Let Christmas, the first of four Malaysian festivities within a month, start the process to spread goodwill and reduce ethnic tensions initiated by GPMS after meeting with the Prime Minister on December 13

(Petaling Jaya, Sunday):  Merry Christmas to all Malaysian Christians as well as to Malaysians of other faiths.

A distinguished  mark of Malaysia’s plural society is that Malaysians are increasingly sharing in the festivities of Malaysians of other religions and communities. If non-Christians also take part in the Christmas festivities, non-Muslims in Hari Raya Aidilfitri, non-Hindus in Deepavali, non-Chinese in Chinese New Year, it will be a full celebration of the rich diversity of Malaysia’s multi-cultural mosaic strengthening the bonds and foundations for the creation of a Bangsa Malaysia.

Christmas on the first year of the new millennium  is the first of four Malaysian festivities and holidays within a month, to be followed by Hari Raya Aidilfitri, New Year and the Chinese New Year on January 24, 2001.

This month of four Malaysian festivities and holidays should be more than symbolic in marking a new maturity in the 43-year multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural nation-building process.

It would be the wish of all Malaysians that this year’s Christmas, the first of four Malaysian festivities within a month, could start the process to spread goodwill and reduce ethnic tensions initiated by Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) after meeting with the Prime Minister on December 13.

Unfortunately, this is not to be, and this month of four Malaysian festivities and holidays will be held under a cloud of national concern as to whether the country is on the threshhold of a  new crisis of national identity caused by the deliberate and politically-motivated escalation of ethnic tensions reminiscent of the 1987 Operation Lalang.

The controversy over Suqiu as challenging the constitutionally-entrenched sensitive issue of Malay special rights should have been put to rest with  the clear and unequivocal statement by  Suqiu on Friday when it said:

"We respect and support all the fundamental principles of the Constitution, particularly Article 153 regarding the special positions of the Malays and natives of any of the states of Sabah and Sarawak."

Although the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Dr. Rais Yatim said on Thursday that  the Cabinet had issued a directive imposing a blanket ban on comments or responses on sensitive issues, affecting even Ministers, nobody seems to be complying with the Cabinet directive.

In today’s Mingguan Malaysia, for instance, the Defence Minister and UMNO Vice President Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that he would not be surprised if there are more public protests by Malays  like the 1,000 Malays Protest at Pasir Mas, Kelantan organised by Barisan Bertindak Melayu led by  Ibrahim Ali if  Suqiu is not prepared to withdraw its appeals.

Najib, who had played a key role in the escalation of ethnic tensions in the Operation Lalang of 1987, is clearly challenging Abdullah’s public call for a "cooling off" period and instigating the holding of more Malay protests like the one held at Pasir Mas.

The time has come for Malaysians to know whether Abdullah’s call, twice in four days, for a "cooling off"  in the Suqiu-GPMS controversy, warning of "instigation" by certain elements to "aggravate the situation and cause tension in the country", has the support of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir  Mohamad, or whether Abdullah’s call is a lone voice in the Cabinet and government.
 

(24/12/2000)