DANGEROUS WATERS

Already there is a trend to racialise every project, issue, event and dispute to such an extend that ordinary rakyat is becoming emotionally charged. Some columnists, journalists and writers are guilty, as much as the politicians, in racialising almost every issue just to make themelves more popular or accepted by their peers. Some are not very objective and even credit their own perception/views as being that of the majority ('rakyat' as they are fond to put it). Though they may vehemently deny this, but their continuous writings/speeches tell us a very different story. They may try to hide it behind words like "transparency', "democracy", "freedom", "human rights" and what other rights. But, it boils down to the fact that the 'rakyat' sees the issues and topics chosen only involving one race in particular.

One main English newspapers even printed a complaint by a few diners in Ipoh who complained about having to wait longer to be served because they are of another race (they say). There is nothing wrong to print the complaint but to have the race, the restaurant and the place printed is being irresponsible. First,what is the real situation? One only hear from one side (the customers) but is this true? What restaurant can survive if this attitude of the staff is true? Every body knows that you open a restaurant or any business to make profit. No businessman is that suicidal or so ignorant as to adopt a racially bias policy especially in a restaurant business which is very competitive and the margin profit is not big.

However, thanks to this news daily, the restaurant will now lose their customers (from the other races) and maybe be forced to close down. Thus making more 'rakyat' join the jobless and their families will face unnecessary hardship. All due to some wise guys who thinks they are not being served as they expected and credit this to racial bias. And, the daily papers which printed the complaint without giving any chance for the restaurant owner to defend himself. Justice? Democarcy? Human rights? Who cares as long as it does not effect my business?
It will when the ripples turn into waves and waves into tsunamis. The 'rakyat', like a battery, can become over-charged and may reach a point that it will explode.

"UNTIL TODAY WE WERE MALAYS, CHINESE, INDIANS AND OTHERS. NOW THERE ARE TWO GROUPS IN THIS COUNTRY - MALAYS AND NON-MALAYS. I HOPE THIS DISTINCTION WILL DISAPPEAR."
-K.L. Devaser, former MIC president, July, 1957