Letter to Singapore PM

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 10:36 |   

Dear Prime Minister,

May you and family be in the best of health and blessings. If there is a way, can you ask local papers or media channels to stop from reporting or discussing the remarks made by MM Lee about Malaysian Chinese?

I say this coz comments published in Singapore (supporting MM’scomments) are made from a skewed angle and do not take into account the historical reasons. The comments so far are made by Chinese Singaporeans who do not really understand the issues. They also seem to suggest that similar problems do not exist in Singapore when, in fact, Singapore Malays in their own motherland, Singapore, are treated more dismally that Malaysian Chinese in the land of Malay Bumis.

Indeed, if this issue is to continue, then it is only fair to show that Chinese leaders in Singapore are doing greater injustice to Singapore Malays than Malay Malaysian leaders to Malaysian Chinese.

The Malaysian Chinese are not bumis in Malaysia yet they get nearly every thing:

a) Right to have Chinese vernacular education from preschool to university.

b) Right to retain their Chinese names [The Chinese in Indonesia and Thailand get nothing of that sort. Worse, they have to have Thai or Indonesian names]

c) Right to display Chinese names in Chinese characters in huge public adverts in buildings and public places

d) In development projects, they reap early profits as all projects require infrastructures and these materials are controlled by Malaysian Chinese

e) Voting strength by constituencies also show so many Chinese advantage.

It is good for us not to say that Malaysian Chinese are “marginalized”. If they want to talk about marginalization or injustices, it is better that they talk about Singapore Malays who, in their own motherland, are marginalized and subject to so many injustices:

1. Malay language has lost its stature in the State and industry

2. Chinese language has now become a universal precondition in employment

3. Malays are “cordoned off” in National Service. Many key security sites are out-of-bounds to Malays [Even Malay Ministers and MP’s are not allowed to enter such areas]

4. The Civil Defence takes in high proportion of Malays consideringthelower stature of CD and the higher death and injury risk in CD services

5. No Malays are holding key positions in government and statutory boards.

6. Malay MP’s are given sinecures. In fact Malays are deemed fit only to be Ministers in Sewerage, Drainage, Refuse, Welfare and Drugs matters

7. Promotions and postings in government and statutory boards also show the Singapore Chinese’ disdain towards Singapore Malays

8. Recent retrenchments also reflected that Singapore Malays “should go first”

9. Proportion of Singapore Malays who remained unemployed is high, notwithstanding good educational and vocational qualifications

10. Vast in-take of Chinese from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan into Singapore but strict control of Malays from Malaysia and Indonesia.

I hope your office would do something to stop this, or rectify the matter by giving the issue its proper balance.

I cc this note to BH Singapore and Malaysia.

I do not cc to Straits Times as they do not publish letters of this kind.

I cc to TODAY coz two strong letters were published in today’s TODAY edition.

Regards

Mansor Haji Sukaimi

Former Member of Parliament (1976-1984)

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