AGM MIC TAMAN PERLING (CHAIRMAN'S SPEECH)

AGM MIC CAWANGAN TAMAN PERLING


CHAIRMAN’ SPEECH


We are living in a multi-racial society where there are different culture, different language, different religion and different practices but our heart and mind must be on only one agenda that is to uphold “1 Malaysia”. Everyone was curious and puzzled when the Prime Minister launches this concept after taking over as the CEO of Malaysia. We were just hit by a Tsunami in the name of GE 2008, our worst defeat since Independence, the three main races in the country were divided and at loggerhead, waiting to erupt into a full blown annihilation of Malaysian. The opposition’s were protesting everything just for the sake of protesting, The Indians and Chinese quietly showed their unhappiness by voting the opposition’s. The ruling government just started picking up the pieces and trying in vain to restore order in the country, the situation was chaos.

Well, it’s almost 2 years since the Tsunami hit our ruling coalition but all the talk and dates given to topple the government didn’t materialized although BN was at it’s lowest since the coalition was formed. Why the National Coalition (BN) couldn’t be kicked out by a force so overwhelming and being supported by many Malaysian of all races. The opposition was so threatening and able to put up a shadow government within a few weeks to keep the pressure on the ruling coalition. If they wanted “change”, that was the time to take over but they missed the boat by a big distance. Why they failed, what was the cause of this failure? I ask myself a thousand times, trying to see what went wrong and analyzing the whole situation over and over again.

Tunku Abdul Rahman was the UMNO president who was pushing the British government for Independence; he eventually went to London to discuss on that matter. The British told Tunku, that there are also Indians and Chinese who lives in Malaya and they should be given a fair chance to live in Malaya so they ask Tunku to go back and find an amicable solution about the position of the other two races. Well, Tengku has no choice, they have to sit and discuss with the Indians and the Chinese, if they want independence. The day came and all the three leaders, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Tun V. Sambanthan sat dawn and discussed. That discussion was the ultimate deal that will change the entire history of Malaya. Tengku requested that bumiputra should have certain privilege, Malay will be the national language, Chinese & Indians will be given 1 million citizenship for a start, they are allowed to practice their religious rights as long as they don’t disturb other religion, Chinese & Indians can have their own schools to learn their own language, and many more issues. That discussion among the three great leaders was known as The Social Contract. It was done in a very subtle and harmonious way and the whole coalition of BN was born and it’s just based on respect and trust.

When you build something with that kind of essences it will be hard to break, the bond between the races or the concept of 1 Malaysia were born on that faithful day. There will be extremist in any multi-racial party or government anywhere in the world but they are just a handful of people who has a different thinking or agenda. Of course the bond between the three races were tested on that bloody 13th may 1969, they tried to separate the three hands that was glued together but eventually they accepted defeat and given up. Although there were blood spilled, bodies massacred, and the country was under curfew the victory was eventually ours. God bless all the Malaysian’s who died on that day, their death was the proof that we are a nation united by just a simple handshake. It’s almost 50 years now but we are still not free completely from racial sentiments because out of 26 million people we bound to get some rotten eggs who believe he can break the Bond. The country has developed tremendously over the last three decade and the bumiputra has risen and caught up with the Chinese for a fair share of the country’s economy, nevertheless the Indians are still quite behind but the Prime Minister is putting a lot of effort in reviving them. There won’t be another racial riot because everyone in Malaysia is aware of the backlash if it actually happens. Only people who have nothing to loose will want to create a racial riot, but at present we have everything to loose if we indulge in these sorts of activities, the economy, peace and harmony will be disrupted and eventually will destroy our country.

Let me end this with simple incident that I personally witnessed somewhere in 2008, when the country was in chaos and in political obliquity. I use to go Bukit Bintang just to eat the chicken rice in my favorite Nasi Hailam Restaurant. I parked my car at the parking space and walk about 150 meters to the restaurant. When you walk towards the restaurant, you will pass federal hotel across the road, which has an Indian pub at the basement. Obviously at the foot of Federal Hotel, a lot of Indian guys will be standing or talking or waiting for friends. Across the hotel, we have many foot massage parlors, spas and a lot of Chinese guys standing at the road side and ask if you want woman. I was hungry and walk straight to the restaurant and ordered my food, while eating I heard a loud commotion, the owner told that there’s a fight outside. I went cold, because the first thing that strike my mind was the Indian boys outside the pub, I was hoping they didn’t hit a malay or a Chinese, because that was around June 2008, and the country was still under duress with election and racial tension. As every Malaysian, I also want to see what’s happening (sibuk le) and ran outside. There were three huge black guy’s, drunk and refuse to pay their taxi fare, the taxi driver was a small size, Malay guy in the early 50’s. He was pleading to them to pay and one of those guys punched the taxi driver on the face. The driver collapsed and went unconscious, my blood shot up but before I could even move, three Indian boys from across the road ran and started beating the guys, the black guys are huge, and they are gaining over the Indian guys, from nowhere two Chinese guys jumped into the party and they finally overpowered them. They made them sit on the road side on their knees and waited for the police to arrive. One of the black guys started to talk, he was a bit shaken up and asks the Indian and the Chinese guy, why u want to help a Muslim, you guys are fighting for your rights to be equal citizen and you want to help him now. What is wrong with you?

The “Pimp” answered, with some bad words, he said, lu luar punya orang, lu mau pukul Malaysia punya orang ka, kita gaduh ke, mati ka,bukan lu punya hal, ini kita punya hal, gaduh pun macam suami isteri la. Tapi orang luar cuba kurang ajar, lu tengok bukan, India, Cina sama Melayu, satu team la, bodoh. I don’t know weather the black guy understood what the “Pimp” was saying but all the busy onlookers were somehow touched and we all look at each other and started shaking hand like it was a victory. Those guys fought and have bruisers o their face and here we are shaking hand and being proud of them.

My example might not go well with many because it resembles violence and fight but the patriotism shown by the Indian boys and the “pimp” is the unbreakable bond that was sealed 55 years ago by three gentlemen with a golden handshake. The love and patriotism for my country still burns inside of me and it is also in you, so stop this nonsense’s and let’s build a beautiful Malaysia.


God Bless 1 Malaysia.


Captain……