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14 theSun | FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20 2009

speak up!

Tough call to make

t h e s u n s a y s

Look beyond race

OVER the last three days,
Citizen Nades and I have
received overwhelming
feedback – bouquets as well
as brickbats – for our front-
page report on the invasion of
Elizabeth Wong’s privacy.
Nades and I don’t usually
like to explain ourselves, as
it can be construed as a
feeble attempt at self-defence,
when there’s nothing to feel
guilty about. But there have
been questions from readers,
supporters and even several
colleagues as to the need to
highlight the issue. After
intense discussions and the
understanding that some of
these images will be making
its rounds on the Web, the
paper decided we should
run the story to reflect that
voyeurism is still the best
way to discredit someone in
political office.
We make no apologies for
writing that report. Unlike
those who subscribe to and
eke out a living from gutter
journalism, we temper our
reports with class, decency
and respect for the subject
of our report. Even the late
Datuk Zakaria Md Deros
Down2Earth
by Terence Fernandez
received a flattering eulogy in
this very column last March.
In spite of all his misconduct,
the prime minister had
regarded Zakaria as “a good
leader”. In that same vein, I
hope that Wong too will be
judged on her track record
rather than what goes on in
her private life.
Throughout my dealings
with Wong, she has come
across as someone whose
political naivity is compen-
sated by her passion for her
work, bringing her NGO
background and tempera-
ment into the state executive
council meetings. I was told
that at her last exco meeting
on Feb 11 – five days before
the story of her invasion of
privacy broke – she was in
an emotional debate with
the mentri besar and some
of her exco colleagues over
the plight of orang asli in
her constituency. During the
Bukit Antarabangsa tragedy,
she was among the first to
spearhead relief efforts and
was embroiled in a war
of words with the Works
Ministry for the latter’s refusal
to issue the technical report
to the state government.
Her table thumping at
many meetings on issues
such as the environment and
human rights underscores
her passion for these issues
and can be traced all the
way to her student days in
Sydney.
Of course the conserva-
tives among us and indeed
those within her party and
coalition are in a predicament
as their moral standing will
also be questioned. The one
with the biggest headache
is obviously PAS, although
Tok Guru Nik Aziz himself
has waved the incident off.
But to the younger crowd
– who largely make up
the electorate who decided
on the outcome of the last
general election – this epi-
sode further fuels their anger
and disgust as to the depths
one will go towards character
assassination.
Although nothing has
been proven, fingers are
being pointed. One sympa-
thises with those targeted by
Wong’s supporters, but for
all you know there could be
a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It
is no secret that there were
many disgruntled voices
when this former head of
Suaram leap-frogged over
others to become assembly-
woman and exco. Moreover,
political leaders of all persua-
sions have been supportive
of Wong and vocal in con-
demning the invasion of her
privacy. This crossing of the
political divide to support
Wong is perhaps the silver
lining surrounding this sad
state of affairs.
Terence hopes clearer heads
will prevail over the issue.
He is deputy editor (special
reports & investigations).
ON Monday, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in his Royal Address to
Parliament conveyed an important message to his lawmakers
– the government will not hesitate to act against any party
out to cause discord among the rakyat. His Majesty went
on to stress that Islam is the religion of the country and the
freedom of others to practise their own faiths as provided in
the Constitution.
On Wednesday, theSun through its columnist, Citizen-Nades
echoed His Majesty’s views and pleaded to all Malaysians to
exercise caution when addressing issues of importance with-
out having to use the race card. Political rhetoric, he argued,
is worrying because it could spell disaster. Besides, the vitriol
spewed by politicians has reached dangerous levels. He made
an impassioned plea to Malaysians to stand up and fight racism
and abhor those who practised such brand of politics.
The response to both have been overwhelming, a sign that
Malaysians are sick and tired of politicians and their supporters
using race wherever and whenever they feel like it without
considering the consequences. It is heartening to note that
Malaysians are standing united on this issue (see letters).
Bigotry, it is said, is the most heinous crime against dignity.
It can(not) be fought with organising gotong-royong or with
money. No amount of open houses or goodwill gatherings will
help because after helping themselves to the food, they go
home with the same thoughts. No government department
can do it. It must come from the heart and with passion. And
it should start at home and continue as the children go to
pre-school. Everyone who wants to call himself a Malaysian
must eradicate any thought that they are divided by their
race, religion, colour or creed. They must collectively view
themselves as Malaysians irrespective of their ethnicity.
Admittedly, this is an uphill task but not an impossible one.
A journey of a thousand miles, it is said, starts with the first
step. Let’s take the first step and support Malaysians who are
able and willing to take that long journey.

letters
letters@thesundaily.com

Justice and equity for all

THIS country was founded
on principles of justice and
equality. It was recognised by
our founding fathers that unity
in diversity had to be trans-
lated from a catch phrase or
slogan into deeds that would
give added strength to our
national life. The introduction
of the New Economic Policy
subsequently was never in-
tended to alter the basis and
substance of our nationhood.
This is something that we
should never forget because
our future as a nation hinges
upon our commitment to the
fundamentals of justice and
equity for all.
It is sad that after all
these years during which
we have succeeded in
pulling ourselves up the
economic ladder to become
an important regional player,
questions of race continue to
dominate our waking hours.
All this is understandable
because people generally feel
particularly vulnerable and
exposed when they see how
our Constitution has become
a political plaything, to be
tossed about and changed by
the government of the day for
narrow sectional gains rather
than the wider interests of all
Malaysian citizens.
The sense of insecurity on
the part of non-bumiputras
is not without a good reason,
and I do not see it, as many
are quick to claim, as an
over-reaction by a group of
ethnic minority malcontents.
Their concerns are real. They
have seen and experienced
a gradual shift from strict
adherence to the constitu-
tional provisions to the more
questionable administrative
laws and cabinet decisions
as a basis for administering
our country. This deliberate
erosion of the citizens’ rights
as enshrined in the Merdeka
Constitution has become a
matter for serious concern.
Malaysian society contin-
ues to be divided along racial
lines and the level of polarisa-
tion gives little comfort or joy
to Malaysians who believe
passionately in a Malaysian
Malaysia with all that this
implies. I do not believe that
we will ever achieve this lofty
and desirable ambition unless
and until we are prepared to
address all our outstanding
problems associated with
race in a spirit of mutual trust,
based on policies which are
manifestly fair and just. The
government cannot afford
to ignore the danger signals
any longer without putting
the nation’s peace, progress,
prosperity and racial
harmony at risk.
In making this plea for
policies that unite rather than
divide us, I must stress that
for those policies to work, we
have to be prepared to make
both sacrifices and compro-
mises because adopting an
entrenched, selfish position
will not be helpful in our
search for a meaningful Ma-
laysian identity. The conse-
quences of failure to integrate
our multiracial society are
too terrible to contemplate.
The future of our nation is far
too important to be entrusted
to the tender mercies of our
politicians who have shown
very clearly, on a range of
critical issues that they are
both unethical and incom-
petent, and that is putting
it charitably. Let us put our
money where our mouths
are in matters that affect
us fundamentally, always
putting our beloved Malaysia
first in everything we do.
Nothing less that a full-
fledged Bangsa Malaysia
grounded on democratic
principles of justice and
equality of opportunity is
good enough for us.
Tunku Abdul Aziz
Kuala Lumpur

Be strong, Wong
I HAVE the utmost respect
for Elizabeth Wong and
what is happening to her
now is just a lesson from her
enemies teaching her how to
be strong.
Elizabeth, you should not
resign. We know how high
your morals are and we also
know how low the morals of
some people are. We know
how good you are in your
work.
The guy who did this has
only one aim, that is to bring
you down. Don’t give in
now, not at this time. We are
behind you.
Don’t worry about the
photos. You are like a sister
to us and we don’t see our
own sister’s photos in this
context. Please be strong,
take all the rest you want but
please come back to work.
All this while we were eager
to have a leader like you and
we don’t want to lose you just
because some losers eagerly
want to take over power.
A Constituent
via e-mail