Recently a writer (Baradan Kuppusamy) with a leading English newspaper wrote an article saying that Chinese Malaysians “cannot have it both ways”, with reference to the just concluded Sarawak state polls which saw the DAP coming into power in 12 state seats.
According to him, Malaysians of Chinese descent can either support the opposition, or the government. This wouldn’t work both ways as the community can’t have their cake and eat it too. What strikes me as alarming and sad is that the Malaysian mainstream media has sunk so far down that any possibility to resuscitate it would prove futile if such articles written by writers like Baradan Kuppusamy on skewed, flawed, and fear-inducing perspectives are allowed to be published.
Voting is a democratic right of every citizen. It is an unalienable right that constitutes the core of democracy and the fundamental aspect of every democratic country. Every eligible citizen should be morally bound to partake in this democratic process of electing state and parliamentary representatives during the state/general elections or whatever stipulated election methods deemed suitable (and fair) by the ruling democracy.
The fundamental aspect of voting is the voter makes a free choice on a candidate or that best represents the voters’ aspirations. A candidate would have won if it garners the majority votes of a state/parliamentary constituency, which is based on the British first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system.
The freedom of choice is an integral part of an individual’s existence. We make choices/decisions on a daily basis, from important decisions to trivial ones. Similarly, in elections when the people vote, they also make choices. Whatever is the choice made by the people is their right. Everybody should respect the choice of the people, who in this case, are the people of Sarawak, the citizens of Malaysia. To chide them for the choices they have made is plain ignorant.
Why can’t the writer use the term “Malaysians” instead of “the Chinese”, the “Chinese community”, the “Indians and the Malay”? Since it’s the Sarawak state elections, why not “the people of Sarawak”? Writing is a responsible act, to write and to enforce racial stereotype only makes readers tired and incensed with the intensity of Malaysian politics and the Malaysian mainstream media, which already suffers from serious perception issues.
Perhaps that is why the alternative media in Malaysia is growing in popularity because of the different perspectives it presents to the general reading public on the multiplicity of issues ranging from the global environment to socio-economic matters.
When one analyses the state election results, one may break down the percentage of voters according to their ethnicity, but to write that a certain ethnicity only supports the opposition and therefore it’s bad, defeats the whole purpose of analytical and informative writing (what more if it’s supposed to be journalistic in nature) for the masses.
To write is one matter, to cast aspersions on the choices made by the people is another issue, and to make ludicrous conclusions eventually evoke fear is a serious issue altogether. And to have it published in a major daily only makes it worse.
Writing a political commentary (note the word “commentary”) does not give a person immunity to write and conclude on skewed or a slanted perspective/logic. It is no wonder that nobody takes political analysts seriously in Malaysia.
Perception is important in politics, it is also important in writing, especially when one writes for public reading. And do also think of Malaysians of all ages who read what is published in newspapers. Similarly, what is shown in the national news is equally as appalling but I shall not go to that domain.
Race, religion, and ethnicity are the flavour of Malaysian politics. We see, hear, and read about it in our newspapers and news on a daily basis. The political landscape of Malaysia is of this nature. Politics have a hold in business, education, culture, media, society, and it permeates the life we have in Malaysia. That is why the Malaysian mainstream media has such an important role to play.
Malaysians (except politicians) are tired of politics, and when it comes to reading the newspapers, at least what the mainstream media can do is to publish good quality articles that does not remind Malaysians that they are for an Indian, a Chinese, a Malay, or fall under the Bumiputera category. Or perhaps articles that are so lopsided in their views that it insults the intelligence of its readers.
In conclusion, when it comes to voting, Malaysians can have their cake and eat it too but perhaps the Malaysian mainstream media and Baradan Kuppusamy cannot have it both ways. To write/report negatively about the ruling government would court disaster, to say positive things of the position is a big no-no, and the only sensible thing to do would be the obvious.
(David believes that “Writing is a struggle against silence” – Carlos Fuentes)
(David believes that “Writing is a struggle against silence” – Carlos Fuentes)
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