COMMENT | The day after the 100th anniversary of Merdeka on 1 September 2057, the supreme minister of the Supremacist Alliance, the world's longest-staying political alliance in power, surprised the nation by declaring an extra week of public holidays to celebrate the success of two sacred national missions.
The first completed mission is related to the most recent survey finding of the National Civic Ministry (which was, until 2020, known as Biro Tatanegara) that over 90 percent of the nation's citizens agree with the declaration: “I am Malay first and Malaysian second.” Covering a sample of citizens over the age of 16, the survey's finding was announced over Berita and TV Mal-gibberish.
According to the supreme minister, this sentiment – putting ethnicity above all other considerations in national identity – had been advocated by the political giants of the country's history since independence.
But in the first 60 years after Merdeka, advocates of the 'Malay first' movement had to go on the defensive against the take-no-prisoners, fake-news liberal lobby that dominated social media.
Many of the early patriots and supporters of the movement could not openly propagate their views for fear of being labelled as 'ultras'. Whilst being seen as an ultra is now construed as a badge of honour, few at that time could bear the grievous loss to their pockets when the 'pendatang' capitalists who dominated the economy then withdrew their financial support in retaliation.
Thanks to the efforts of the early leaders of the Supremacist Alliance in nurturing the ultra faction, the Jewish-inspired anti-national liberal groups were finally crushed by the Sons of the Soil Revolutionary Movement in the great purge of 2020. The purge enabled the ultras to emerge from the shadows and become the dominant force in changing national consciousness.
The survey finding vindicates the correctness of the pioneers of the 'Malay first' movement to instill pride in the Malay race among all Malaysians without exception. It is also clear evidence that the ideology of Malay dominance or 'ketuanan Melayu' is now deeply entrenched in all corners of the country and the young generation.
Alarming exodus of ‘original Malays’
At the same time, the supreme minister expressed concern that ten percent of the citizenry is still resisting alignment to this pivotal inclusive categorisation. Of even greater worry was the finding that while Malaysians from all ethnic groups were identifying themselves as Malays first, the exodus of original Malays from the country was continuing.
The Department of Statistics’ latest data on population movement showed that several million original Malays – mainly upper and middle-class Malays – had departed the country during the past five years.
In his speech, the supreme minister emphasised that the country could not afford the haemorrhage of talented and highly qualified original Malays, and announced that an emergency budgetary allocation and a package of new perks was being provided to encourage them to return and remain in Malaysia.
Further, to ensure that the stability of the original Malay population was not undermined, the deputy supreme minister in charge of the National Civic Ministry pledged to hunt down the malcontents and recalcitrants among the original and new Malays.
Indoctrination camps were being planned to re-educate the separatist groups among Malays and those still identifying themselves as non-Malays to bring them into the mainstream of ethnic identification and ensure their loyalty to the country.
In response to the supreme minister' s speech, the country's highest scholarly body, the National Emeritus Professors Council, noted that the finding showed that the much maligned New Economic Policy (which the Council had proposed to be extended to the year 2069) had in fact been responsible for providing the critical breakthrough in ethnic identity and national consciousness.
With nearly all the different races identifying themselves as Malays, the much sought-for and elusive – and until recently regarded as mythical – 'national unity' was finally within reach.
A member of the council, who had been a non-Malay but was now classified as Malay, concurred and enthused that it was now possible – in theory as well as in practice – to treat the different races in exactly the same way.
Down with deviants
Followers of the 'Malay first' Chinese professor who gained prominence in the early years of the century for his criticism of the 'ultra-kiasu' character of his community members expressed their thankfulness that the judgement of their mentor had been substantiated.
In their opinion, non-Malays have finally woken to the realisation that professing that they are of Malay ethnicity is no big deal. In fact, it is a small price to pay for ensuring that the true spirit of the social contract which created an independent Malaysia is observed.
They were of the opinion that it was high time for the nation as a whole to return to its original historical roots. Hence, the slogan, “A Malay polity in the past, for the present and forever,” was appropriate.
Finally, they noted the advantages that would accrue to those belonging to this designation of national identity. They reassured critics that it was not personal greed and the acquisition of material or financial benefits that was driving such a transformation in identity – just pure unadulterated patriotism.
As for the second sacred mission, the supreme minister disclosed that he had been informed by the Religion Ministry that the nation could now be officially declared 'atheist-free'.
The battle against the godless and apostate groups in the country had been long and difficult. This was due to the resistance put up by internal and external forces determined to spread their scientifically incorrect, godless and morally bankrupt ideology and philosophy.
These groups (which included religious deviants, perverts, the LGBTQ community and their allies abroad) had taken advantage of the loophole in the Federal Constitution relating to basic rights and freedoms to spread their insidious message, which included denying the existence of God, especially among the young and gullible.
In doing so they had disturbed the established order and hurt the feelings of the majority of the citizens. Worse, they were working in tandem with opposition elements to overthrow the government of the Supremacist Alliance and to establish a godless secular nation.
This unholy coalition was finally defeated by three factors. The first was the strong action taken by the governing authorities to eliminate godless and apostate individuals and groups. Had this campaign not been launched several decades earlier, the country would have long lost its religiosity, its religious faiths, and the high moral and ethical values that are an inseparable part of religion.
The second was the passing of the constitutional provision after the decisive 15th General Election which removed the separation of state and religion in the Federal Constitution definitively and beyond doubt.
The last was a totally unexpected factor. The supreme minister acknowledged that the eclipse of the atheist ideology and fall in the atheist population could not have taken place without the input of fundamentalist advocates from all religions and faiths.
Although it was obvious that one religion had taken the lead in fundamentalism, he was gratified with the shared understanding and partnership of the different religions and the radically new inter-religious dialogue among the religious leaders which had helped to achieve this remarkable mission.
There was a further surprise in the momentous speech by the supreme minister. This was his announcement of the withdrawal of the unpopular Railway Service Tax (RST) imposed to cover the RM150 billion shortfall in public funds arising from the financing of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) during the period 2017-2025.
Admitting that the project initiators had grossly underestimated the financial burden from the railway project, he assured the people that the nation had ample reserves of land, especially in East Malaysia, to sell to foreigners that could help meet the federal government debt of RM8 trillion. He also assured the public that the withdrawal of the tax was not because of the coming general election.
The supreme minister concluded that it was due to God's grace that the dreams of earlier leaders as reflected in the Rukun Negara, Vision 2020 and 1Malaysia Negaraku were finally being realised.
LIM TECK GHEE is a retired academician and currently public policy analyst.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
