership makes such derogatory, inflammatory and insulting statements against fellow Malaysians.
Although Nasir Safar has apologised and resigned from his post, he should be investigated for sedition as he has caused much friction and ill will among the different ethnic races of this country which in itself is a very serious crime.
