Sensing that the Ahmad Ismail Saga may get out of hand, I tried to refrain from commenting further, so as not to "add salt to the wound", as I thought "time will heal all ills" but it's obvious that this old saying is not always right.
But Ahmad Ismail's continued arrogance and his personal attack on Koh Tsu Koon during his press conference and the support given to him by Penang Umno leaders "forces" me out from my hibernation just to say a word or two - hoping that that small bit of mine may make a difference.
It's universally observed that nations deeply embroiled in racial conflict always end up either in extinction, broken up into smaller sovereign states or could never recover economically. The former Yugoslavia completely disappeared from the world map - broke up into Slovenia, Georgia, Croatia and others. The former great USSR disintegrated partly due to racial conflict. South Africa suffered a great deal due to racial conflict. Sudan has been plagued by famine due to racial conflict. Many others suffered the same fate due to racial intolerances.
No one in his right frame of mind would like to see this happening to Malaysia. That being the case, all of us Malaysians of all races and ethnicity, especially high office politicians must go all out - at all cost to Practise the Politics of Restraint.
Malaysia comprises of many races and ethnicity; they co-exist for centuries, they work together with each other and they need and depend on each other. One could never imagine how would Malaysia be without the Malays, or Chinese, or Indians, or Ibans, or Dayaks, Sikhs etc. It would not be Malaysia anymore. So, why would anybody wants to diminish this beautiful identity.
Living in a plural society like Malaysia requires lots of tolerance, restraint and understanding.
Let's be more tolerance with each other. Let's forgive and forget each other's mistakes.
Let's restraint from hurting and offending each other.
Let's be more understanding of each other's beliefs and practices.
Let's respect each other regardless of race and ethnicity.
Let's bear in mind and be always wary about the sensitivity of each other's race and religion.
Let's avoid condenming each other race and ethnic. If needs to, let's critisize each other's actions, not because one is a Malay, Indian, Chinese or Sikh.
Let's eliminate the politics of hate. Let's avoid racial tension at all cost.
In so doing, whenever and wherever we say unintentionally something wrong or hurting, apologize right away. Let's not wait for the PM or DPM to instruct us to do so. Let's not wait for the DPM to apologize on our behalf. Let's not allow our top leaders to stoop so low to diffuse the tension.
Let's not be so stubborn, defiant, stone-headed, arrogant and recalcitrant in our conduct. If you are in the wrong, just admit it. The world would not chastisized you for admitting your wrongdoing. The public despise stubborn, stone-headed and arrogant people. Furthermore, when you're in the wrong, stop giving lame excuses that even a 5-year old child couldn't accept. Everyone knows about "the historical facts". No need to remind them. It irks people more. They can also present you many other "historical facts" which you may not like.
Let's assume full responsibility for our actions. Whoever you're or whatever happens to you, you're 100% responsible. Don't blame your grandfather for being fat. Don't blame your father for being uneducated. Don't blame Koh Tsu Koon for the political upheaval in Penang. Don't blame Koh Tsu Koon for the routing of BN by the PR in the March general election. Stop the blame game. You're what you're. You're who you're. Blame yourself. Assume 100% responsibility.
Let's not aggreviate the matter by issuing threats. Let's not say "expel Gerakan from BN" or "don't push the Malays too far" or "don't steal the Malays' special privileges" or "a possible May 13 version 2" or "a lesson for the Malays to be united". All these are unnecessary. All these are not helping to diffuse the situation but worsen it instead. Let's not take it from individual wanting to become "heroes". Let's bear in mind that threat doesn't work. Threats only work on children.
Let's have some cow sense in dealing with people of different races, ethnicity and religions. Don't follow the footstep of the Penang Umno strongmen who gave their undivided but blind support to their colleague, knowing jolly well that he had erred. Support the right cause, not the person. If a Chinese made a mistake, other Chinese shouldn't support him just because he's a Chinese. Similarly, if an Indian did something right, all Malaysians, regardless of race, must come out to support him.
Let's work hard and strife further. Let's bring this country to the next level, regardless of who you are - whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Dayaks, Ibans, Melanaus etc. Let's create wealth for the nation. If the Malays are rich, Malaysia is also rich. If the Chinese are rich, Malaysia is also rich. But at the same time, let's not forget the poor and the unfortunate ones.
Let's discard any ill-feeling, greed, envious, anger, hatred and dissatisfaction we have for each other, as these are the "evils" that are contagious in us that are telling us to go heads-on at each other's throats.
Let's do all these for our beloved Malaysia for our children to inherit.
- abROcadabRO -
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