Special Rights? Who has it?

This is a rather sensitive subject, much abused and misconstrued too. It has become the cause of dissatisfaction among the Chinese in this country.

Maybe the word special is the crux of the matter. Remove that word, albeit leaving the Articles as it is, Malay rights might be viewed in an entirely different light and arguments against it if at all, might take a different turn.

Rights for the Malays has become such a contention among the Chinese, more due to the instigation by the DAP, than anything else. We hear the argument that there should be no Special Rights, that the Article is unjust. In fact this forms the basis of the DAP’s Malaysian Malaysia propaganda. It is also diligently stoked by the chauvinists in order to not only create ill will among the various races but also to raise the ire of the Chinese community especially.

On the face of it, the Malaysian Malaysia campaign calls for all citizens to be treated equally. The truth however, is a far cry from the fact for it is steeped in racism and bigotry. The word special as applied with regards to Malay rights in the Constitution is now so severely tainted with negative connotations that it has almost become a taboo word in the context of race relations.

 Any person who reads the Constitution without first understanding the history of the country will conclude that the Constitution is cause for inequity among the races and is therefore the spring from which flows much ill will and misunderstanding among the various races in the country, an obstacle to unity. A foreign journalist who parachutes into the country, or any visitor who comes on business or whatever for a few days and is in a hurry, not having time to read up on the history of the country or doesn't care to, upon reading the Constitution will come to the same conclusion.

Now that the word special is uses to severely attack what justly belongs to the Malays, there are now also a number of educated Malays and Malays in opposition parties who are feeling ashamed that they have to have these special rights. These new Malays feel these rights should and can be done away with, that they can fare just as well if not even better without it and that it has become such an embarrassment to them. They are ashamed of being accused successful only due to the special rights provided and protecting them.

The foreign media too is often easily duped by the opposition. They are led to believe that the non-Malays are oppressed by the provisions of the Article, that the special rights benefits the Malays at the expanse of the other races, that the Article makes non Malays 2nd class citizens, that democracy in this country does not mean equal rights or opportunity, that there is discrimination in every sphere of life, no equal opportunity in education, work and what not. They thus accuse the government as unjust, oppressive and therefore democracy as practiced in this country is lame.  

This blinkered view very easily gathers common sympathy and thus it is spread.The truth of the matter, however, as so rightly put by Tun M in a TV interview recently, is that the Chinese and Indians have their own rights too, except that their rights are not couched by the word special. The rights enshrined in the Constitution for immigrant Chinese and Indians which their brethren anywhere else in the world are not as privileged to enjoy are indeed very special rights. It is a privilege particular to the Chinese and Indian citizens in this country only.   Even countries that claim to be the Father Of Human Rights will never allow for their Constitution to include such special rights for the Chinese and Indians in their country as is enjoyed under the Malaysian sky.    

So let’s all cease harping about it, uphold and honor the supremacy of the Constitution and count our blessings instead.