I refer to the recent dare by Nazri to Kit Siang to delete the word "Malay" in the Federal Constitution. It seems to me there is a hint of superiority complex in his challenge and blatant disregard of the implication of Muhyiddin's statement that he is a Malay first.
Nazri simply misses the point by daring PR to table a motion to delete the word "Malay" in the Constitution, which is not an issue here. The point here is that when UMNO ministers say there is nothing wrong in being a Malay first, they are in effect rendering the 1Malaysia concept totally meaningless.
After celebrating 52 years as an independent nation, I would have thought that we had matured over the years and consider ourselves as Malaysians first. But it seems to me that certain UMNO politicians have chosen to use the Constitution as a 'carte blanche' for the furtherance of their political hegemony, simply because the 'special position' of the Malays are guaranteed under the Constitution.
Such a stance taken by these politicians smacks of arrogance and only sets the clock backwards for Najib's 1Malaysia with no real change or transformation in sight, despite the introduction of the New Economic Model and Government Transformation Programme which are mere propaganda tools for the ruling coalition.
UMNO's rallying cry has always been Ketuanan Melayu, kissing of the keris, a Malay dominated cabinet and civil service. With that in mind, the 1Malaysia slogan is becoming a big joke coming from the mouths of UMNO leaders. Being a Malaysian citizen and coming from a mixed Chinese and Indian parentage, I would certainly find it difficult to mention my race first, as I have always considered myself to be a Malaysian first.
Muhyiddin has certainly set a dangerous precedent by his statement that he is a Malay first, as this would only perpetuate BN's racial politics which will undermine national unity and ignoring the fact that there are mixed-race Malaysians who cannot be stereotyped.
Why would UMNO want to politicise their race first and not find their true identity as Malaysians first? Are they not proud to consider themselves as Malaysians first? Do they not realize that we all belong to the human race irrespective of our skin colour and different cultures.
Are we not tired of certain politicians who try to fit us into boxes that leave a multi-racial person like me feeling disgusted and left out? Are we not able to find wholeness and security of being a Malaysian first and our ethnicity second?
The fact that UMNO leaders would want to be defensive of Muhyiddin's statement only goes to prove their psychological insecurity to even regard themselves as Malaysians first but as Malays first.
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