We’re often preached to that ‘unity’ is imperative to our stability and progress as a society. We are told that unless we are held together by a common commitment to our collective well-being and exercise respect for those who don’t share our specific faith or heritage, we will – like many other societies – disintegrate.
How beautiful it all sounds. But by now, it should be self-evident to us that that’s about all we get from this regime: great sound bites. And as we’re repeatedly finding out, these sound bites are all but absolutely hollow and meaningless words.
The recent revelation that instructors at the National Civic Bureau (BTN) indulged in blatantly racist divisive and destructive rhetoric in their indoctrination programmes raises more serious questions and deep concerns about the pervasiveness of racism in our society.
Below is a brief excerpt - from a letter from a parent of a child - which also appeared on Lim Kit Siang’s blog:
As part of the course, which is mandatory before they are sent overseas, all non-Malays are segregated and given lectures on the history of the country and how the immigration of the Chinese and Indians had taken place. And finally how the Chinese and Indians were given citizenship. The Malays too had their own similar sessions.
The instructors blatantly told them that they should not question the rights and privileges of the Malays as the non-Malays should be thankful that they were given citizenship status and a place to stay on their soil. My daughter together with the other non-Malay students was shocked and went back to their dormitories depressed. And to the Malay students, the instructors told them to be aware of this fact and not to mix too freely with the non-Malays.
In my book, this goes beyond just pedestrian bigotry and racism. As repugnant and repulsive that may be, what we are seeing go on here borders on treason and treachery. One of the key elements of treason is betrayal of a trust or confidence. It is akin to treachery; yes, treachery: the violation of allegiance. To ultimately end up traumatising those students in the program is in itself despicable and sickening. But how, one should ask, does this correspond with the regime’s sugar-coated rhetoric about ‘unity,’ ‘harmony,’ and ‘sensitivity’?
Oh! Wait. Aren’t these so-called instructors mere agents of the regime? Aren't they merely spokes in the Umno-BN wheel? Yes, these so-called instructors are mere mouth-pieces of the state. But what then do we do about a practice condoned by the regime that seemingly borders on treason and treachery? Imagine…could it be that those very players who spout those hollow words about ‘unity’ and ‘sensitivity’ preach a culture that violates the public trust, violates the goal of promoting harmony, violates our unity. How exactly do we deal with such alchemy?
So give me a break about all this ‘holier than thou’ preaching I seem to be reading from mouth-pieces of the regime condemning the possibility of MPs crossing over.
This regime has no credibility. In my book, it is unconscionable for any MP of the BN to sit by and see the kind of vile indoctrination – obviously a policy implemented by the regime - conducted in our name.
In this regard, it would also be treachery for MPs not to cross-over and continue to support a morally bankrupt regime.
G. Krishnan
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