Let’s
Run the Race Together
by
Fahmi Rais
I do not speak
for the Malay community but 23 years of involvement and leadership in various
self-help and grassroot organisations provide me with a good understanding of
the pulse of the near 15% Malay/Muslim community in Singapore .
"The
Sultan is always right"
Traditionally
the Malays see themselves as loyalists, following the sacred concept of
‘kesetiaan pada Raja dan Negara’ (unquestionable loyalty to king and country)
inherited from the good old ‘Sultan is always right’ days. That being the case,
it is not rocket science to understand why the Malays easily accept authority
without question, and even blindly at times.
The mainstream
Malays have, since independence, threw their lot with the ruling party. This is
despite the fact that certain government policies have been contentious and
unfavourable to the community. But the absence of an alternative leadership
compels the community to accept its fate. The Malay MPs have all along been
giving the assurances to the community that the government is doing their best
to ensure that no community is left behind. But the grim reality is the
community is behind all others in almost every sphere – economic, business,
leadership in the public sector and administrative service, education, etc. It
is one thing not to be at the forefront of progress, it is another to take the
lion’s share of some of the social ills that perennially afflict the nation,
such as drug addiction, divorce rates and lower income woes. Without a doubt
the Malays have come some way since separation from Malaysia, and there have
been notable achievements in tested and new areas. But it seems that for every
step taken forward, the other races have made two quicker steps in the same
direction.
Today we have
over two dozen community organisations trying hard to resolve these issues, but
the headway made is like what you get when fighting wildfires or the haze. The
problems keep coming back and, sometimes, more profoundly each time. Much of
the community has now realised that only strong political will can bring its
position to be on par with the rest. This was somewhat manifested in the last general
election (GE), and I was glad that I played a part in the change that has
gained momentum, albeit in a small role at it.
A weary
and tired community
Sensing that
the Malay community has grown weary and frustrated, I took the decision to
revisit the political scene, this time by being on the other side of the fence.
It was not an easy decision as it takes double the courage to be in the
opposition. It was also about coming to terms with my past. Twenty-one years
ago, I joined the People’s Action Party (PAP) and was appointed chairman for
Young PAP Kebun Baru Branch by Mr George Yeo who was the wing’s leader then. I
was also made a legislative assistant, an experience I found to be invaluable.
Together with other youth leadership appointments entrusted to me, I took the
opportunity to engage the government through numerous forums and channels,
frequently raising the issue of the need to seriously help the community by
first placing trust in the community. I left the party after four years – with
the conclusion that truly effective voices can only be made, firstly, by those
who are in parliament and, secondly, by parliamentarians who dare.
A month before
the last GE, I started to make my intentions known to several opposition
parties. I was not volunteering to be a candidate. I was offering my time to
help with campaigning and to create greater awareness that Malays who are
confident of their capability to bring about political change must step
forward. Personally, I find it rather frustrating that no one from the elite
Malay leadership circle has taken the decision to do what they can do better through
the political channel. It is as if the community is void of heavyweights that
other communities are generously bestowed with. In short, there was not enough
firepower that could make waves and headlines. The critical challenges were all
mounted by brave Singaporeans of other races. Considering that the Malays have
a pool of community leaders and professionals enough to fill a thousand-strong ballroom
dinner function, the absence of star-material candidates as opposition party
members speaks volumes of the community’s deafening silence.
Making
a stand
My beliefs and
stance struck a chord with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and a new
chapter begun for me. I was immediately persuaded to be a candidate even though
I had categorically indicated my stand to merely help as a campaign volunteer.
I eventually agreed to change my status from party helper to party candidate
after I was introduced to my potential Group Representation Constituency (GRC)
teammates. I counted that I have less risks to bear, more of my good years to
give and, most importantly, my country was in need of more able people to come
forward to strengthen the number of alternative voices and choices. I simply
could not turn my back. I just needed the reassurance that the compatibility between
me, the party and the constituents was there.
Regrettably, I
had to withdraw my candidacy on the day I was to be introduced to the media.
There was a shift in the party’s nomination strategy. Understandably so.
However, I remained committed to the party throughout the campaign period and
resigned from the party after the election.
Through that
brief chapter in my new history, I made new friends, among them Tan Jee Say, who
boosted my confidence to stand for what I believe in. In fact, he was the
factor that almost made me decide to be a running candidate. His resolve to
change Singapore for the better made me question my own perspective of what
being a responsible citizen is all about. This is a man who can enjoy a quiet
life with all that he has achieved, yet he risked everything to champion the
cause of the people. Looking at what he and the rest of my new friends were
prepared to do, I knew that I could not be a bystander when my community has
much at stake in the process of change.
As it turned
out, the last GE was a turning point with the first GRC loss for the PAP and
the largest number of opposition members voted into parliament. Although the
results still came up short of what I expected, it was nonetheless a battle won
for Singaporeans who want to see greater accountability and more compassion
from the ruling party. The ground has spoken, cautiously but surely.
In the
process, I felt Jee Say has awakened many sleeping giants. The kind of quality
candidates that voters have always hoped for are no longer far and few in
between. They are coming out, on their own, in droves. The show of able men and
women is unprecedented. It was like a new beginning and those who were part of
the last GE, standing on opposition tickets against a waning but still
formidable PAP, have earned the right to stand proud and tall.
The
Hang Tuah-Hang Jebat Divide
The GE 2011
climate was different for the Malays. Reeling from emotional injuries sustained
from hurtful comments made by the ruling party leadership, the community was
forced to review its Hang Tuah* stand in favour of, perhaps, the more relevant
Hang Jebat** stance. Many of the problems that beset the community remain. Old
issues about trust and loyalty were still on the back burner as unfinished
business. Other religion-related issues were brought to a standstill. The faith
in the ability of Malay PAP MPs to become effective agents of change became a
hot-button issue on the ground, met with skepticism. There were calls for the
government to engage the Malay community directly without using the Malay MPs
as a go-between, for fear that they would only hear and convey to party leaders
the ‘good stuff’. Government-linked institutions like Mendaki and MUIS
regularly came under fire from the online community who felt that both had been
rendered ineffective by being too quick to support any government policy and
too slow to respond to the growing frustration from the ground.
In May 2011,
the community was offered the best choices in the history of the Singapore
elections. The Hang Tuah-Hang Jebat divide became more pronounced as areas with
greater Malay representation gave their vote for change. More members of the
community openly declared their support for the opposition since the problems
they faced have remained largely status quo.
Now, for the
first time, there is a Malay opposition MP from the pool of Malay candidates standing
in GE 2011. Whether the MP from the Workers’ Party can represent the country
while shouldering the added responsibility as the community’s beacon of hope is
yet to be seen. But expectations are high. I suspect that GE 2016 will see even
more credible Malays joining the opposition. The extent, of course, will depend
on the showing of the opposition parties both in parliament and those who are
still working the ground.
It will take
more time before any real progress can be seen. What is good is that the
community has come to terms with the fact they cannot continue to be on the
receiving end in the political realm. The problems and inequalities they face
can only be materially reduced if there is enough political muscle to ensure
that the desired effects are swift and strong. If the PAP Malay MPs could do
it, the problems would have been long resolved or substantially contained. If
the pressure can only be mounted by opposition Malay MPs, then certainly, one
is not enough.
But that will
be in four to five years’ time and until then, who knows what new problems will
arise while the old ones persist? So the necessary changes will have to wait.
The other alternative is a shift in position by the ruling party from hearing
the community to actually listening to them.
Presidential
Divide
The sentiments
shown during the GE were subsequently reinforced during the Presidential
Elections in which Tan Jee Say ran as the lesser-known candidate to the Malays
compared to the more familiar Dr Tan Cheng Bock and Dr Tony Tan.
The Malays
were further divided. The dilemma became more apparent. To support Dr Tony Tan was
to accept the continuity of their fate, unless changes really did take place.
To bank on Dr Tan Cheng Bock, they would need a higher level of surety that he was
truly no longer part of the system he was associated with for decades. The
Malays had limited interaction with Tan Kin Lian and came to recognise Jee Say
only through the GE several months before. Given the qualifying criteria for
the presidency, the Malays were resigned to the fact that their first, Yusof
Ishak, was also their last. The critical issue was voting for the presidential
candidate they could place their hopes on.
The
Hang Jebat Spirit
So when Dr
Wong Wee Nam asked me if I could speak in Malay at Jee Say’s rally at Toa Payoh
Stadium, I said yes without hesitation. It wasn’t just a matter of who the
Malay guest speaker was, it was also about convincing the Malays who they
should put their trust in. So before a near 30,000 crowd, I spoke on why the
second opportunity for change should not be missed and why I believed Jee Say
was the best Tan among the four. Based on the positive feedback after the
speech, I was pleased that I had played a part in the first hotly-contested PE.
Naturally I was disappointed with the results. I personally think that the
Malays need not wait for the next election to have their issues highlighted.
Jee Say, with all his energy and determination to break through a seemingly
unjust system, reminds me of the Hang Jebat spirit that the community is direly
in need of.
If Jee Say had
made it as Singapore’s seventh President, would things be better for the
country as a whole and, specifically, would the Malays benefit from his win?
One thing is for sure – we need to accelerate the rate of change. From the
competition at the onset and the close fight between the two Dr Tans at the
final hour, I can only surmise that the divide among the Malays got wider.
There was not any major consensus among the Malays as to which candidate would
be the president to help bring them out of the quagmire. Even the
pro-establishment Malay supporters were divided.
The ‘want to
change’ sentiments must be backed by action based on ‘the need to do what is
necessary for that change to happen’. It cannot be a prayer, a dream or a hope.
It must consist of real actions, not just words, will and not just intention,
perseverance and not just willingness, and lastly courage and not just simply
standing up to be counted.
Catching
the New Dawn Alongside Other Communities
I am sure 2011
marked the beginning of a new era. Jee Say played a pivotal role with many
other heroes. I simply want my community to be catching the new dawn alongside
our fellow countrymen and women, and not be two steps behind, either unable to
cross the finishing line or only making it when others have already won completed
the race.
............................................................................................................................
Footnotes
* Hang Tuah is
a legendary warrior who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th
century. The issue of his total devotion to the sultan even in questionable
times became a debate for centuries.
** Hang Jebat,
another great warrior was Hang Tuah’s closest companion. He went against the
Sultan for what he believed was a wrongful order to have Hang Tuah executed.