- I went to the Government yEnglish School in Alor Setar way back in the 1930s. My classmates were of different races. There were Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians and Sikhs.
- I developed friendship with them. One in particular was a close friend. He was a Chinese.
- He was the son of the Kedah State Treasurer, Mr Lee Ewe Boon at that time. The State Treasurer not only spoke Malay but he could write and read the Jawi script.
- In those days most Chinese spoke Malay as their mother tongue.
- Their way of life also changed. Their women wore sarong and kebaya labuh. They no longer had small feet. The men no longer had pigtails (tocang). They were called Babas and Nyonyas.
- When the British colonised Singapore and Penang there was an influx of Indians and Chinese migrants. They outnumbered the Babas and Nyonyas. They did not see any need to adopt the Baba/Nyonya culture.
- They remained very Chinese, speaking Chinese dialects, staying largely within their own communities. They went into business aggressively and they prospered.
- Their politics were about China. They supported the movement to overthrow the Manchu dynasty in China by Sun Yat-sen. They raised lots of money for this struggle. Unfortunately they also persuaded the Babas and Nyonyas to become Chinese again, to speak Chinese.
- Imagine what Malaysia would look like if all the people of Chinese descent speak Malay as their home language and retain some of the culture of the Babas and Nyonyas of old. And they all go to national schools.
- Like in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, the United of States and Australia they would be identified solely with their adopted country.
- They would be Indonesians, Thais, Filipinos, Americans and Australians. They are not identified as Indonesian Chinese, Filipino Chinese, Thai Chinese, American Chinese or Australian Chinese.
- They would go to national schools and mix with Malays and Bumiputeras.
- No racial politics.
Category Archives: SEJARAH
HISTORY (PART 2)
14. The Malay governments of the Malay states had always been friendly towards the Chinese migrants. They were allowed to govern themselves through a system of Kapitans.
15. Far from seizing the properties of the Chinese the Tunku at independence actually granted one million citizenships to unqualified Chinese and Indians.
16. The Malay governments of independent Malaya then dismantled most of the British restrictions in business including the abolition of the crown agent and the favoured treatment of British companies. Chinese businesses were allowed to replace the British companies in every field. Naturally they did well and grew big.
17. The role of the big British companies in the development of rubber and palm oil estates, in transport and shipping, in international trade were also diminished. Local companies largely owned by the Chinese found the Malay dominated Governments’ economic policies were far more friendly and open than the British.
18. Chinese businesses began to flourish. Chinese retailers no longer live in their premises but they retire to large and luxurious housing estates. Much of urban land was acquired by the newly rich Chinese traders in the towns and the suburban areas.
19. There is every evidence to show that the Chinese prospered more under Malay rule than under British. It should be noted that for almost 60 years of independence Malaya was ruled largely by a Malay party – the United Malays National Organisation.
20. The Malays could have ruled Malaya by themselves. At the beginning there were enough Malay constituencies. But deliberately the Malays under Tunku Abdul Rahman diluted the Malay dominance by giving non-Malays additional citizenship.
21. Additionally the Tunku appointed Chinese and Indians in his cabinet. The Government may be dominated by Malays but the views of the Chinese and Indians were given due consideration. The Governments have effectively become multiracial.
22. This belies the claims that in independent Malaya the Malays would seize Chinese property. Nothing of that kind happened. Instead all obstruction to Chinese businesses were removed.
23. One of the most significant act by the new independent Malay dominated government was to grant banking licences to two Chinese applicants. It should be noted that the British were reluctant to let locals go into banking. But the Malay dominated Governments were more forthcoming. With that the problems of finance for the Chinese businesses were mitigated.
24. Upon independence Malaya was ruled by a Malay dominated Governments for more than 60 years. It cannot be denied that it was during this period that Malaya developed fast and became known as an Asian Tiger. It was also during this period that Malaysian Chinese businesses expanded and overflowed into many foreign countries.
25. What should be noted is that Malay Governments were more liberal towards Chinese businesses than British Governments. Not only was there no Malay seizure of Chinese properties but the Chinese acquired more properties and citizenship.
26. Pejuang is a Malay party. It is going to contest in election with the aim of becoming the governments of States and the federation.
27. There is no reason for non-Malays to fear governance by Pejuang simply because it is a Malay party. It will follow the path laid out by former Malay leaders. It will work with non-Malays and it will adhere to the Rule of law and strive to reduce disparities between town and country, States and States and race and race. It should be noted that in the process of bringing up Malay participations in the economy, the Chinese and Indians also benefitted.
28. I have written about this aspect of the history of Malaysia because it is not common knowledge. The history books have not mentioned this. Generally it was thought the British provided benign Governments. In terms of competence, yes. But the fact remains that the British discriminated against the locals, in particular the enterprising Chinese.
29. By comparison the independent Malay Governments had been more liberal. Yet generally the impression given is that the New Economic Policy discriminates against the non-Malays, the Chinese in particular.
HISTORY (PART1)
1. Malaysia has been independent more than 60 (sixty) years. Obviously most Malaysians did not experience foreign rule, particularly British rule. What they know about the British is what history books largely written by British historians tell them.
2. Naturally the British glorify their systems and achievements. They do not stress much on the fact that their rule was authoritarian. There was no democracy.
3. But the local people, the Malays, Chinese and Indians did not see anything wrong with the lack of democracy. And the British exploited the docile acceptance of everything that was done by the British administration.
4. The administrative machinery was headed by British officers. Without officially discriminating in their own favour, they carry out a policy which denied rights to the local. In particular they kept the Chinese out of the economy.
5. Thus immediately upon taking over the administration the British stipulated that all Government procurements must be made through the Crown Agents, a British semi-Government agency based in London. The locals, especially the enterprising Chinese were completely cut off from this lucrative business.
6. Additionally all big businesses were monopolised by big British companies. This included transport, trade and shipping.
7. Big Government construction contracts were also confined to British companies. This included the Johor-Singapore causeway and Government office buildings.
8. Huge tracts of forest land were sold or leased to British firms for the opening up of rubber and palm oil estates. While the British firms could gain ownership and approval for up to 25,000 acres, the locals had to buy only 200 or 300 acres. The same goes for mining land.
9. Roads and ports were built to facilitate the transport of the products of British estates and mines for export. The favoured port was Singapore and the growth and development of peninsular ports were stunted.
10. The British companies were registered and listed in London. There was no income or corporate taxes. The financial gains from business in the Malay Peninsular did not go to the Malaysian Governments.
11. All this while rumours were spread that should Malaya become independent, the Malays would seize Chinese properties. This led to many Penang Chinese forming what they called the Straits Chinese British Association. They regarded themselves as the Queen’s and King’s Chinese and campaigned to get British assurance that if the Malay States become independent, the Straits Chinese could migrate to the U.K.
12. When the Tunku seriously proposed independence for Malaya, there was hardly any support from the Chinese.
13. Actually Chinese fears were without foundation.
SEJARAH SINGKAT
1. Selama hampir 60 tahun Malaysia merdeka telah memperlihat kestabilan dan kemajuan luar biasa berbanding dengan negara lain yang mencapai kemerdekaan bersama.
2. Tiap lima tahun Pilihanraya Umum diadakan dan rakyat memilih Kerajaan mengikut sistem demokrasi. Kerajaan yang dipilih dapat mentadbir negara tanpa gangguan.
3. Pada 9 Mei 2018 rakyat sekali lagi memilih Kerajaan. Tetapi mereka menolak parti BN buat kali pertama. Mereka memilih parti Pakatan Harapan (PH) sebagai Kerajaan Malaysia.
4. Malangnya sekutu Pakatan Harapan (Bersatu) dan secebis dari parti PKR merancang untuk mengkhianati rakyat dan menjatuhkan Kerajaan pilihan mereka. Satu Kerajaan pintu belakang telah dihasilkan.
5. Sejak itu politik negara menjadi tidak stabil kerana dengan mudah Kerajaan boleh dijatuhkan tanpa pilihan raya. Hanya dengan lompatan beberapa wakil rakyat masuk parti yang kalah, parti yang ditolak oleh rakyat boleh jadi Kerajaan.
6. Kerana kerajaan pintu belakang ini mudah dijatuhkan, mereka berada dalam ketakutan. Dan kita lihat bagaimana Kerajaan pintu belakang ini dijatuh melalui pintu belakang juga oleh orang yang sama.
7. Akhirnya Kerajaan Johor ini dibubar. Pada 12 Mac rakyat Johor berpeluang mengembalikan demokrasi. Tetapi jika bekas-bekas Kerajaan pintu belakang yang juga ahli perasuah dipilih kali ini tentulah sia-sia sahaja pilihan raya diadakan.
8. Peluang ini perlu diguna untuk menukar Kerajaan dari yang gagal dan perasuah kepada parti yang bersih dan cekap yang dahulu melibatkan pemimpin yang memberi gelaran Harimau Asia (Asian Tiger), kepada Malaysia.
9. Pejuang adalah pewaris parti yang menukar Malaysia dari negara pertanian yang miskin kepada negara separa maju.
10. Pejuang menolak cara pintu belakang. Bagi Pejuang lebih baik tidak jadi Kerajaan daripada menjadi Kerajaan cara mengkhianati kawan.
11. Pejuang meletak calon-calon yang bersih walau muda dan bukan orang politik. Mereka mempunyai semangat kebangsaan (Johor dan Malaysia) dan akan kembalikan Malaysia ke landasan yang mampu memaju dan membersih negara. Seperti dahulu rakyatlah yang akan kecap kebaikan ini.
12. Sokonglah Pejuang. Kembalikan demokrasi dan kebersihan hasil pilihan yang bijak.
2. Tiap lima tahun Pilihanraya Umum diadakan dan rakyat memilih Kerajaan mengikut sistem demokrasi. Kerajaan yang dipilih dapat mentadbir negara tanpa gangguan.
3. Pada 9 Mei 2018 rakyat sekali lagi memilih Kerajaan. Tetapi mereka menolak parti BN buat kali pertama. Mereka memilih parti Pakatan Harapan (PH) sebagai Kerajaan Malaysia.
4. Malangnya sekutu Pakatan Harapan (Bersatu) dan secebis dari parti PKR merancang untuk mengkhianati rakyat dan menjatuhkan Kerajaan pilihan mereka. Satu Kerajaan pintu belakang telah dihasilkan.
5. Sejak itu politik negara menjadi tidak stabil kerana dengan mudah Kerajaan boleh dijatuhkan tanpa pilihan raya. Hanya dengan lompatan beberapa wakil rakyat masuk parti yang kalah, parti yang ditolak oleh rakyat boleh jadi Kerajaan.
6. Kerana kerajaan pintu belakang ini mudah dijatuhkan, mereka berada dalam ketakutan. Dan kita lihat bagaimana Kerajaan pintu belakang ini dijatuh melalui pintu belakang juga oleh orang yang sama.
7. Akhirnya Kerajaan Johor ini dibubar. Pada 12 Mac rakyat Johor berpeluang mengembalikan demokrasi. Tetapi jika bekas-bekas Kerajaan pintu belakang yang juga ahli perasuah dipilih kali ini tentulah sia-sia sahaja pilihan raya diadakan.
8. Peluang ini perlu diguna untuk menukar Kerajaan dari yang gagal dan perasuah kepada parti yang bersih dan cekap yang dahulu melibatkan pemimpin yang memberi gelaran Harimau Asia (Asian Tiger), kepada Malaysia.
9. Pejuang adalah pewaris parti yang menukar Malaysia dari negara pertanian yang miskin kepada negara separa maju.
10. Pejuang menolak cara pintu belakang. Bagi Pejuang lebih baik tidak jadi Kerajaan daripada menjadi Kerajaan cara mengkhianati kawan.
11. Pejuang meletak calon-calon yang bersih walau muda dan bukan orang politik. Mereka mempunyai semangat kebangsaan (Johor dan Malaysia) dan akan kembalikan Malaysia ke landasan yang mampu memaju dan membersih negara. Seperti dahulu rakyatlah yang akan kecap kebaikan ini.
12. Sokonglah Pejuang. Kembalikan demokrasi dan kebersihan hasil pilihan yang bijak.
GOVERNMENTS OF MALAYA
1. The Malay states were all absolute monarchies before the coming of the British. All taxes collected belong to the rulers. They then allocate funds for the various institutions of Government.
2. Quite naturally the ruler would spend most of the money on himself. There was not much left to finance the institutions of Government.
3. Frequently the ruler would borrow money for his own use. The classic case was the five million dollars borrowed from Siam by the Sultan of Kedah for the marriage of five of his sons.
4. Unable to pay the debt, Kedah had to accept a financial adviser appointed by Siam to ensure Government revenue would be used to pay the debt. The adviser was British.
5. Naturally the development of the state was neglected. Additionally, the tax collectors pocketed some of the taxes. It was in order to prevent this corruption that the ruler accepted the offer of the Kapitan China to collect the taxes and guarantee a much bigger amount would reach the ruler.
6. In Johor, the ruler was more astute. Seeing how the Chinese business people were able to enrich Singapore, the ruler invited them to open up land for agriculture along the rivers of Johor. Although all the revenue went to the ruler, there was enough for financing the different institutions of Government.
7. Other West Coast states benefited from their tin-rich land leased to Chinese miners.
8. The rulers of Kedah and Johor saw the development of Penang and Singapore and wanted their states to develop in the same way. They tried to copy the British administrative system. But it was Perak which first decided to bring in British advisers to improve the administrations.
9. Perak was rich in tin and had leased a lot of tin-mining land to Chinese Kongsis. Fighting broke out between the different Chinese mining companies. The ruler of Perak was unable to deal with this. He decided to get help from the British in Penang. The Sikh police force was brought from Penang to put a stop to the fights between the Chinese kongsis.
10. Subsequent to the incident the ruler decided to have the advice of the British in the administration of the state. Quickly Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang followed suit. Under the British these four states were federated.
11. As far as the people were concerned British rule was no different from the Governments of the rulers. There was more security and administration were better organised. The survey department marked the boundaries between the states and also the boundary between Siam and Malaya. Land holdings were also surveyed and marked with boundary stones.
12. The rakyat and the migrants from India and China were not allowed to be involved in politics. This was reserved for the rulers and senior members of the administration. When it came to dealing with the British, the rulers had the final say.
13. The Chinese migrants followed the politics of China. They were supportive of the uprising against the Emperor by Sun Yat-Sen They regarded themselves as citizens of China and they put up the Chinese flag during certain Chinese national days.
14. There was no citizenship in the Malay states but the Malays were regarded as the subjects (rakyat) of their Malay Rulers. Although all of them regard themselves as Malays but their loyalty was to their different Sultans. There were no political parties. They seem quite happy to be ruled by the British. In fact, they looked up to the British as superior people, able to govern their country well.
15. The British promoted the idea that Malaya was peaceful and stable because it had no history. This was of course nonsense. But in the schools the history of the country was not taught. In the English schools the students were taught the history of the British Empire and of Great Britain.
16. In the Fedrated Malay States of Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang, the administration was headed by British officers. The few Malays in the administration held junior posts. But in the Non-Federated Malay States of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor, Malay officers were understudies to the British heads of departments. The district officers were all Malays whereas in the Federated states even district officers or Residents were British.
17. The stable and orderly societies during the time of the British were much liked by the Malays. The Chinese and Indians too found British rule to their liking.
18. In the Malay States of the Peninsula there was no talk of getting rid of the British. In fact, the rulers and the Malays felt that only the British could rule the country. That was why when the British came back after the defeat of the Japanese, the rulers, their subjects and the Indian and Chinese migrants welcomed them. They looked towards the reestablishment of the status quo ante. Only very few Malays who had gone to Indonesia to fight against the Dutch had any idea about terminating colonialism.
19. Unfortunately, the British had other ideas about relations with the Malay States. They felt that the system of Governments to be cumbersome and costly. There were actually seven different governmental system in the Peninsula.
20. There were firstly the colonies of Singapore, Malacca and Penang ruled directly by the British.
21. Then there were the Federated Malay States ruled as a federation with Kuala Lumpur as the capital. Finally, there were the Non-Federated states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor, each having their own Governments, where the British had to work with Malay administrators. They were less willing to accept British officers.
22. The British felt that there should be only one Government formed by a Union of all the states as well as the colonies. Singapore was excluded from this union. It was to be retained as a British colony, as it was principal base for British military in Southeast Asia.
23. The plan was drawn up in London by the Colonial Office. No consultation was made with the Malay States. It was assumed that the Malay rulers would give their consent. If they did not than the British would simply refuse to recognise them as the rulers of their states. Another prince would be found who would be recognised as Sultan when he signed the surrender of the state to the British.
24. Although there could be a titular Sultan but he would have no role to play in the administration. He would confine himself to matters pertaining to the religious (Islamic) affairs and Malay custom.
25. The Malayan Union plan was kept a secret, but Malaysians began to hear about it through leakages. At once the Malays became agitated. They believed their rulers would not be able to counter the British proposal especially when there was to be a threat of non-recognition.
26. The Malay subjects of the rulers were not allowed to be involved in politics. But the threat was so great that they decided to register their disagreement some how.
27. The Malay newspapers played up the issue. The Majlis of Kuala Lumpur suggested that the Malays should hold a congress and discuss the issue.
28. Some prominent Malays in Kuala Lumpur took the initiative to organise a gathering of Malay organisations to discuss the Malayan Union. There was enthusiastic response. More than a hundred Malay organisations, all non-political attended.
29. The meeting was held in a shabby club in Kampung Baru, the Malay Agricultural Settlement in Kuala Lumpur. This meeting succeeded in identifying some of the unknown Malay leaders. Very quickly they became prominent as for the first time they were accepted as leaders of peninsular Malays. Before that the Malays only knew their Sultan and the prominent personalities in their own states.
30. Of these leaders, Dato Onn Jaafar of Johor was immediately recognised as a national leader. He was well known for his willingness to stand up against his Sultan and to resign from the Johor civil service. He preferred to become a journalist in Singapore. No other Malay had dared to disobey his Sultan. It was considered to be a treason.
31. Dato Onn was successful in the opposition to the Malayan Union. Considering that the Malays at that time were very poor, had little education and had never indulged in politics, the success of Dato Onn and the Malay activists was remarkable.
32. But Dato Onn himself, in a speech at an UMNO Assembly in Kedah, made it clear that the Malays were not capable of ruling their own country. Onn was not campaigning for independence. He merely wanted to prevent the British from turning the Malay states, which were British protectorates from becoming British colonies.
33. After defeating the Malayan Union, Onn was willing to work with the British on plans for unifying the multiracial population. He accepted membership of the Communities Liaison Committee set up by Malcolm MacDonald, the Commissioner for Southeast Asia. Such was Onn’s acceptance of the ideas of MacDonald that he proposed the Malay based UMNO should accept other races and become multiracial. His idea was rejected by UMNO leaders and he resigned.
KHALID JULONG
1. Khalid Julong meninggal pada 18 November 2020. Dengan pemergiannya maka tamatlah satu generasi pejuang Melayu.
2. Kami berkenalan dan berdamping dalam arena politik apabila tamat sahaja perang Dunia Kedua. Kami berada dalam Saberkas, sekumpulan anak Melayu yang memiliki kesedaran akan bangsanya.
3. British merancang untuk rampas negeri-negeri Melayu untuk dijadikan tanah jajahan mereka. Malayan Union akan tamatkan kewujudan orang Melayu dengan Tanah Melayu mereka.
4. Khalid, Azahari Taib, Khir Johari, Khir Pa’ Awang, Hj Taha, Chegu Senu dan lain-lain sudah tidak ada.
5. Tinggal saya seorang. Saya sedih. Semua mereka kawan lama. Saya kesunyian.
6. Saya berdoa roh arwah Khalid Julong akan dirahmati Allah SWT.
QUARANTINE
1. Today is 23 March. I am at home. I have been quarantined, required to stay at home because the Government has ordered a partial lock-down, to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
2. On the 12th of March, I met a group of young members of Parliament of Pakatan Harapan (PH), to explain what happened. At the end, before leaving they requested to have a picture with me. I did not think much of it. I did not think they would be infected. They crowded around me, closely so as to be in the photo.
3. On 17th March my assistant Sufi, showed the photo and told me one of the MP from Sarawak had proven positive when tested for Covid-19.
4. I did not think much of it. I was feeling well.Indeed, many visitors remarked on how well I looked. But the authorities thought differently. A team of doctors and nurses had arrived at the Perdana Leadership Foundation where I was working and stopped me as I was going home for lunch.
5. They took a swab and told me I had to be quarantined for 14 days from date of contact.
6. And so here I am, home-quarantined. I had been talking to people to be serious about this pandemic. I have even done a video clip. Now I must be serious and accept being quarantined.
7. This Coronavirus is something that we never had before. It is easily infectious or contagiousand in a number of cases it is fatal. We have no medicine or vaccine to counter it. All we can do is to treat symptoms like fever, cough, breathlessness and if there is lung infection and you are old, you may die. I am old, 94 years old.
8. The threat posed by Covid-19 is due to ease of infection and possible death. To manage the infection or contagion, it is necessary to isolate people. They must avoid being close to each other. Since we usually do not know who has the virus, everyone has to be far apart from each other.
9. Since men by nature are gregarious, keeping millions of people apart from each other is extremely difficult. When we work, travel, play, watch games or at the cinemas we would come together.
10. When we travel, almost always we would be confined in vehicles close together. To avoid this, we have to stop travelling. This affectsthe tourist industry greatly. In many cases there is a 70% decline.
11. The airlines would suffer. The tourist industry would suffer. The hotels ground transport, restaurants would suffer. Employees would suffer as they may be laid off. Their employers will not be earning money enough to pay them.
12. For Malaysia the tourist industry is the secondbiggest foreign exchange earner, after Petronas. The Government would lose a lot of revenue.
13. People working in the tourist industry would lose jobs and income. This would be terrible because these people need food and drink.
14. In Malaysia the Petroleum industry is not big. But it’s a big contribution to Government revenue. At times Petronas paid to the Government as much as 80 billion Ringgit. The budgeted price of one barrel of crude for 2020 was fixed at USD63 per barrel. It is now selling at less than 50% of the budgeted price. Government revenue may go down to 30 billion.
15. The stimulus package involved an increase in Government expenditure and a decrease in taxes. Meeting this extra expenditure withdecreased Government revenue would be challenging.
16. In the meantime, even a partial lock down would reduce business and profits. Again,Government revenue would be affected.
17. For the small enterprises, the loss would be terrible. These people earn today for today. Even if they are able to do some business it would not be sufficient to pay for their food. The Government may have to give them financial support.
18. What is happening in Malaysia is happening to the rest of the world also. Industries may have to stop or at least reduce production. Exports and imports would be affected. Economies would go into recession worldwide. Even the richest countries would suffer.
19. Truly we all are faced with a terrible catastrophe.
THE OKINAWA VILLAGE SHOP
1. Okinawa is a long thin island 100 km from north to south. In the old days the people in the south found difficulty in getting supplies from the north.
2. The people in the villages decided to have a shop stocked with their needs. They collected money from their village and built a shop. They employed a man from the village to manage the shop. Money was provided by the villagers to stock the shop with their needs brought in from the north.
3. The villagers bought their needs but did not pay immediately. Instead they themselves wrote on a piece of paper their name and the goods they had taken. Each time they needed goods or foodstuff they wrote on the piece of paper with their name and stuck it to a board kept in the shop.
4. At the end of the month they would total up all their purchase written on their paper and pay the amount due. The money was kept in a safe.
5. Later when business was not so good they put up a table and a few chairs and started selling drinks and coffee.
6. Every village would have this commonly owned village shop. It was a kind of cooperative, owned and operated by the villagers.
7. Today most of them have disappeared as access to their needs became easier due to better road, motorcycles and cars. The one I visited is one of the few left.
8. It worked well in Okinawa. Wonder if it will work well in Malaysia.
TAK BEKERJA
1. Semasa saya berumur belasan tahun, saya dapat perhatikan keadaan di Alor Star. Masa itu Negeri-Negeri Melayu sedang dijajah oleh British. Negeri-Negeri Melayu terima baik penjajahan British.
2. Yang tidak dapat dinafi ialah British membawa sistem Pemerintahan yang lebih baik dan Negeri-Negeri mengalami sedikit sebanyak pembangunan.
3. British membuka ladang-ladang getah dan lombong bijih timah. Yang anehnya tidak ada orang Melayu yang bekerja dalam ladang dan lombong ini. Pekerja terdiri dari orang India dan Cina. Perniagaan kedai runcit dan aneka jenis tukang-tukang semuanya terdiri dari orang Cina.
4. Dimanakah orang Melayu? Mereka bekerja dalam sawah padi mereka, dan ada sedikit yang menjadi nelayan. Sebilangan kecil dari mereka bekerja dengan Kerajaan sebagai kerani. Lebih kecil lagi ialah bilangan merekayang memegang jawatan tinggi dalam Kerajaan. Mereka ini semua berbangga kerana dibayar gaji tetap dan pencen.
5. Yang tidak terdapat ialah orang Melayu yang berniaga atau bekerja sebagai buruh kasar. Orang Melayu pandang hina bidang-bidang ini.
6. Oleh kerana sikap ini tidak terdapat ramai orang Melayu yang tinggal di bandar-bandar. Pada masa itu pun bandar-bandar didiri dan dipenuhi dengan kedai Cina. Tidak ada kedai Melayu. Ada beberapa buah kedai makan dan rempah cabai orang India.
7. Raja-Raja Melayu tidak iktiraf orang Cina dan India sebagai rakyat. Kepercayaan mereka ialah orang ini, akan kembali ke Negara masing-masing apabila khidmat mereka tidak diperlu lagi.
8. Orang Cina biasanya berhijrah ke Negara lain jika mereka nampak peluang mencari makan. Mereka berhijrah ke Amerika dan Australia dan ke Negara-Negara jajahan British. Melihat kestabilan pemerintahan British dan peluang kerja, mereka datang dengan ramai ke Negeri-Negeri Melayu. Mereka sanggup bekerja keras. Dikenali sebagai kuli mereka sanggup buat kerja kotor, kerja berat dan merbahaya. Mereka sanggup menarik “langca”, dan apa sahaja yang memberi pendapatan kepada mereka. Ramaiperempuan Cina yang menjadi “amah” di rumah pembesar Melayu, menjaga anak dan membersih rumah.
9. Orang Melayu berasa senang kerana kerja berat, kotor dan berbahaya serta perniagaan dilakukan oleh orang asing. Jika mereka lihat kekayaan dan kemajuan orang asing ini, mereka tidak berasa khuatir sedikit pun. Kepercayaan mereka ialah Negeri mereka kekal sebagai milik mereka. Itu yang saya lihat. Semasa saya muda di zaman British timbul keinginan melihat orang Melayu berniaga juga. Di Alor Star dibina Pekan Rabu, pekan sari dimana orang kampung boleh menjual sedikit sebanyak pisang dan buah-buahan bakul dan raga anyaman mereka. Perniagaan mereka tidak menjadibesar. Mereka berniaga secara sambilan. Mereka tidak berniat pun untuk membesar perniagaan. Setakat kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang, itu sahaja.
10. Tetapi anggapan mereka meleset. Kerana mereka tidak sanggup bekerja kuat, tidak sanggup berniaga secara serius mereka terus miskin. Jarak antara mereka dengan kaum lain yang bekerja kuat dan berniaga menjadi semakin luas. Yang berlaku ialah yang sudah kaya menjadi lebih kaya dan orang Melayu yang miskin menjadi lebih miskin. Ini sudah ditakdir. Tak perlu buat apa-apa.
11. Sepatutnya orang Melayu sedar terhadap apa yang berlaku kepada mereka. Malangnya mereka tidak sedar. Sehingga sekarang pun orang Melayu masih tidak sedar. Mereka masih enggan bekerja. Orang Melayu masih rela serah segala kerja kepada orang asing. Dan orang asing pun membanjiri Negara kita. Tujuh juta orang asing masih berada di sini sekarang ini. Mereka bekerja. Apakah akan terjadi kepada orang Melayu. Tentulah apa yang sudah jadi dahulu kepada Negara dan orang Melayu, yang akan terus jadi. Ada yang dakwa orang Melayu adalah Tuan. Tuan apa? Orang miskin, orang yang tidak ada kebolehan, orang yang bergantung kepada belas kasihan orang lain, Tuankah.
12. Nasib kita di tangan kita. Memarahi orang lain tak akan menyelesai masalah kita. Bilangan kita dikatakan bertambah. Tetapi jumlah besar orang yang miskin tidak dapat bersaing dengan jumlah kecil orang yang kaya.
DULU DENGAN SEKARANG
1. Nur Jazlan tak faham apabila membuat bandingan untuk sokong hujah. Mungkin orang muda ini tak pernah dengar pepatah. “Banding epal dengan epal, bukan epal dengan limau”.
2. Di zaman saya ROS (Pendaftar Pertubuhan) mengharamkan parti UMNO walaupun Kerajaan ketika itu didirikan oleh UMNO. ROS bertindak secara bebas, tanpa dihalang oleh Kerajaan.
3. Sekarang ROS hanya mengganggu parti lawan. Dapatkah ROS haramkan UMNO. Ada kes bagi UMNO diharamkan. Jika Kerajaan yang didirikan UMNO ROS haramkan baharulah sama dengan apa yang terjadi di zaman saya. Baharu ada bandingan antara dahulu dengan sekarang antara epal dengan epal.