Live telecast – a right move

Openness would act as restraint

The recently concluded UMNO General assembly may have caused a lot of controversies and negative impressions of the ruling party, but the one most important point in its favour was the decision to telecast its proceedings live. It is a step in the right direction in line with our Prime Minister’s call for a more open and accountable administration.

It is noteworthy that UMNO deputy president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has admitted that some speeches during the just concluded assembly “have gone overboard" and were extreme. Even the PM has acknowledged that we have reached a dangerous point in the history of the nation as far as racial unity is concerned. He tried to calm the situation by his moderate stance at the winding up speech, asserting that Malaysia is for all races and that UMNO will take care of all.

If the proceedings were not telecast live, it would not have received so much adverse reactions from the public and our leaders will never realize that race relations in the country is not that rosy as had been painted all these while. It is regrettable that MCA and MIC have opposed future live telecasts. They should know that their closed-debate over the years have not brought the races together.

On the contrary, openness in the form of live telecast, could in fact restrain the delegates from uttering words and phrases that would be offensive to other races.

Some of the delegates especially from the youth wing were oblivious to the likely ill effects that their statements could have on other communities. They were least bothered that what they utter at the meeting could deeply hurt the feelings of fellow Malaysians of other ethnicity. This is the result of a system that encourages living cocooned within their own community with little or no interaction with others.

The only way out of our present predicament is open, rational and civil dialogue, bearing in mind the sensitivities, fears and anxiety of all the races. This may not be easy, and may take a long time, but with full commitment and the might of the government machinery we have a reasonable chance of achieving a certain degree success.

Our leaders of all political parties must impress upon their members that the Federal Constitution guarantees the right of all the citizens and that all races are here to stay, in the land they consider as their motherland. Nobody is threatening to rob others of their rights as all they ask for is their own rights as enshrined in the federal constitution. We should not over-react to imaginary threats as that would only create chaos.

In the meantime, steps to educate the future generation should also be implemented now without any delay. Children from all races must be taught to understand and respect the sensitivities of other races. Free mingling of people of all races from young, freedom of expression and open dialogue in a civil manner must be actively encouraged as these would help instill tolerance towards others.

We hope the leaders will not only continue with live telecasts of future UNMO assemblies but also encourage other political parties and even parliament and state assemblies to do likewise. In the long run only openness will act as a restraint on our words and deeds.

Our ethnic diversity is here to stay.Whether we build on it or destroy it,depends entirely on us and we alone can determine our destiny.

Dr.Chris Anthony