So, admittedly, we Chinese are a scared lot. We’re afraid of a lot of things ranging from stepping on an ant hill less it’s the home of some gods. We’re afraid of the many things that might go wrong during pre and post pregnancy that we have an endless list of pantang larang. We’re afraid of losing “ong” during Chinese New Year that we have another set of pantang larang. We’re afraid of our sitting position in office which attracts bad luck. We’re afraid that our car plate numbers are not right. We’re afraid of various spirits that we have gods everywhere – kitchen, front door, back door etc. We’re afraid of death and we have a list of superstition to protect us. We’re afraid of hospitals and we have another list of superstition to protect us. WE’RE JUST REALLY AFRAID OF EVERYTHING. Just google for Chinese superstitious and you’ll know.
So although expectedly when our bastardly PM decided to say “Chinese Tsunami” when he announced that BN has once again won, opening the flood gates of low IQ Malaysians to hurl racist remarks at us… we became AFRAID again. To say that I was disappointed at how we reacted is an understatement.
Before the elections, we increased our participation in Bersih, Anti-Lynas, Anti-ISA together with our Malay, Indian dan lain-lain brothers and sisters to fight for a cleaner, less corrupted & a more accountable Malaysia, braving any possible risk of arrest, tear gas, beating and possible death. During the elections, we became human barricade (again with the other Malaysians) to ensure no phantom voters got to vote and no suspicious ballot boxes were brought in. 12 midnight, when we found out that SPR was being hanky panky, we together as 1Malaysia turn our profiles black, planned mini rallies of wearing black shirt and taping our mouths. We together as 1Malaysia demanded for the truth!
Then Najib said, “Chinese Tsunami” and in the morning we realize that we were being made the scapegoat for BN’s poor performance, we became afraid again. Utusan asked us, “Apa Cina mau lagi”, Kosmos accused of being, “Talam dua muka” although the only talam I know is kuih talam which I love very much but I don’t think they meant it in such a way, and we began to realize that on FB, there were a group of Malays hurling very abusive racist remarks asking us to “Balik Cina” and Chua Soi Lek said, “There would not be any Chinese representative in the cabinet”.
Then we reacted, not with the facts that we knew but with fear. We began forwarding messages telling our friends not to wear black and not to forward the said message to any non-Chinese or on FB, we started telling each other “Stay safe”, we receive SMSs asking us to remove our black picture profile less we became victims, we told each other on FB to remove them… stay neutral, there might be riots, they’re trying to create trouble.
I personally got sick pissed when someone forwarded me those messages not only because we so quickly forget what we have achieved but we began abandoning our fight for justice just to ensure our asses (plural for ass) are safe… the same old mentality of selfishness and caring for our own race. On top of that, it only made things worst. Putting people in a flight or fight mode, in which any small rumor/scuffle that might happen will easily escalate into something bigger in no time. It didn’t help. We just became puppets to BN’s fear mongering game.
To my dear Chinese friends, let me ask you… Michelle Yeoh bukan Cina ar? Chua Soi Lek bukan Cina ar? Liow Tiong Lai bukan Cina ar? Koh Tsu Koon bukan Cina ar? If they were going to start anything, you think they’re going to throw petrol bombs into their houses?
Haven’t we gone through these all our lives living in Malaysia? Have we forgotten UMNO’s general assembly and the keris? Ridhuan Tee and his endless condemnation of the Chinese? Ibrahim Ali and Zul Noordin? The never ending threat of May 13? The screening of May 13? The too many times we’ve heard “Cina balik Cina”? Haven’t BN been continuously trying to divide us Malaysians by our race?
Let me also ask you… Who voted out Ibrahim Ali from KELANTAN? Who voted out Zul Noordin in SHAH ALAM? Who were the 52% of voters that voted against BN? Who were the majority that stood beside you in BERSIH? Who voted for PAS? Who voted for a Malay candidate from Pakatan instead of a Chinese candidate from BN?
The fight was never a fight of one race abandoning another. It was a fight of Malaysians of every race fighting against inequality. Against corruption. Against cronyism. Against injustice.
So please, don’t tell me to “Stay safe” when there are more serious things to worry about like snatch thefts, death in custody, witnesses jumping off MACC buildings, blackouts etc. Don’t tell me to stock up food when there might not even be food in 5 years time. Don’t tell me to stay as neutral as possible behind the scenes because I refuse to subject myself and my children’s future to such racist remarks and corruption in future. I will continue to fight openly together with my Malay, Indian dan lain lain brothers and sisters of Malaysia to uphold everything that is right. DO NOT BE COWED. We’re not Sharizat.
To my friends of all races, thank you for standing up when you shared pictures of you and your friends of other races together, posting experiences in full honesty of what 1Malaysia really meant, and standing up to any racist bigot. Sharing and re-sharing those stories you came across. Dousing the fire of racism not with fear but with flowers of true togetherness and harmony of us Malaysians. With these experiences, I know if anything should happen, I have enough Malay friends to come to my assistance as I would to them.
To Chua Soi Lek: I really don’t give a crap if there are no Chinese representatives in the cabinet. What use were they when they couldn’t even protect us when we were subjected to racist remarks in the past? My Malay brothers and sisters in Pakatan seem to be doing a much better job than any Chinese cabinet minister.
We today are moving closer as a truly 1Malaysia. Closing the gaps between races that have been put there by BN for the longest years. It’s not going to happen overnight. There will still be racist bigots out there but this time around, we’ve resoundingly told them that “Malaysia has no place for racist bastards”. So, let’s not lose focus. Let not fear get the better of us and let us push forward together as 1Malaysia to see a better Malaysia. We’re not Chinese, Indian, Malay anymore.
WE ARE MALAYSIANS!
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