A RONIN ~ Streams Of My Thoughts~: November 2008

Dear Sir,

I applaud you using the phrase “amar makruf”
That was bold of you to say the least. Like it or not you have walked into a political minefield and have exposed (as you undoubtedly realised) yourself into every single crosshairs of your political opponents.

While your intentions are unclear but the fact of the matter now is that most Malays and Muslims are up in arms because they are displeased with the fact that you as a non Muslim had used a Quranic phrase.

I will take your use of the phrase in good faith, and believe that when you uttered it, you meant every single word of it.

I am not going to debate whether such use is right or not. What i am going to say however is regarding you and your tenure as Chief Minister of Penang.

I believe that you have what it takes to be a first Chief Minister that truly cares about the people.

But in order for you to do that you must take care of the sensitivities of your subjects. Like it or not they are YOUR people. What they think matters. Rightly or wrongly.

Failure to realise this will only make you just another opposition leader who risen to power not because the people believed in you but rather because the people were tired with a corrupt and weak government.

I believe if there ever was a chance of Malaysia to become a truly multi racial country with everyone is recognised by their ability and not their race it would come from Penang. Penang is the melting pot of many cultures and races.

However, please come down from the tall KOMTAR tower and come to the villages as well. How many times in your tenure have you come to visit the paddy fields and hear the worries of the simple Malay farmers?. Stop being a politician and start being a leader. Cross that DAP boundary and start becoming a leader for the people instead. Have you ever hear them telling you how worried they are of the floods, the pests, how they have no money to pay for their children school fees. If you succeed in doing this then most will have no qualms of becoming the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

I believe that if there was ever one man who can truly bridge the multi racial gap in Malaysia, for now , it would be you. Failure to capitalise on this would mean that you’re just another DAP leader. The age of racial politics of our fathers has come to pass. This is our time and it is us who decide what and how Malaysia should become. Let us make it in such a way that merits would be rewarded and equitable growth is supported.

Until when are we going to believe the age old perceptions that the Malays are lazy and the Chinese are selfish people.It is not true and it was never true. The Malays was not accustomed in wealth creation methods and I have met in my life my Chinese who put others before themselves. It stands as an injustice towards them should we let these perceptions remain.
In the meantime, i applaud of you using the Quranic phrase. By God, i hope you meant every single phrase that you said, otherwise it would have been an intolerable insult to my religion.
At the end of the day Mr. Chief Minister, you have to understand that while your intentions may be pure in using the phrase Amar Makruf, you have to take care the sensitivities of your Muslim subjects. They rightly or wrongly may take offense if you use it. Why do you want to destroy your chance of becoming a true leader by the people for the people over such small matter ?.
I wish you all the best and you will have my support the moment you fight not only for your race and party cause but the cause of MALAYSIANS as a whole.

Good luck, and Insya-Allah.

AZLAN RONI HASAN.