theSun | TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3 2009
news without borders
Lee ...
‘colonial
mentality
with us’
Youth on race,
religion and king
by Zakiah Koya
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
THE room was packed to its limit. The panellists
were emotional. The audience – mostly under 30s
– was also emotional.
It was a situation to be expected at a recent
forum by a group of youth at the Selangor Chinese
Assembly Hall in Kuala Lumpur to discuss three
issues perceived to be “sensitive” in Malaysia
– “Ethnicity, religion and the king: How have these
affected democracy in the country – what the
youth say.”
The initial mood was more of curiosity as to
how far the forum was going to deal with these
issues.
The panellists squabbled at the end, and the
audience was left fuming that many things were
left unsaid. But a discussion, however disjointed,
did take place.
The panellists were made up of Fahmi Reza,
Shazni Munir Mohd Ithnin, Lee Kai Loon and Mohd
Hariszuan and the commentator was Hishamud-
din Rais.
Documentary maker and graphic designer
Fahmi pointed out that that there is no “rakyat”
(people) in the five pillars of the Rukunegara as
it states loyalty to “raja dan negara” (king and
country).
(Fahmi shot to fame not too long ago when his
documentary 10 years before Merdeka was said
to have gained a “cult” following for its radical
political views. It was aired on the net.)
He explained that the very word “kerajaan”
(government) is a distortion of “raja”.
“Our government is from the ruling elite, that is
why it is not ‘kerakyatan’ but ‘kerajaan’,” he said.
“Furthermore the first prime minister was the son
of a sultan of Kedah. What more proof is needed?
Until today we are ruled by a class of elites.”
Lee, who is the founder of Youth 4 Change,
said the colonial mentality is with us, which is why
we are reluctant to discuss these issues.
He said the Malays may feel threatened in
a debate on democracy, which was why some
Umno leaders played the racial card.
In discussing the subject of ethnicity, Shazni
first asked how many Malaysian Chinese and
Indians wanted to return to India and China, given
a choice.
“What is the point in using the rights of the
Two cops claim trial to
soliciting bribes
by Bernard Cheah
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: Two policemen claimed trial in
the sessions court here yesterday to charges of
soliciting and receiving bribes from a man four
years ago.
Constable Mohd Fadzly Yusof @ Mat Nor, 29,
was slapped with one charge of soliciting and
two counts of obtaining bribes, while constable
Muhamad Rosli Mustaffa, 46, was charged with
abetting in soliciting and obtaining the bribes.
Mohd Fadzly is charged with committing the
first offence at 9.15pm on Jan 5, 2005 at the
roadside on the Bayan Lepas coastal highway
adjacent to Aligent Technologies, when he alleg-
edly solicited a bribe of RM1,000 from one Mohd
Fazli Mat Lazim.
He is alleged to have asked for the money in
exchange for not taking action against Mohd Fazli
and his partner Salbiah Hashim who were said to
be committing khalwat at that time and place.
On the second charge, Mohd Fadzly was
charged with allegedly receiving RM100 from
9
Shazni ... Hariszuan
‘give to ... ‘the
whoever ruling elite
needs it place us in
most’ boxes’
Malays to discredit the Chinese and Indians? If all
Malays get their rights, then it’s okay, but it is only
a few who get the privileges. The rich get richer
and the poor get poorer. Give to whoever needs it
most,” he said to the applauding audience.
Shazni also brought up the sensitivity of dis-
cussions on the Malays. “We are brainwashed
into thinking that when we question ‘Melayu’, we
question the religion Islam – since when did Islam
put race as its basis?”
He said it is time that the people stand up and
speak up as the ruling and opposition parties are
still “immature”. “The ruling party is using racial
politics to divide and rule, while the opposition
parties are suspicious of each other.”
Hariszuan, a Universiti Sains Malaysia student
and member of the Independent Graduate Activ-
ists Group (Kami), had the crowd in stitches when
he said “This is not ceramah politik but cerita
politik”.
He pointed out that it is not Umno which is
feudalistic or racist, but individuals who are racist,
as well as the different business associations and
the different schools for different races.
“The ruling elite can control the rakyat because
they place us in boxes. It is embedded in us from
the time we are small – we have moral classes for
non-Muslims and agama classes for Muslims. The
differentiation was brought about by the British
who used race for economic purposes and we
are still in those boxes,” Hariszuan said.
He said the people are still grappling with the
Malaysian identity.
This was refuted by Fahmi who argued for
“unity in plurality”.
The audience at this stage was all worked up
as they supported their favourite panellist. Many
views were aired.
Hishamuddin, well known for his “openness”,
commented mainly on the king’s role in moving
towards democracy. He praised the audience for
turning up in full force, saying this showed that
more young Mal-aysians were breaking out of the
herd mentality on sensitive subjects.
At the end of the forum, despite differences in
opinion and openness, one participant summed
up what underlies all such discussions: “If I do give
up my rights as a Malay, what is the guarantee
that my Chinese friend will not take advantage
of me economically and that the Indians will be
taken care of?”
Mohd Fazli at the same time and place, not to
take action against him and Salbiah.
On the third charge, he is alleged to have
accepted the remaining RM900 in bribe about
2pm on Jan 6, 2005 near the Bayan Lepas Free
Industrial Zone police service centre.
Seesions judge Rosilah Yop set bail at RM8,000
with one surety for the first charge; RM5,000 with
one surety for the second, and RM7,000 with one
surety for the third, and fixed Nov 16 for the case
to be mentioned.
In another sessions court, Mohd Rosli was
charged with abetting Mohd Fadzly in soliciting
the RM1,000 bribe and in receiving the RM100
from Mohd Fazli as per the charges against Mohd
Fadzly.
Sessions judge Zanol Rashid Hussain set bail
of RM4,000 with one surety for both charges
respectively. The case was also fixed for mention
on Nov 16.
If found guilty, they face a penalty of up to 20
years jail and a fine not less than five times the
amount of the bribe value or RM10,000, which-
ever is higher.