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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25, 2024: Much have been written about racial and religious bigots ruining Malaysia’s socio-economic growth.
The current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his so-called Madani Unity Government (UG) are struggling to heal the country’s economy that is bogged down by a RM1.5 trillion national debt.
However, the bigots, not only from the Taliban-like PAS and Perikatan Nasional (PN) led by the racist Muhyiddin “I Am Malay First” Yassin, but also from the UG and its civil servants continue to waste precious time and resources on bigotry.
Isn’t this moronic/idiotic? Vote PN=PAS, go to heaven! - Facebook image
And former International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz says the never-ending court cases involving politicians accused of corruption made it extremely difficult for the country to attract foreign investors.
Corruption is cancerous to a country’s socio-economic growth and that is why it must be eradicated.
Now News Is Bad News reproduces below an articled titled “The noxious and destructive politics of religion” penned by former Bank Negara Deputy Governor and economist Sukudhew (Sukhdave) Singh and a news report on what Rafidah said:
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The noxious and destructive politics of religion
Sukudhew (Sukhdave) Singh
Former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Malaysia | Former Independent Director, Khazanah Nasional Berhad
Published Aug 20, 2023
Unscrupulous politicians everywhere are using religion to further their political ambitions. Whether it is India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, United States, Israel or Malaysia, these politicians, who themselves rarely have a shred of morality within them, are intent on using religion to polarize their societies, remove democratic rights, repress minorities; all in the hope of furthering their own political careers.
Here, in Malaysia too, we find even so-called moderate Malay politicians pandering to the extreme religious fundamentalist elements in our society hoping to further their political ambitions. Some of our politicians and leaders have become so adept at using their forked tongues they put snakes to shame. One day they claim to be leaders for all Malaysians and the next day they are courting the extreme religious elements trying to splinter our society. To gain votes and increase their political longevity, our politicians will readily sacrifice any integrity they have. They will gladly scapegoat the minorities to further their political careers.
However, it is not just the politicians; another group has failed our society. There are extreme elements in every ethnic/religious group and it is the job of moderate intellectuals within those groups to challenge them and prevent these extremists from being the sole voice of the community. Here, I would like to single out the moderate intellectuals in the Malay community. If they are intellectuals, they should understand where current trends are leading the country. They must be able to see the depths of the corruption in their community that hides behind religion. They could not but have noticed the unanchoring of their community from its culture. They would have noted how their leaders have led them down the path of mediocrity and underachievement. Most of all, they should understand the motivations of religious extremists and what they are doing to their community and their country. Yet, so few speak up. Most are silent. In not voicing a narrative to take on the extremists, these so-called moderate Malay intellectuals have shown neither courage nor intellectual integrity. They have derelicted on their responsibility to the country. In their silence, I don't see how they can be called moderates.
So, the extremist elements in our society are having a field day. Instead of castigating the extremists, and making those who indulge in hate speech accountable before the law, our self-serving leaders pretend to be deaf and blind, or perversely, even attempt to defend or mollify these extremists.
Harmonious coexistence in diverse multiracial and multireligious societies requires moderation, respect and understanding of the ways of others, and treating all citizens as having equal rights. When this is no longer the case, societies become polarized and fragmented. There is no social cohesiveness. It is easier for unscrupulous individuals to rise on the back of claims of championing the rights of particular ethnic/religious groups. When the democratic institutions are undermined and minorities are deprived of their legal and economic rights, peaceful coexistence becomes a distant and fleeting dream.
In diverse multireligious societies, religious intolerance is often the spark that lights the flames of societal strife. Instead of the riches envisioned by those who instigated these problems, what is left are heaps of ashes. Once prospering economies are turned into economic wastelands incapable of meeting even the basic needs of their citizens, and offering little in economic opportunity. The rights of minorities are non-existent. The women in such societies are often deprived of their social and economic rights, and are even forced to hide themselves from the lustful eyes of deranged men. The legal system is subverted to propagate religious fear rather than defend the legal rights of citizens. What were once prosperous and democratic societies are turned into barbaric ruins where nothing flourishes but the abuse of religion and human misery.
None of this will dissuade our ethnic/religious extremists. The only merchandise they have to trade is hate. There is always an audience for that. As for our leaders, those that associate with these merchants of hate cannot claim to be leaders for all Malaysians. In politics, there are few who think long term. Most are concerned only about their own immediate welfare. If religious politics offers a way, they will not worry about the future consequences that would be someone else's problem. Why would citizens elect such self-serving individuals? At least in the case of Malaysia, a half-century of institutionalized discrimination against minorities under the NEP, miseducation, and the constant political drumbeat of the threat from non-Malays has created a deep sense of economic and intellectual inferiority in the majority Malay community, which the opportunist in their community have only too gladly offered to assuage with promises of religious superiority. So, many of our citizens, who elect these leaders, are similarly short-sighted and easily intoxicated with self-righteous religious fervor. Apparently, a corrupt leader from their own faith is preferable to a leader of integrity from another faith. They think they are “soldiers of God” when the reality is that they are merely the pawns of evil men. How can they then be expected to see that their leaders are leading them into a bleak future; that the country is stumbling towards a precipice?
Politics based on religion is divisive and destructive. Unfortunately, those who think they have the upper hand will not see this until it is too late.
Never-ending graft cases make it difficult to attract FDI, says Rafidah
The former international trade and industry minister says these court cases give investors the wrong impression.
Amirul Aiman and Shahrul Shahabudin - 23 Jan 2024, 7:53pm
Rafidah Aziz says the legal battles involving politicians negate the efficiency of the civil service.
PETALING JAYA: The never-ending court cases involving politicians accused of corruption make it extremely difficult for the country to attract foreign investors, says a former minister.
Rafidah Aziz said no matter how efficient the civil service is, investors would “still look at court cases”.
These court cases give the investors the wrong impression of Malaysia, she added.
“But what to do? It’s the perception,” she said when discussing the challenges the current government had to deal with when it came to foreign direct investment on the latest episode of the “Keluar Sekejap” podcast.
Several high-profile corruption cases have hogged the limelight in the country.
Former prime minister Najib Razak is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after he was convicted for abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) over SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
Muhyiddin Yassin, who was the country’s eighth prime minister, is facing money laundering charges involving about RM200 million in funds linked to the Jana Wibawa programme.
Rafidah also told the government to start working on initiatives before announcing them.
“I am nauseated by the government’s announcements. There is no need to announce, just take action. In the past, we used to say if someone talks a lot, are you Nato? No action, talk only?”
Rafidah headed what was the ministry of international trade and industry from 1987 until 2008, spanning three prime ministers – Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib Razak.
She remains the longest-serving female MP, serving two different constituencies Selayang and Kuala Kangsar from 1978 until 2008.
In preventing the government’s industrial master plan from being “short-circuited”, she believed that coherent instructions should be provided from the ministerial level to local governments.
She said, from her experience, investments would not materialise due to the lack of efficiency and coherency in implementation at the lower level.
“Sometimes the masterplan is good, but getting land approval is difficult because the executive committee (exco) doesn’t pass it, so it takes too long. As a result, people lose trust in us.
“During my tenure, the Cabinet directive was two weeks, but it took close to two months at the lower level (to be implemented). This goes against our efforts, and that’s why the implementation got short-circuited. This is still happening even now,” Rafidah said.
In September, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim launched the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) 2030 outlining the government’s objectives to transform Malaysia into a high-tech industrialised nation.
Unlike the previous industrial transformations and three industrial master plans since 1986, Anwar said the NIMP 2030 adopts a mission-based approach.
In NIMP 2030, the industries have been encouraged to innovate and produce more sophisticated products; embracing technology and digital transformation; pushing for net-zero emissions and safeguarding economic security; and inclusivity.
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