Rilek1Corner

Tag: Malay President

  • Khan Osman Sulaiman: Those Responsible For Using Racial Politics To Divide And Conquer Gets Away Scott-Free

    Khan Osman Sulaiman: Those Responsible For Using Racial Politics To Divide And Conquer Gets Away Scott-Free

    I was upset when the gov disguise condescension as affirmative action. I was distraught that my community was taken as a pawn in a political manoeuvring. I was disappointed that I can’t partake in democracy when there’s a walkover.

    Now that the charade has completed, I’m apprehensive about the ill effect of such disastrous policy just so that we can have a Malay President.

    The feeble justification by the gov that we need a Malay President can be felt even by those supporting it. The PAP is trying to paint itself as a champion of minority but we know it is all nothing but just political.

    At the top, we are always under-represented. And when they allow one to pass through, it is only because we have ‘progressed’. Not because we are equal in the first place.

    It surely rings hollow that the Malay community desire to have a Malay President but other pressing issues are not met with the same vigour the PAP has, to install a Malay president.

    What worries me the most is how the ill effect of this whole episode will affect the community. Especially my community.

    Given that we are viewed as getting a back door promotion to hold high office and the non-Malays are denied to participate in the presidential election, it is natural that people would feel upset about it.

    There are already fault lines to begin with before the reserved presidential system. With this whole saga playing out, it will only widen the fault lines further and scratch the delicate social fabric we have built on.

    It infuriates me that the one responsible for creating this mess playing racial politics to divide and conquer gets away scott-free. These types of policies pit us against one another.

    The people have to know that after 50 years of PAP rule, we are treated no more than a pawn in a game of chess. To be sacrificed to protect the queen falling from grace.

    The sooner we realise this, the sooner we can change our situation.

     

    Soon: Khan Osman Sulaiman

  • Commentary: PE2017 Experience Leaves One With A Bitter Aftertaste. What A Shame She Wasn’t Allowed To Fight A Fair Fight

    Commentary: PE2017 Experience Leaves One With A Bitter Aftertaste. What A Shame She Wasn’t Allowed To Fight A Fair Fight

    As Halimah Yaacob thanked her supporters for waiting for her under the hot sun, someone yelled something I couldn’t catch and she laughed. It wasn’t forced or rehearsed. It was one of the few times I saw a Singaporean politician being natural. And I thought, what a shame.

    As the camera panned to a group of makciks laughing along with her, looking so happy and proud as if thinking, yes, one of us made it. And I thought, what a shame.

    As hashtags of #notmypresident popped up online, the trolls gleefully bash their keyboards, making fun of her for selling nasi padang because that’s so Melayu. And I thought, what a shame.

    What a shame that this capable woman wasn’t allowed to fight a fair fight, that the odds were placed so ever in her favor that her presidency was seen as a sure thing, was tainted, even before she threw her name in the ring.

    It’ll be interesting to see if history will gloss over the details of how she became President. 20 years from now, articles will be written and documentaries will be made about how she was the first Malay (?) female (hijab-wearing at that!) to be president – how she started out with the trade unions and worked her way up to be an MP, how she was a beloved MP for her constituency, how she became the first female Speaker and then eventually the President.

    For me, I’ll remember the acute anger and disappointment of how this came to be. Of how the G insisted that the Malay community wanted a Malay president so they were just giving what the people wanted. Of how arrogant the G was to say that they were willing to pay the political price – because they think 4 years is long enough to make us forget, because come 2021, there will be an onslaught of goodies to succumb to.

    I once asked my mom if she ever felt disappointed that my sister and I are not high-flyers and hold ordinary jobs. She said no and after a pause she said, “But I wouldn’t mind if one of you became a Minister.” I just hope if that ever happens, she won’t be thinking, “What a shame.”

     

    Source: Junaini Johari

  • Damanhuri Abas: The Reserved Malay EP Irony – Malay Votes Do Not Matter

    Damanhuri Abas: The Reserved Malay EP Irony – Malay Votes Do Not Matter

    With Mr Salleh Marican coming forward and putting his hat in the ring, we may have a contest for the upcoming EP in September. There are sceptics commenting since he made the announcement but he had previously indicated well in advance his willingness to respond to the PM’s call for capable Malays to come forward to meet the call to serve the people.

    In fact, I was present at the Reach session when Mr Salleh Marican was the first to speak to the government panel comprising of Dr Yaacob Ibrahim and Mdm Rahayu Mahzam. He expressed his disappointment to them about the change to the financial requirement from 100 million paid up capital to 500 million equity shares company. He indicated then that this change would affect his chance of serving which he was seriously considering when the EP was made exclusive for Malays.

    However, he clearly is determined by still coming forward and willing to make the pitch to convince the EP committee to qualify him possibly on the third equivalent route.

    He mentioned his strength of being a businessmen thus comfortable with big numbers as his company is worth at least 200 million in equity shares. Thus he has a valid reason to be heard fairly by the committee on his other credentials that would compensate for not exactly meeting the minimum financial requirement for the job. On that note alone, we should give him a chance to make his case before the committee.

    The Malay community is still hoping likewise for more potential candidates with credentials to offer themselves as a possible EP. The value of a contest should not be underestimated.

    The word on the ground is a great sense of disappointment among the Chinese majority who felt this reserve EP is undermining their believe in the ‘system’. Their reaction however is mix from out right condemnation and a desire to cast a protest vote possibly through spoiling them to voting in any other non-government candidate.

    Among the Malays they are similarly mix about the EP as they never see this anywhere in the community’s priority to do list for the government. The mainstream media nonetheless as expected has gone into overdrive since the announcement for a reserve EP was made. The picture coming from them is the general support and gratitude of the Malay community towards this initiative by the government. The more realistic ones see this as a desperate manoeuvre to stop the potential victory of Dr Tan Cheng Bock at the polls if it was an open election. This group would likely cast a vote for the non-government candidate.

    In all honesty, the Malay vote ironically do not really matter much as it is a low percentage. The swing will be to see where the supporters of Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Mr Tan Jee Say cast their votes. They are clear defined blocks that may determine who wins. The PAP block are quite predictable and from what the last EP showed its about 30-40% at most. So there are 60-70% potential vote eagerly waiting to be cast against the PAP/government candidate. All is not lost people. Let this EP be a healthy contest for a better deal to the people to check this government. So let the contest begin.

    #PE2017 #MalayPresidentforSingapore

     

    Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas

  • Singapore Malayus, You All Looking For President Or A Budayawan? Melayu Kecam Hingga Tak Beri 2nd Chance Ke?

    Singapore Malayus, You All Looking For President Or A Budayawan? Melayu Kecam Hingga Tak Beri 2nd Chance Ke?

    Y’all looking for a President or a Budayawan? You all talk cock why Malay cannot be this why Malay cannot be that then when got Malay representation you all damn kaninabuay. His company is worth over $200 million. Kau duit installment motor pun terkial-kial nak bayar lu rilek sua.

    Aku dah cakap dah. Our community punya minority complex one kind. Ada je tak kena. Penguasaan Bahasa Melayu dia kurang bagus, big fucking deal. Kau try aku letak camera depan muka kau suruh kau bertutur dalam Bahasa Ibunda. Korang English dah half past six the only English words you all know are “Please Make This Viral” lepas tu exclamation mark letak belasan lebih. Language can be learned, polished. Business acumen, resilience, kau ada?

    Kau takda. Also, how Malay you all want him to be? Kau expect dia pakai tanjak, keluarkan keris, bersyair depan reporters? And people actually have the nerve to make fun of how his wife look? She is swimming in money. Kau swim dalam apa? Hutang? Duduk depan TV tengok JUS hoping to get $10,000 dalam cabutan bertuah ke? Sungai.

    Orang tu baru je pick up his papers. He is not even approved to run as a candidate and the community is already being damn cibai. Way to go. Bangsa lain cuma tinggal ketawakan kita. Kalau macam gini toksah ada Malay president sua. Korang not ready, evidently. Korang keluar, take a drive, roll down your window, godeh-godeh your 12 inch glow in the dark dildo gearstick, blast lagu Despacito pun cantik.

     

    Source: Hafidz Abdul Rahman

  • Khan Osman Sulaiman: Reserved Elected Presidency Is Fundamentally Flawed

    Khan Osman Sulaiman: Reserved Elected Presidency Is Fundamentally Flawed

    Im not that fired up on the upcoming Presidential Election. I know some of my friends are grateful that we now can have a Malay President after 50 years. We now can see photos of a Malay President and a Malay First Lady in every government buildings.

    Let’s not miss the forest for the trees.

    There are fundamental issues that need to be addressed with regards to reserving the presidential election for Malay candidates.

    1. This gov has put out of reach the aspirations of Singaporeans from being the president. It has implemented some strict conditions where most probably only the top 1% of the population is eligible, perpetuating an elitist society

    2. It has made changes to the President’s role that there is not much the president can decide on its own discretion. Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) can override the President. Parliament can override the President. President to consult CPA. In the end, the President is a ‘lame-duck’

    3. Reserving this presidential election for Malay candidates posed a few problems. It gives out the notion that the Malays cannot stand on its own merits and win the election fair and square.

    It is condescending and reek of tokenism when at the same breadth, minorities are not allowed to assume the position of Prime Minister

    4. It goes against the grain of meritocracy. It places the Malay community as a pawn in a chess game. To be used only when needed.

    If the above points cannot be seen by those rejoicing for joy on the prospect of getting a Malay President, then as a whole, we deserve to be minions.

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman