Beggars For Half A Century

Beggars For Half A Century
14 May, 2008

By TAN POH KHENG, SIN CHEW DAILY

The 8 March general elections provided an opportunity for many politicians to speak their minds. Anything that they dare not to say before is now freely voiced out. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi now has the chance to hear their articulated views five years after he took the office. Of course, there were also nonsense.

Ordinary citizens might get into trouble if they speak as they liked. But if leaders of the country speak whatever they like before even thinking properly, it might bring trouble to the country.

If you do not hold the post, do not meddle in the affairs of that post. Of course, retired politicians could speak as they like. But they have to be careful as careless words might cause endless troubles.

Gerakan adviser Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik is a straight talking man. As he no longer holds any government positions, we can see him on newspapers and television screens frequently. With sharp words, his remarks leads people to think and his humour makes people laugh.

During an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily, Lim severely criticised those who said Malay privilege is pointless (if being misused). He also said it is wrong to refer to Malays as the boss while other races are slaves. He said some Umno leaders are arrogant and misuse their power. He predicted that the mode of the Umno-led BN would be spurned by the people one day, if BN does not want to transform into a multiracial political party, there are three other alternative options. He even believed that was wrong for the authority to charge a blogger under the Sedition Act.

"The word beggar is an extreme humiliation to the Chinese."

If he dared to say such things which sounded like the Opposition during his term of office to former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and incumbent Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi his opinion, I believe the situation might be different..

More importantly, MCA, Gerakan and MIC are not what Lim likened them to be-beggars. The word “beggar” is a big blow for the Chinese community, it is painful and sad.

It is painful as after about half a century, MCA, Gerakan and MIC have eventually admitted that they do not enjoy equal status with Umno. Umno has been the master all this while and the other three member parties had been the had maidens over the past 50 years. And even worse, they become the “beggars” now.

It is sad as I am afraid that these parties might be the “beggars” forever if the people did not teach BN a lesson in the recent general elections.

The “beggar” remarks is in fact a heavy blow to Gerakan, whose future is unclear. The word beggar is an extreme humiliation to the Chinese. It is an irony for Lim to mention the word.

The issue of inequality might have been resolved if Lim dared to criticise Umno's arrogant attitude and deviant policies. But it is meaningless to say it today.

The greatest tragedy of the people is that their elected leaders have in fact made the Chinese and Indians into “beggars” for over half a century.

Even worse, as the status of the member parties of BN have been reduced to “beggars”, what about the status of Chinese and Indian community in this multi-racial society? (Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE)