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‘We are Malaysians’
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27, 2024: All Malaysians are equal and Malays no longer live in Tanah Melayu or Malaya but Malaysia.
Former Umno Wanita Chief and minister Rafidah Aziz said in a public lecture in Universiti Malaya yesterday that Malays should stop identifying themselves by their race and accept that they live in a diverse nation.
“Stop saying Malay first, Tanah Melayu is no more,” she added.
The racist Perikatan Nasional (PN) leader Muhyiddin Yassin waded into controversy in March 2010 by stating that he was "I Am Malay First" rather than “I Am Malaysian First”.
Till today, he has yet to apologise for his disloyalty to Malaysia.
Even the Johor Sultan, Sultan Ibrahim ibni Sultan Iskandar, the incoming 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) has declared that he is Malaysian First.
No News Is Bad News reproduces below an article on Rafidah’s lecture:
The Coverage/News/Rafidah Aziz : Tanah Melayu Is No More – No Malaysian Should Be Regarded As Superior, More Special Or Of A Higher Class Than Others
Rafidah Aziz : Tanah Melayu Is No More – No Malaysian Should Be Regarded As Superior, More Special Or Of A Higher Class Than Others
26 January, 2024
Stop saying Malay first, Tanah Melayu is no more, says Rafidah Aziz
Malays should stop identifying themselves by their race and accept that they live in a diverse nation, former Umno minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz said .
She reminded the Malays that they no longer lived in Tanah Melayu, or Malaya, but were part of Malaysia, a multi-racial country. “I know, politically, some people don’t want (that). ‘I’m a Malay first’ (they say). “Where is your country? Tanah Melayu is no more. It’s Malaysia now,” she said in her public lecture at Universiti Malaya today.
She said Tanah Melayu eventually became Malaysia because their forefathers recognised that they belonged to a nation of diverse people. “Why do you want to emphasise your Malay-ness, Indian-ness or Chinese-ness?” she asked. Rafidah said the country was now seeing various groups holding protests against one another because they had been taught to tolerate diversity rather than accept it.
“For as long as you guys learn to tolerate, this is what’s going to happen: yellow shirts against red shirts, and very soon there will be purple against green, and what have you,” she said.
She urged Malaysians to respect one another and accept that there would always be differences of opinion. “That is what nation-building is about: Respect. Without that, there is no nation. It’s just mortar and bricks and nothing in terms of spirit. “If you look at the songs that really raise our patriotism, it doesn’t say about race or creed.
“It talks about Malaysia, Malaysia, Malaysia.
And yet why are we introducing these elements that divide us and cause unnecessary chasms?”
Source : SG NEWS
No need to question loyalty of Malaysians, says Rafidah
The loyalty of Malaysians to the country should never be questioned, says former federal minister Rafidah Aziz.
In a statement, the former international trade and industry minister called for Malaysians to stay united by respecting and accepting the cultural, ethnic and religious diversity in the nation.
“It’s already 2024. Let us all continue to respect our diversities and accept them wholeheartedly. Let us all be united and continue to build a stronger, competitive and well-respected Malaysia.
“We do not need to question one another on things pertaining to loyalty and love for our nation,” she said, in an apparent reference to recent comments made by Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The former prime minister, whom Rafidah served under, reportedly said ethnic Indians were not “completely loyal to Malaysia”, in a recent interview.
Rafidah said many Malaysians of various ethnicities have done the country proud in various industries at the international level, adding that some did so without financial support from the government.
“Still, they remain Malaysians. They did it all as Malaysians,” she added.
She urged Malaysians not to let politics cause any division among them and to continue building a “stronger, competitive and well-respected Malaysia”.
Mahathir’s remarks were made in a recent interview with Thanthi TV, a Tamil news channel based in Chennai, India.
He said Indians in Malaysia must remember they are Malaysians more than they are immigrants from other countries.
He reportedly claimed that Malaysian Indians want to identify themselves with their country of origin but should instead fully assimilate and “become Malay”.
While Mahathir agreed when the interviewer pointed out that the Federal Constitution enshrines the rights of all minorities, he said that while Malaysian Indians “have certain rights, they cannot claim that this country belongs (to them)”.
Source : FMT
Only true unity can help Malaysia bounce back now, says Rafidah
Only true unity can help the country bounce back from adversity now, says former minister of international trade and industry Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, as she calls on Malaysians to subscribe to what she terms ‘Ketuanan Malaysia’ in a Facebook post today.
The notion, she said, is simply about “putting our beloved nation, Malaysia, first”, which she deemed as important for Malaysians to embrace as she pointed to the “heavy task ahead” that the new Pakatan Harapan government has to undertake in governing the country, and how Malaysians must give time and space for the new government to do its job.
“The government of the rakyat’s choice, PH, is faced with many tasks which need to be attended to in parallel. The last thing our country needs is distraction from governing,” she said, referring to obstacles like differences of opinion from arm chair critics, and opposition from those with vested interests as well as those who resort to race and religion as an excuse.
Loyalty to the country, she stressed, is blind to skin colour and race, creed, religion, social status or heritage. So Malaysians, she said, must hope and aim for a truly Malaysian society, free from discriminary inclination premised upon skin colour and race, creed, religion, social status, or heritage.
“By discriminating, do we expect different levels of loyalty from our rakyat?
“No Malaysian citizen should be regarded as superior, more special or of a higher class than others, by virtue of race or religion. No Malaysian child should be deprived, and all must be given equal opportunity to improve their lives, have access to the best education, earn a better living, and get their basic needs, without discrimination. Every Malaysian citizen in need of help and living in poverty should be entitled to assistance, regardless of race or religion,” she added.
“All Malaysians have Malaysia as their country. They know only Malaysia, even though their ancestors, or even their parents may have been born elsewhere. I am one of them. We have no other country to ‘go back to’. Forging a united Malaysia will produce citizens who will put their country first, who will feel that deep sense of pride to be Malaysian,” said Rafidah.
Doing so will nurture a Malaysian culture that upholds mutual respect as we accept one another’s diversities, she said — a culture that adheres to good values and principles, puts a premium on honesty and integrity, takes pride in being successful through grit and determination, and seeks knowledge to be better humans.
“There is simply no place in Malaysia for ‘opaque’ semblances of unity, where some choose to speak to the ‘gallery’ i.e. dancing to several tunes as and when it suits them. Such hypocrisy is the bane of Malaysia and Malaysians,” she said.
To her, a truly Malaysian society is one where where parents understand their roles in bringing up their young into well-grounded and resilient Malaysians, and where religion is regarded as a guidance and not as political capital, a factor to divide, or an excuse to be busybodies in others’ lives.
“Religion is between the person and the God Almighty, no matter how one refers to Him, in whatever language. A God-fearing person is certainly better than one who uses religion for personal interest and motives,” she said.
She went on to urge Malaysians to discard the “distortions of the past, the temptations to be parochial and even xenophobic”.
“There must no longer be ‘they and us’ among Malaysians. We are connected not only by the links of humanity, but also by the fact of [our] citizenry as Malaysians.
“Let us subscribe to Ketuanan Malaysia, putting our beloved nation, Malaysia, first. A Malaysia that can be a model to the world for democracy, unity, inclusiveness, and a deep sense of patriotism and nationalism,” she added.
Source : The Edge
Friday 25 August 2023
‘I Am Malaysian First’
No News Is Bad News
‘I Am Malaysian First’
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26, 2023: Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar says “I Am Malaysian First”.
So, "eat your heart out" Muhyiddin “I Am Malay First Yassin (Perikatan Nasional chairman) and Taliban-like PAS racial and religious bigots.
And the ruler has warned ill-intentioned politicians and bigoted religious leaders against attempting to break the bonds of unity and solidarity among Johor’s multiracial society (the culprits should know who they are).
No News Is Bad News reproduces below news related to the Malaysian issues:
Johor Ruler: I’m Malaysian first
Saturday, 26 Aug 2023
PETALING JAYA: Known in Malaysia for staunch Bangsa Johor advocacy, Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, however, always identifies as a Malaysian first when abroad.
“If someone asks me where I am from when I’m overseas, I’ll always say, I’m Malaysian,” said Sultan Ibrahim in an interview published in Sin Chew Daily yesterday, following a meeting at the palace in Johor Baru recently.
Since assuming the throne in 2010 and his coronation in 2015, this was the first time His Majesty had accepted an interview from a Chinese-language media outlet.
Among the topics discussed were Bangsa Johor, the importance for all ethnic groups to live in harmony and unity, the future of Johor, and China’s significance to Malaysia.
Although taking pride in the Bangsa Johor concept that upholds the racial and religious diversity of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim said all races are seen as the same.In some official events, the Ruler would see to it that there is mixed seating to allow people of all races to mingle together, rather than segregating themselves by ethnicity.
Besides identifying as Malaysian first, Sultan Ibrahim would mention His Majesty’s origins from the southernmost state in Malaysia, Johor.
To aid understanding, His Majesty would also point out where Singapore and Thailand are on the map, so that people understand where Malaysia is.
Some foreigners, especially Americans, said the Johor Ruler, have poor geographical knowledge and mistakenly think Malaysia is located near Africa.
On another pride of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim lamented that the achievements of its football team, Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT), tend to invoke jealousy, especially from “one of the previous federal governments”.
“What was the football team like 10 years ago? Zero.
“But now JDT won it all.”
Founded in 1972 as Perbadanan Kemajuan Ekonomi Negeri Johor FC, the club was renamed as Johor FC in 1996 before adopting its current name in 2013.
Owned by Tunku Ismail Idris, the Crown Prince of Johor, JDT scored its maiden major honour in 2014 by winning the national league in its first season.
On his advocacy for Johor’s prosperity, Sultan Ibrahim also complained about the lack of focus on infrastructure upgrades from the Federal Government for Johor.
His Majesty questioned why the North-South Expressway was built from the north to the south, when the gateway to the Asian mainland is in the south.
“Shouldn’t it be built from the south? It feels like we are being treated like a stepchild. But we are a top contributor to the national economy,” he said.
This was not the first time Sultan Ibrahim had expressed his disappointment with some of the Federal Government’s action concerning Johor.
When opening the Johor state assembly meeting in Johor Baru on June 16 last year, His Majesty told the Federal Government to fulfil its promises and improve Johor’s infrastructure, while expressing sadness that federal authorities were not carrying out maintenance works on federal-owned buildings and infrastructure.
He had said then that Johor was also not consulted at all on the decision to drop the appeal on the International Court of Justice’s decision on the Pulau Batu Puteh claim in 2018.
Sultan Ibrahim added that all these unsatisfactory developments might induce Johoreans to agitate towards secession from Malaysia, adding that the state contributed almost RM13bil annually to federal revenue.
“Perhaps Johor can be more developed if we stand on our own,” said Sultan Ibrahim back then. - The Star
Sultan Ibrahim: Johor is out of bound for devious politicians and bigoted religious leaders
JOHOR ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has warned ill-intentioned politicians and bigoted religious leaders against attempting to break the bonds of unity and solidarity among Johor’s multiracial society (the culprits should know who they are).
His Majesty the Sultan further reminded Johorians to reject outright any forms of extremism that could jeopardise the state’s long-established harmony among people of different races and religions.
“Since the beginning, I have always stressed and reminded everyone that understanding and mutual respect among races are the pillars of Johor’s unity,” he articulated in a statement to commemorate his official birthday today.
“The Bangsa Johor identity and concept is the glue that unites Johorians of various races, and this has been practiced in this state for a long time. “I warn against any attempt by anyone to break Bangsa Johor’s strong bridges of unity and co-existence.”
His Majesty also pointed out that a harmonious and united Johor not only makes its society better but also contributes to the prosperity of the state.
“Stay away from the attributes of jealousy, revenge and mindless suspicion as they are dangerous diseases that only invite harm to society and the nation,” he stressed.
Tuanku Sultan Ibrahim also expressed his appreciation to the Federal Government led by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the substantial allocation given to Johor in the revised Budget 2023.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (left) and Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar
“Alhamdulillah for the allocation provided, and I hope that the good relationship between the Federal and State Governments will continue to be strengthened for the prosperity of the state and its people,” he added. – March 23, 2023
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