In response to KAKI DALAM KASUT

In response to “Kaki Dalam Kasut”

On 20th July 2009, Tun Dr. Mahathir had written an article entitled Kaki Dalam Kasut in his blog. Many non-Malay readers especially the Chinese community were annoyed by this article and many of them labeled him as a racist. However, I think differently. In my opinion he is flattering the Chinese, implying that with their strong economic power, the non-Malay especially the Chinese are the real owner of this country despite the government is Malay-controlled. It is the same thing as flattering an ordinary looking person, as handsome or beautiful. Who is not happy to be praised as handsome or beautiful, especially girls? However, such flattery or unwanted compliments are dangerous as demonstrated in Dr Mahathir’s blog by the response of a Malay who talked about the minute parking incident at the Balakong Jusco Hypermarket.

Tun Dr. Mahathir should be aware that most Chinese are economic homo sapiens. and they can perform economic miracles. Whether they speak Thai, Indonesian, English or other languages, they always aim for financial achievement. They want their children to study hard and the goal is the same, for financial accomplishment and better lives in future. Most Chinese are Buddhist in name but actually they are practicing Confucianism and Taoism. Unlike the Malay, they are not disciplined by religion, but by the law of the legislator and also the teaching of Confucius (Kong Fu Zi), whose verses can be freely assessed by the persons who are practicing it. China, Korea, Japan and Singapore can be regarded as Confucian countries (i.e. countries with ethical value of Rujia Shixiang, the ethical thought of Confucius) and they are the most advanced in economy in Asia. Are you aware that China is now the 4th largest economic entity in the world after USA, Japan and Germany? The most remarkable is China which emerged from famine in the early 1960s to the 4th largest economic entity in the world presently. Nowadays in China beauties wearing bikini parade on stage and can be viewed in the television screen by billions of viewers, a big contrast to the blue uniform and cap every person wore during the pre-Deng Xiao Ping period. They have forgotten the little red book and are not restricted by any holy verses. Most Chinese all over the world amass their wealth through legal and ethical means, as Confucius taught “Jun Zi Ai Cai, Qu Zhi You Dao” which means “A gentlemen may like money but he must make money through the ethical means”.

Nobody is destined to be inferior in financial achievement, but it is the mindset and way of life that determine his destiny. For instance, in Tibet, the Tibetan are real Buddhist and they are in the bondage of their holy verses. Every Tibetan lives like a monk or a nun, by looking at their way of practicing Buddhism. The same thing happens to the Uighur minority in Xinjiang. Both minority in China cannot achieve economically. Thus there were riots in Tibet about 2 years ago and this year again there was a more serious riot in Xinjiang because of the economic disparity between the Han Chinese and the Uighur minority. The root cause of the recent riots in Xinjiang was very similar to the May 13 Incident in Malaysia in 1969. When I look at a pretty young Malay girl with tudong, it reminds me more of a nun in a Christian convent located opposite my alma mater in Ipoh, than a lively and discerning young girl, because the Christian nun wore similar costume.

It was the British who make Malaysia a multi-racial country. Not only Malaysia, the British also make Sri Lanka, Fiji, other British colonies and even their own country, United Kingdom multi-racial. In Fiji, the Indian constitute more that 50 per cent of the population, making the indigenous race a minority . The presence of Chinese community in Malaysia can be a blessing in disguise. As the Chinese abhor law or condition that may change their way of life, they will only support the moderate Malay to be at the rein of the central government and rule this country and the Malay girls will not be flogged because they wear jeans. In today’s newspaper (30.7.09), it is reported that a Sudanese girl working for the United Nation will be flogged 40 times because she wore a long pant (similar to jean). Most of the Malaysian terrorists like Dr. Nordin cannot operate in Malaysia’s multi-racial environment and they have to continue their terrorist activities in a 90 per cent Muslim country like Indonesia. If the Chinese are as rich as what Tun Dr Mahathir had mentioned in his article, then the Proton Saga Plant, KLIA, Penang Bridge and the whole of Putrajaya were built by using the taxes paid by the Chinese. Moreover, without the presence of the Chinese community, Malaysia today will be more similar to Sumatra or Sulawesi.

The Malay population also contributed their merit to the Chinese. The Communists, mainly Chinese, fought to establish a Communist country in Malaya. Although some of the Communist leaders were Malay, but the Malay never accept Communism because of their strong adherence of their faith. Thus the Malay had saved the living style of the Chinese. Otherwise, all Malayan (or Malaysian) including the Chinese, would live like dogs and were still using bicycles today and praying for a Malayan Deng Xiao Ping to emerge.

Confucius once said “Ji Gu Fang Ji”, implying “saving the grain to confront hunger or lean time”. The Chinese like to earn money as well as saving money except bad apples like gamblers and spendthrifts and there are no holy verses to change or restrict their life style. Again, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Singapore are all rich in their national reserve. American banks find that they cannot make money in issuing credit cards in China because most Chinese pay all for their credit card at the end of the month and they seldom use their card to get money which they have yet to earn. Nowadays, in the economic turmoil, even the Americans have to read the face of the Chinese, who have bought a lot of American bonds. In Malaysia, billion ringgit of government bonds (Amanah Saham) for the non-Malay quota were snapped up within several hours.. The unfinished Bumiputra quota were also snapped up within one day (to be exact within 3 hours, by 12.00 noon, all were sold out). This implies that the non-Malay especially the Chinese not only excel in making money, they are good in saving money too.

When I was a kid, my mother often said the monks were lazy people, chanting their holy verses and doing nothing every day in the temple. That was only my mother’s personal view but I think my mother was Confucian first before she was a Buddhist. The Chinese Buddhists never have the rule to become a monk once in their lifetime as this is contrary to the Confucian teaching. In fact the Chinese minority are controlling the economy and politics in Thailand. In addition, the Thai royal family members have Chinese blood and most the past and present Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers are Chinese with Thai names. In Indonesia, the 5% Chinese minority are also in control of the Indonesian economy.

When asked about life after death, Confucius answered “I cannot fully understand my present life, how can I tell you life after death”. Asked about God’s existence, Confucius reply “Xin Zhe You Zhi, Bu Xin Zhe Wu Zhi” meaning “If you believe there is god, then there is, If you do not, it would be otherwise” In many Confucian countries and communities especially the Chinese, they are deeply influenced by such verses. Unfortunately, Confucius never came to South East Asia to teach (not preach, he was just a respected teacher). Otherwise, the indigenous communities of South East Asia will not keep blaming others for their poor economic achievement while they themselves are busy in asking god’s help everyday and do not set a goal to endeavour for financial success.

Dear Tun, don’t over-compliment or flatter a particular race because this will make them feeling proud and other races may envy. This could be catastrophic.