Taken from a local Singaporean Malay Ridzwan's blog
Let's face it. Hatred towards the Malays is still very much
alive on the Internet. Despite all the uproar over the convicted
racist bloggers last year, many are still finding sadistic solace
in overseas websites and spurious blog sheets. The question is, how
do we even begin to dismantle what is historically one of the
toughest barriers towards total Racial Harmony in
Singapore?
There has bee much effort towards the propagation of Racial Harmony
in this island. For the past few Ramadhans, non-Muslim members of
the community have taken time to break bread with their Muslim
friends. Several mosques in Singapore have even allowed access to
restricted sections of the prayer hall to visitors, all in the name
of fostering greater understanding and accord amongst the diverse
communities here. We certainly have made commendable strides and
the efforts should continue.
But the lamentable truth is, there's still a handful of
Singaporeans out there whom we have failed to reach. Take a quick
stroll through many of Singapore's popular online forums and you
will be bound to find a thread on Malay-bashing.
I hate to say this, but the convicted bloggers who made racist
remarks against Malays and Muslims are just the proverbial tip of
the hate iceberg. If we continue to expose our youngsters a to a
constant diet of hate literature and deplorable half-truths, what
kind of leaders will we have in the future?
I have been observing these racist individuals for several years
now and I come to the conclusion that this chasm of intolerance
exists because of several myths that people have been carrying
regarding the Malays in Singapore.
Clarifications of these myths will not magically make everyone see
eye to eye on a same racial plane, but it is my hope that they
might just be the first step needed in dispelling the hatred in
certain individuals.
Myth: Malays Receive Free Education
One of the sore points many Singaporeans on the Internet have
regarding our Malays is the notion that we are receiving free
education from the state even through polytechnic and
university.
Free education for indigenous people is a legacy brought about by
the British to protect the original inhabitants of a country. It is
still widely practised in other Commonwealth nations such as
Australia and New Zealand where the aborigines are fully subsidised
in tertiary institutions.
However the legacy for tertiary fees has been dismounted by the
Government since 1991. While students coming from households
earning less than $1500 a month will be put through a subsidy
programme via Mendaki ( a Malay version of the Chinese CDAC and
Indian SINDA), the majority of Malay students in polytechnics and
universities today are there on tuition fees fully paid for by
their parents. Be rest assured that your Malay countrymen are
working and saving just as hard as you are to support their
children's tertiary educations.
Myth: Malays Will Betray the Country for the Neighbours in
War
I am not sure how this misconception came about but having served
my NS stint in the Army with good buddies of all races, it is a
myth that puzzles me as much as it bereaves me.
Some time in April this year, a member of the ewadah forum posted
an informal poll meant to be answered by Muslim Singaporeans who
served in the Army. The question was If Singapore goes to war with
Malaysia, will you shoot a fellow Malay-Muslim from the enemy
side?
Several people responded to the poll. ALL responded in the
affirmative. To me, the results are hardly surprising. In Islam,
fighting for one's country is one of the most exalted forms of
Jihad.
History has also shown that Malays are loyal to their country and
its people first. Race will only come in second. When Tunku Abdul
Rahman invited Malays from Singapore over to Malaysia to enjoy the
vast Bumiputra privileges during the separation, our Malays in
Singapore largely remained loyal to the nation and refused to
budge.
Loyalty of the Malay race to this country and its people should
never come into question, ever.
Myth: Malays are a Druggie Race
Another popular misconception is that Malays are a druggie race and
largely are a liability to the society.
Granted, this would have been accurate in the 80s. I make no
apologies for the ignorance of these people during that era. They
were an eyesore and a source of huge embarrassment for the Malay
society.
But the community has made great improvements with the help of the
country's leaders and evangelical activists within its own ranks.
According to statistics from the CNB, Malays are no longer the No.
1 problem race when it comes to narcotics. It has been that way for
the past few years.
