Pekasa striikes against

Perkasa claims Singapore Malays too cowed to speak

By Boo Su-Lyn

January 21, 2011

Ibrahim backed Dr Mahathir’s remarks on the oppression of Singaporean Malays. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali claimed today Singaporeans Malay were afraid of speaking up against their marginalisation, despite recent reports suggesting the community was irked with Malaysian leaders’ repeated citations of their purported oppression. Ibrahim was responding to Singapore Berita Harian readers who were reportedly unhappy with former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad for claiming that the minority group was marginalised.
“No Malays in Singapore dare to talk the truth about the treatment they received,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider in a text message today.
Yesterday, national news agency Bernama reported several Singapore Berita Harian readers as saying that Malays on the island-republic enjoyed progress without subsidies and on equal treatment with other communities.
One reader, Sallim Ahmad, reportedly said it had become Mahathir’s theme that “the Singapore Malays are being marginalised until the end of world.”
He also said the position of Islam was protected although it was not the official religion in the republic.
Another reader called Kamariah Lim Li Hwa was quoted as saying: “We the Malays of Singapore feel at ease and are grateful that the Singapore rulers execute our trust with transparency.”
Ibrahim claimed today, however, that these remarks did not represent the Malay community in Singapore in its entirety.
“That is a planted statement. The statement does not represent the voice of the majority of Malays in Singapore,” said the Pasir Mas MP.
“So, don’t manipulate the issues. We know what is happening,” he added.
Dr Mahathir recently warned against dispersing Kampung Baru’s Malay residents in the same way Singapore had scattered the Malay community and diluted its voice.
He wrote in his blog that while Malaysia is being governed by a Malay majority government that cares for the fate of Malays, “let us not be so sure that there will never be a government where the voice of Malay representatives is removed.”
In June, Dr Mahathir told a rally of Malay NGOs that Malays in Malaysia risked becoming marginalised like their Singapore counterparts because of political divisions.
The former prime minister had said: “If we do not think deeply about the future of our community then there is a possibility that we can become [like] the Singaporean Malays and have no power.”
Today, Selangor Anti-Fraud Coalition (GAPS) chairman Hamidzun Khairuddin said Dr Mahathir had a right to make such remarks as an elder statesman.
“What is wrong with his statements?” asked Hamidzun.
“I am sure Tun Dr Mahathir made his statements sincerely. He was looking at it as a statesman who has wide knowledge and experience in the Malay and Muslim community in the Asian region,” added the group’s leader.
Hamidzun also said the local airing of the comments by Singapore Berita Harian’s readers showed that Malaysia practised freedom of speech.
“It shows that this country respects the opinion of Singaporean Malays who can rebut what Tun Dr Mahathir said,” said Hamidzun.
He then pointed out that Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had similarly criticised Malaysia.
In September, Lee reportedly claimed that if Malaysia’s founding father Tunku Abdul Rahman had decided to keep both nations together 45 years ago, much of what Singapore had achieved today in terms of equality among the races would be likewise be achieved in Malaysia.
“Now we have a very polarised Malaysia — Malays, Chinese and Indians in separate schools, living separate lives and not really getting on with one another,” Lee was quoted as saying in an interview with the New York Times.
TMI