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<HR><SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://malaysia-today.net/components/com_jomcomment/script.js?1.8.9"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://malaysia-today.net/index2.php?option=com_jomcomment&task=userinfo&no_html=1"></SCRIPT>Singapore was cause of Malaysia’s racial problems, says Dr M
NEWS/COMMENTARIES
Tuesday, 14 September 2010 admin-s
(TMI) Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that racism in Malaysia was clearly the result of Singapore’s short membership in the country, and not because the island was “turfed out” as suggested by the republic’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew recently.
“Can we really believe that if Singapore had not been ‘turfed out’ Malaysia would have no racial problem?
“While Kuan Yew talks about his belief that all ethnic communities should free themselves from the shackles of racial segregation in order to promote fairness and equality among the races, he also said that “once we are by ourselves (out of Malaysia) the Chinese become the majority,” said Dr Mahathir in a posting on his blog.
In an interview with the New York Times, Lee argued that if Malaysia had accepted a multiracial base much of what had been achieved in Singapore would have also been attained in Malaysia.
Lee, Singapore’s longest serving prime minister, claimed that if Singapore had not seceded from Malaysia, the country would have improved inter-racial relations and an improved holistic situation today.
“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. You read them. That’s bad for us as close neighbours,” he had said in the interview according to the transcript made available on the website of the Singapore prime minister’s office.
The remarks by the two retired prime ministers come ahead of Malaysia Day on Thursday.
Singapore joined newly-independent Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia on September 16, 1963, but was subsequently expelled in 1965.
Lee’s and Dr Mahathir’s comments also come amid a heightened race debate in Malaysia, as a result of plans by the Najib administration to roll back some of the country’s affirmative action policies favouring the Malay and Bumiputera communities.
In his blog post, Dr Mahathir pointed out that Singapore’s population was made up of 75 per cent Chinese and that the community owned 95 per cent of the economy.
“It is therefore not a truly multi-racial country but a Chinese country with minority racial groups who are additionally much poorer,” he claimed.
Lee had said in his interview that all ethnic communities should free themselves from the shackles of racial segregation in order to promote fairness and equality among the races.
This, he said, had been his greatest satisfaction in helming Singapore.
“We made quite sure whatever your race, language or religion, you are an equal citizen and we’ll drum that into the people and I think our Chinese understand and today we have an integrated society.
“We will not as a majority squeeze the minority because once we’re by ourselves, the Chinese become the majority,” he said.
Lee also took a dig at the Malaysian scenario, pointing out that the Singaporean Malays were English-educated and were no longer like the Malaysian Malays.
Dr Mahathir’s stand contrasted sharply with that of Lee’s. He argued in his blog post that Singapore was a country dominated by one race and not really multiracial.
“Whether the PAP admits it or not, the party has always been led and dominated by ethnic Chinese and have won elections principally because of Chinese votes. The others are not even icing on the cake.
“If Singapore is a part of Malaysia the PAP can certainly reproduce the Singapore kind of non-racial politics because together with the Malaysian Chinese, the PAP will ethnically dominate and control Malaysian politics. No dissent would be allowed and certainly no one would dare say anything about who really runs the country.
“Amnesia is permissible but trying to claim that it is because Singapore had been ‘turfed out’ for the present racist politics in Malaysia is simply not supported by facts of history,” said Dr Mahathir.
Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/singapore-was-cause-of-malaysias-racial-problems-says-dr-m/
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written by capricorn, September 15, 2010 21:05:56
The Mamak always blame others for his mistakes. Well LKY has Singapore's progress as proof. What has Mamak done for Malaysia? Plundering the nation's resources, using the judiciary, govt machineries to prop up his UMNO, polarising the people.....These are his achievements compared to LKY.
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written by archie, September 15, 2010 20:36:33
How could Singapore cause racial problems in Malaysia when it is a distinct and separate country which has no saywhatsoever in the running of Malaysia?
Only a moron would make such a baseless statement!
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written by Old Man, September 15, 2010 20:06:06
Dr M, is that so???
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written by StraightShooter, September 15, 2010 19:23:00
Ya right, play the blame game like a child. I didn't even bother to read this article. Just the title alone PUTS ME OFF!!
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written by Voter get Voters 1, September 15, 2010 19:05:12
Nothing but PURE jealousy and jealousy breed hatred for LKY & Singapore.
LKY made Singapore to be a 1st Class nation,envy of the world.
Mamakthir destroyed our nation social fabric and sowed seed of evil racism...and he hated LKY for Singapore achievement.
Sore loser this mamak.
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written by Better My, September 15, 2010 19:03:51
If Malaysia was run in Singapore style in the past decades with no nonsense government, the malay would be ALOT richer and more independent and full of pride of a successful moderate Islam country, a model to the Islamic world. The country would be ALOT richer.
We could even be better than Singapore with alernative party system in place, unlike th present "one-party in Singapore.
Isn't that infinitely better than constant year in and year out talk of racist issues, rearing its ugly heads. Let the rakayat decide on issues like this. Let the main press and air media disuccs these issues fully. If the ralkyat want to talk these to death, then let them do it. Once there are more other important issues rising to greater prominence over these racist issues, then these racist issues will be in the backpages where most will ignore.
Let the supply and demand determine the continuity of discussion of these issues on ALL media.
And FOC GRB - you can never argue your records against Singapore records. Your effort is futile. Yours is an utter failure, You wasted 22 years of government and caused unaccounted losses billions of $$ that have set back most Malay, more than they ever realise.
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