Former minister in the prime minister’s department Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said true Malays need not be afraid, or feel lack of a sense of security.
“Take myself as an example. I’m a pure Malay, but I have a sense of security. I feel proud of my own race and culture.”
However he said, the problem is that many people refused to understand or respect history. Indians, Chinese and Malays have been participating in the nation-building process since a few centuries ago. The Indians used to work in the estates, while the Chinese and Indonesians have all made valuable contributions and sacrifices for the nation too. But all of us had forgotten this.
Zaid Ibrahim quit his Cabinet post because he disagree with the government’s decision of detaining innocent civilians under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
He said during an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily that the Chinese used to work here as miners, and they made a lots of sacrifices during the confrontation with the communists, adding that we must understand history and what they have done for our country.
“We are only talking about Malaysia as the 19th largest export country in the world, and that we have the twin towers and are a developed country… Do you think we have done all this ourselves? You’re wrong. This achievement has been made after so many people from different ethnic groups have sacrificed for our nation.
“We are not talking about the positive things, but instead discussing how we should get worried because the Chinese have opened how many more new stores here.
“As a matter of fact, the first feeling we should have is not about worry. We should work even harder to keep up with them instead.
“I’ve never been worried about the Chinese. In my legal firm, my partner is a Chinese, and we fully trust each other. Do you think I have built up my success all on my own?
“I’m not scared that the Chinese are smart, for I’m also very smart. I’m not scared that the Chinese are hard working, for I’m also very hard working. We have bad guys in every ethnic group, and you’re cheated simply because you’re not smart enough. We must educate young Malaysians to look at things from a positive perspective.”
Zaid said certain (selfish) people (in Umno) have kept on mentioning May 13 to blackmail (and threatened) the people. However he felt that given our current situation, this thing would not and will never happen again.
“I am thinking, for a better future, all Malaysians should stand up and speak out bravely. The Chinese must defend the rights of their fellow Malays, and at the same time the Malays must also defend the rights of their fellow Chinese. Everyone must be properly taken care of here.”
He felt that we should not rely on a single political party to take care of a particular community. It should be that the rights of every individual must be respected and taken care of by everyone else.
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