The Utusan Malaysia headline of May 7 posed an interesting and pertinent question of what more do the Chinese in Malaysia want. It is a pity that Utusan is unable to see that what the Chinese want is, in fact, what the educated urban Malaysian voter wants, regardless of race or religion. There are three important characteristics lacking in the Barisan of today.
Intelligent, courageous leadership
The Chinese comprise only 30 per cent of
Malaysian voters, yet Pakatan Rakyat won 51 per cent of the total votes
cast. By saying that the election result was because of the Chinese
voters, the Barisan Nasional leadership demonstrates an inability to
objectively face reality.
Barisan’s acceptance of Zulkifli Nordin
as its direct Shah Alam candidate similarly shows a lack of intelligence
and courage. Here is a lawyer who does not feel that dialogue and
discussion can resolve matters, having forcefully disrupted a Law
Society seminar a few years ago. He has vowed loyalty to, and then
turned on, his previous political parties (PAS and PKR). He has publicly
belittled an ancient religion with a million Malaysian followers.
UMNO making way for Ibrahim Ali to
contest the Pasir Mas constituency is similarly bad judgement, showing
its acceptance and approval of a crude man who prides himself with using
vulgar words in public interviews.
To give them such special honour and
credit shows a lack of intelligent reasoning and an inability to stand
up against the loud extremist faction of the party.
Attributing the election outcome to a
“Chinese tsunami” is illogical in the face of concrete facts and data.
PAS won an additional seven state seats in Selangor, all in Malay
majority areas.
Lim Kit Siang could not have achieved a
majority of over 14,000 votes in Gelang Patah without good support from
Malays who form 35 per cent of the electorate there.
Similarly the UMNO-backed PERKASA
extremists were conclusively rejected in Pasir Mas (96 per cent Malay)
and in Shah Alam where Malays make up 70 per cent of the electorate.
To blindly spin the 2013 election outcome
to suit its raced-based founding philosophy of 1947shows up a political
party that wants to be stubbornly unwise. Unless UMNO’s leadership can
find the courage to face facts, the party may become redundant and
obsolete for the educated 21st century voter.
Academic studies have consistently shown
that increased income brings more happiness and satisfaction only up to a
certain point. When a society progresses out of poverty into middle
class, increasing income does not increase satisfaction proportionately.
It is the psychological aspects of living that produces a better
quality of life.
Whatever the radiation scientists claim,
the people of Bentong (45 per cent Malay, 44 per cent Chinese) will ask
why a factory run by an Australian company is unsuitable for Australia
or Damansara Heights but can be located in their backyard.
In 2008, Health Minister Liow won Bentong
by over 12,000 votes. This year he retained Bentong with less than 400
votes against a political novice who is a green activist. The urban
electorate, Chinese or Malay, seeks respect and recognition of their
right to a safe living environment.
In Penang, the 1 Malaysia Charity
organisation hosted numerous concerts and dinners in support of Barisan
candidates. At their functions, T-shirts, beer, hawker food and lucky
draw gifts were given free.
Initially there was merriment and wonder
at this new campaigning style; this then became anger and disgust when
even cash incentives were handed out. The electorate felt they were
treated with disrespect, as if their rights, dignity and vote were up
for sale.
Numerous development issues had plagued
the Penang DAP government in the months leading up to the election, and
the increased majority they subsequently obtained can only be explained
by the strong rejection what the other side represents. Money cannot buy
happiness, and similarly, the urban electorate set out to show that
money cannot buy their vote in Penang.
The urban electorate in Malaysia is
obviously better off economically compared to the rural dwellers. They
have reached a stage when extra economic incentives can no longer easily
win their approval.
Instead they asked for respect, and an
acknowledgement of their right to an inclusive, peaceful existence in
the country. They seek recognition as a legitimate electorate with the
right to choose the governing party. Blaming and insulting them for
voting against the Barisan will only guarantee the DAP and Pakatan a
brighter future.
There is no doubt that relative to those
who were once our equivalent, we Malaysians have fallen behind. The
Singapore dollar which was equivalent to the ringgit in the 1970’s is
today 2.5 times higher. Malaysia beat South Korea and Japan in the 1972
Olympic football qualifying rounds; today we are nowhere near these 2
World Cup Finals participating countries.
Universiti Malaya had topped the list of
universities passing the United States medical qualifying examination in
1969, ahead of Melbourne and Singapore University. In 2011, Universiti
Malaya was ranked 401 out of the 500 universities in the Shanghai Jiao
Tong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities.
The educated, smart-phone holding,
internet-surfing, urban voter is aware of world-wide trends and wants to
experience the best that life can offer. When the governing party is
unable to develop the country to its full potential, its popularity will
drop.
As demonstrated by the Noble prize
winning Dr Ivan Pavlov, animals respond to incentives, and man is no
exception. A system that promotes those who agree with and pamper those
in power while sidelining those working hard to pursue competency will
breed inefficient malfunctioning institutions. Even those not under
their direct employment will be affected by these incompetent
institutions.
Conclusion
by Ong Hean Teik
When the police force is politicised and
crime rate increases, more money will have to be spent on personal and
household security. Even Datuk Nazir Razak admitted that he had
hesitated coming back to Malaysia because of concerns about his
children’s education. When the middle class spends on private education
or healthcare, votes for the governing party will drop.
The Chinese now make up only 25 per cent
of Malaysia’s population and to be named as the cause of major
developments in the country is to be hurtful to this minority and
insulting to the majority. On the other hand, government statistics show
that Malaysia’s urban population has increased from 62 per cent in 2000
to 71 per cent in 2010.
No amount of rhetorical whitewashing can
hide the fact that the poor performance of Barisan in the 2013 election
is due to its failure to win the heart and mind of the urban voter. The
faster it faces reality and move away from its obsolete race-based
mindset, the better its prospects for the next electoral battle.
* Dr Ong Hean Teik is a consultant cardiologist in Penang. He reads The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
Related posts:
No comments:
Post a Comment