Dismantling race politics

It is time for multiracial politics

It was distressing that Buntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam, threatened to resign from his party alleging that the DAP did not fulfill its promise of appointing two Indian assemblymen as a Perak state executive council (Exco) member. He may have his reasons for doing so, it may be a way to express his anxieties but such attitudes do not augur well for the tripartite coalition that wowed to dismantle racial politics in the country.

One of the main reasons for the opposition’s victory in the recent elections was the multiracial approach it advocated. The people at large wanted such an approach in contrast to the communal politics that they were used to all these years.

Being a member of the coalition that came to power on a multiracial platform, it was wrong of Sivasubramaniam to threaten to resign as only one Indian was appointed to the Exco.One of the ideals of multiracial politics is to do away with the practice that only leaders of a particular race can represent his community effectively.

On the contrary any Malaysian regardless of his race should be equally capable of representing the interests of any other community if he really wants to and that is what we as Malaysians must strive to achieve. That is the greatest challenge facing us today – are we prepared to accept each other from different ethnicity as fellow Malaysians?

After being used to politics along communal lines, it may not be easy for us to change our mindset overnight to adopt the new political realities. It will not only take time and effort but above all goodwill and compromise by all communities. Things may appear to be unfavorable to a particular community in the beginning but with perseverance and leaders committed to perpetrate unity, the ultimate result will be a win-win situation for all.

In keeping with the demands of the people, it is also timely for the BN to reconsider its style of communal politics and opt for a broader multiracial approach. People and governments all over the world are saying no to racism, what are we waiting for?

Dr.Chris Anthony