Racial Equality

04Jan09

Racial equality is quite an interesting topic to talk about especially in any nations with more than one ethnic-cultural groups living together on the same land.

The United States is the first country which comes to mind when one talks of racial equality. In the United States, all citizens, irrespective of colour, race or religion are equal before the law. Before I go further about the United States and its racial equality, Malaysia is not that different from the United States, in the sense that we, too, live in a multi-ethnic society. We have Malay, Chinese, and Indians while the United States has white-americans, african-americans and the native americans a.k.a ‘the red indians’. Therefore, the question of racial equality in Malaysia is an issue of vital importance. There should be a clear understanding of racial equality in Malaysia.

People say racial equality is a prerequisite of racial harmony. But it does not necessarily apply all the time. Each community and individual interprets racial equality to the advantage of the interpreter. Let’s take an example. Our fellow Chinese often raise the issues of scholarship distribution to students. Thus, to them, racial equality means to compete for the scholarships regardless of race. Now if this interpretation is accepted, the end result in Malaysia at least, will not be racial equality but actually an aggravation of racial disparity. In other words, equality in one field may result in greater disparity in another. Picture this. The average Chinese people are obviously wealthier than the average Malays and Indians who can afford for education. If, the scholoarships are given equally regardless of race, yes, there is a racial equality, all races have an equal chance in education, but some people would be at total disadvantaged in other areas as a result to this.

There are a few questions that one, especially a Malaysian, needs to ponder, before they talk about racial equality. The questions are as follows:

1. Is it possible to achieve racial equality in Malaysia?
2. Are the average Malaysians ready for racial equality?

My answer to these questions are:

1. Yes, it is possible and it is achievable.
2. No, the average Malaysians are not ready.

Here is to why I said so.

I believe that, nothing is impossible in this world. If the American people can do, I do not see any reasons why we cannot. In the case of racial equality, yes, I am quite in agreement with Pakatan Rakyat’s cause to promote racial equality in Malaysia. I strongly believe that one day, there will be racial equality in Malaysia. By ‘one day’, I do not mean tomorrow or next week or next year or when Pakatan Rakyat wins the next General Election. The ‘one day’ does not referred to any specific time frame. It means when a few requirements are met. There are always requirements to everything. The requirements are:

• Malaysians start speaking one common language, English, so no one would feel their language is superior to another. You can speak your own mother-tongue at home.
• No vernacular schools.  Make Mandarin and Tamil language available in public schools. Replace the useless Pendidikan Moral subject to Mandarin or Tamil or Bahasa Malaysia. Bahasa Malaysia is no more a compulsory subject.
• There is no significant gap between the rich and the poor of all races. The average Malay, Chinese and Indians are equally rich.
• Malay, Chinese and Indians employers start accepting job applications regardless of race. No more economic discrimination. No more “Chinese only”, no more “Indians only” and no more “Malay only” on your job advertisements.
• Last but not least, strong bridges of understanding between races. Malaysians should start realising that other races are not out to get them. We all belong on the same side. Treat others with kindness, love and respect, and it would be returned in kind. Besides, didn’t Prophet Muhammad, Jesus and Buddha preached love?

So let’s assume that the Pakatan Rakyat wins the next GE and they start amending our Federal Constitution which gives all races an equal status in terms of everything with all other citizens of Malaysia. Yes, legally and on paper, racial equality would prevail in Malaysia. The United States would love us so much for that. But let me ask you, do you think that is sufficient?

I can assure you, if the requirements to racial equality that I mentioned above are not satisfied (of course, there are more than just that), there can be no doubt that there will be agitations and riots because of racial inequality. It is not because of the amended constitutions are discriminatory, but because there is still an existing conscious discrimination, socially and economically against all races. Bare in mind that social and economic discrimination are far more effective and most humiliating than legal discrimination.

Therefore, for racial equality to come about, it is necessary that those requirements are satisfied. Laws alone are not enough. Only a complete understanding and time will allow that to come.

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