KeAdilan, we have a problem

Someone forwarded this message to me. It's supposed to be a posting by Raja Petra Kamarudin of Keadilan fame.

This posting can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artisproactiv/message/7002

There is no way to verify whether this is real or a hoax. But if it's real, then I'd say Keadilan -- which is supposed to mean "fairness" -- is not only unfair but hypocritical as well.

Can anyone verify whether this is really the sayings of Raja Petra Kamarudin?

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From: Raja Petra Kamarudin Date: Fri Aug 1, 2003 12:34 pm
Subject: Dear Hazidi

Dear Hazidi,

Thank you for writing. I appreciate the time you took in drafting this well-thought of message. You have certainly raised many credible and relevant issues that have been in my thoughts for some time now. Some of the views you expressed was almost like taking the words right out off my mouth.

To answer your first point first, yes, Parti Keadilan Rakyat is certainly a rehashing of sorts, as you quite aptly put it. In the 1940's, another non-racial coalition (Umno would call it "multiracial", we call it "non-racial") was attempted. A few political parties merged under the banner of Putera-AMCJA and its President was Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy while Tan Cheng Lok represented the non-Malay community as its Deputy President.

Its objective was independence for Malaya, justice, equality for all races, and so on, the same ideals of Parti Keadilan Rakyat. This new coalition even drew up its own constitution called the Peoples' Constitution. You can, in fact, say that Parti Keadilan Rakyat has "stolen" these ideas and has added free and fair elections (it is now free but not fair), an independent judiciary, transparent
government, and the end to abuse of power, corruption, and a violation of the constitution to the original list of Putera-AMCJA objectives.

This frightened the British. The colonial masters realised that, if all the races united and fought for independence, this would spell doom for British interests in Malaya. They immediately banned the Putera-AMCJA and arrested and detained all its leaders while, at the same time, negotiated with another political coalition, Umno, a more moderate and conservative Malay political party.

The Umno leaders were allowed to travel the length and breadth of Malaya to campaign for support in its fight for independence while the leaders of the Putera-AMCJA were arrested if they did the same.

The British then proposed the Malay Union, a point you have raised. At first the Malays accepted this and the Sultans even signed it. But some Malays realised this would, in not so many words, turn Malaya into a "backdoor" republic where the Sultans would lose all their powers. There was nothing much the leaders of the Putera-AMCJA could do about it as its leaders were all by then under detention so a few Malays like Raja Sir Tun Uda Al Haj (my grandfather and cousin to the Selangor Sultan then), Dato Suhaimi Kamaruddin's father, Dato Panglima Gantang, and many more, basically all the "orang istana" (palace people) got together and met the Sultans. They told the Sultans they would lose all their powers and the Malays would lose all their right and privileges. There would be equality for all races and the non-Malays would achieve equal status with the Malays.

On hearing this, the Sultans changed their minds, though they had already signed the document and, two years later, the Malayan Union was replaced with the Federation of Malaya. The special status of the Malays and all their rights and privileges were protected which the Malayan Union would have removed.

Your anxiety about Parti Keadilan Rakyat, as you said, "sacrificing Malay interests" is not unfounded. Once Parti Keadilan Rakyat is formed, it would be the first non-racial party since independence. As a Malay, I too share your concerns, and this is something we need to monitor very closely.

I may have been born in England and my mother may have been Welsh while my father was not really a Malay but of Bugis descent, but I am not about to let my Malay rights and privileges be taken away. Some argue that Tian Chua, whose family came to Melaka from China more than 600 hundred years ago is more Bumiputera than me or Dr Mahathir whose father migrated from India and who is only half Malay (in fact it's his mother and not father who is Malay and, according to the constitution, you are only Malay if your father is Malay), but Tian Chua is certainly Chinese and no way can I accept him as equal to me.

I admit I may be slightly emotional here and you did say you do not want my emotional reply, but can we be unemotional about our Malay rights and privileges? I understand your main concern is also the same as mine; whether Parti Keadilan Rakyat would sacrifice Malay right and privileges just to win the support of the non-Malays. This is something we must guard against. And this is what Umno stands for; "Ketuanan Melayu".

"Ketuanan Melayu" basically means "Malays as the Lord of the Land". This is a thousand-year old tradition that should not be erased. We Malays have a saying, "Biar mati anak jangan mati adat". Never mind if the child dies but traditions must never die. Traditions must be defended to the last drop of blood. And this is what makes Umno special, it has as it perjuangan the defence of Malays as the Lord of the land.

Some say this is an outdated concept. The critics point to the time of Richard the Lion Heart and Prince John when England too had two classes of people, the Lords of the land and the peasants. But we must remember that Robin Hood too was of noble birth and originally one of the Lords. No doubt, when he fell out of favour, he started "Reformasi" and fought against Prince John. But he
opposed Prince John because his land and property were taken from him. Nevertheless, he still supported King Richard and therefore was still a royalist. It's not like he was trying to turn England into a Republic or was fighting for equal rights for all its citizens.

Another thing of concern about the new non-racial coalition called Parti Keadilan Rakyat, the merger between Parti Keadilan Nasional and Parti Rakyat Malaysia is just the first move. Thereafter, it will invite the other political parties, both opposition as well as ruling party, to join this new non-racial coalition. DAP, PAS, and maybe even some of the "splinter" parties or those in the ruling BN may one day decide to join Parti Keadilan Rakyat if they find that it does exactly what is claims it will do. If is deviates from its objectives, then well and fine. It will lose credibility and would not go anywhere. But, if it delivers, many more others might join them.

What if more parties of Indians, Chinese, Kadazans, Ibans, and so on, join Parti Keadilan Rakyat? And what if, one day, they come to power? Would Malays lose their political domination? Today, BN is Umno and what Umno wants BN does.

The other races in the BN would never dream of touching on the sensitive issue of Ketuanan Melayu and Malay rights and privileges. Is there not a danger the non-Malays would no longer be frightened of questioning Ketuanan Melayu and Malay rights and privileges if a truly non-racial party like Parti Keadilan Rakyat comes to power?

This is certainly frightening.

Let's face it, if Malays had to compete on purely meritocracy to win government contracts or get into the universities, we Malays would be left behind. We need quotas to succeed in business and to be ensured a place in the universities. If all these are removed we would be second class citizens just like the non-Malays in Malaysia today. This, no Malay can accept, and I believe you too share this concern from the tone of your letter.

I know some say this is Apartheid, Malaysian-style. This is not true. The whites who introduced Apartheid were the immigrants while the blacks were the owners of the land. In Malaysia, it is the Malays who are the Lords of the land while the non-Malays are the immigrants. The New Economic Policy therefore cannot be equated to Apartheid. I mean, the Chinese and Indians came to Malay from their own countries so who are they to demand equal status? And the argument that the Chinese and Indians came to this country 600 years ago, much earlier than we Malays, is not an acceptable argument. This is a weak argument aimed at denying us Malays our special status.

On the other side issues you touched on, I don't think Parti Keadilan Rakyat can afford a lavish banquet like Umno. You must understand, Umno is in power and it uses the peoples' money; government funds, to throw these feasts. Umno can get billions of contracts and timber land to finance its activities. Parti Keadilan Rakyat is a poor party that does not have access to government funds like Umno. Maybe, one day, when we are in power we can abuse our authority as well. But please look out for me anyway. I will be the one using a black beret.
I will be glad to treat you to lunch and further discuss matters close to your heart.

On the parking problem, this is another matter that we have to live with. The government has taken away so much of the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall land that they no longer have ample parking space. When they took over the Selangor Club padang and turned it into Dataran Merdeka, the government replaced it with a bigger piece of land at Bukit Kiara. But since the SCAH is host to many opposition activities, they did not get this same benefit. Maybe one day the entire SCAH will have to make way for more road improvements. That part of KL is after all badly jammed and wider roads are needed.

I hope I have been able to satisfactorily answer all your questions. Maybe we should keep this between us though as I would not want anyone to know I too share your anxiety that the Malays might lose their special status if one day a truly non-racial party comes to power and all races are given equal status.

Please keep in touch. Maybe we can later talk about how to set up an ombudsmen system and make the ACA answerable direct to Parliament to ensure the opposition does not also do what BN and Umno is doing if its comes to power.

Then there is the matter of limiting the PM, MB, and Chief Ministers to two terms and making judicial appointments and promotions the duty of Parliament and not the Chief Justice to ensure the independence of the judiciary. We want to make sure, as you said, that the opposition does not also become corrupted like the present ruling party if, one day, it forms the government.

Till later.

Raja Petra Kamarudin

(ps. Hazidi's letter below)

Dear RPK,

That being the case, is it not possible then to postulate that this new party is really a rehashing of the same sort of agenda that formed the basis of the Malayan Union proposal that our parents and / or grandparents fought against earlier in Malayan / Malaysian history? This is because it will be a party that be busy trying to win the votes of everyone, particularly the non-Malays that it will probably not think twice of sacrificing Malay interests if it paves the way to power for its leaders, possibly?

I admit the UMNO has its faults, plenty of them, but at the very least it has at its very core, we are constantly told, the interest of the Malays which a party like this new one, seemingly, lacks because (a) it is trying too hard to please everyone else, and (b) it is busy trying to be what UMNO is not and therefore tries to do the opposite of what UMNO does, thus possibly
inadvertently falling into the trap of sacrificing the things that UMNO claims to fight for.

How much would this new party be willing to sacrifice to woo the 40% and simultaneously maintain the support of the 30% "anti-establishment" group? Moreover, if this party should make it to become the next government, what guarantee do we have that they will not be as greed-ridden are they say the present government is? You know the saying, power corrupts etc. etc. Power intoxicates those new to it far greater than it does those who have gotten used to it.

One more thing, is combining with PRM such a good idea for Keadilan? After all PRM's election track record is not particularly convincing, is it? Why not combine with DAP instead? If that is not possible then perhaps we the voters should ask, what is so wrong with Keadilan that DAP would not want to become one with it? How about combining with PAS then? PAS is after all a much stronger party than PRM.

Finally, what's the parking like at Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall? Or should I take the public transport? AND, that quintessential Malaysian question, "got free makan ah?" So after getting over you initial emotional reactions, can I have a proper answer please.

Hazidi

Raja Petra Kamarudin
Director, Free Anwar Campaign
http://www.freeanwar.com/index.html
http://www.angelfire.com/alt/seruan-keadilan/