I hope Sdra. Koh will go to "heal Sdri. Rhina Bhar broken heart". I do not know her well, but she had been a loyal Gerakanis for 30 years. Go and pujuk our "darling"("Darling" is Sdri. Rhina Bhar favorite word). Don't accept her resignation.On a more serious note, I do agreed partially with what Sdri. Rhina Bhar had said regarding racial bias. I had been called "banana (Hokkien: keng chew, a derogatory word for a Chinese that cannot speak Mandarin well) and had seen a few instances of this nature in the party. I believe Sdra. Lim Keng Yaik had been called banana before (I suspect he enjoy been called that, he is a different breed of politician). I had stood up and say my peace to these members. Yes, one or two are senior leaders. It is our duty to correct them, and if they can not mend their ways, we have to throw them out through our internal elections.
The reason why I agreed partially, is because nearly all Malaysian are raised with some kind of prejudices. Most parents, relatives, and friends will always have some prejudice remarks to say about the other ethnicities or races. It is a phenomena that is quite difficult to eradicate. Hence, saying prejudice words are nearly second nature. Therefore, many Malaysians do not realized when they made prejudice(racial) remarks.
It is difficult to eradicate because we believe in "Unity in Diversity" and when people are diverse there are tendency to have prejudice thoughts and ideas. Thailand and Indonesia(there are some changes) believe in "Unity through Assimilation".
Malaysians preferred choice is the "Unity in Diversity" way. This requires an enormous effort to ensure high degrees of positive racial or ethnicities interaction to dispel prejudice and racial tendencies. By choice or by design, Malaysia are extremely lacking in this respect.
That is why, I would like to urge the Gerakan leadership to change from a non-racial approach to a non-racial and multi-racial approach. A non-racial approach means that we can have negligible members of non-Chinese members yet expounding non-racial policy. It is not satisfactory.
It is better to be a party that is multi-racial in composition and expounding non-racial policy. What we said and do will carry much more weight and meaning.
If Gerakan is a party that is multi-racial in composition and non-racial in its approach, this problem that was brought up by Sdri. Rhina Bhar will must probably not occurred.
Star Online, Friday May 16, 2008
Rhina Bhar quits Gerakan after 30 years
PENANG: Former Gerakan vice-president and Wanita national chairman Datuk Rhina Bhar has quit the party after 30 years, citing racial bias in the leadership.
“It is impossible for me to continue working under the present conditions,” she said.
“Gerakan is to be a multiracial party but the leaders have been making many racist remarks. Enough is enough,” she said.
Rhina, 59, who tendered her resignation on Monday, also hit out at Gerakan adviser Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik for “practising double standards”.
Rhina also expressed her disappointment over Gerakan acting president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon’s comments for not fielding any Indian candidates in the last general election.
Both Dr Koh and Dr Lim could not be reached for comments.
The Bukit Bendera Gerakan Wanita chief said she was taking a break from politics to “heal her broken heart.”
“But I am keeping my options open to consider joining other political parties or non-governmental organisations, which can provide me an opportunity to serve the people,” she added.
Read also different views:
Sdra Ma Woei Chyi post on Non-Racial and Multi-Racial.
Sdra Oh Tong Keong post on What is Multi-Racial?
8 comments:
Reproduced my comments:-
Others may claim such allegation(s), but it's for sure NOT her. You might not be aware, she had been regarded highly by the leadership in Gerakan. For your info, although the "seats" of Gerakan, in BN have been limited, but she had been assigned/ appointed/ elected as National Wanita Chief, Branch Chairman, Divisional Wanita Chief, candidate for MP/ADUN (few terms), MPPP councillor and Senator respectively.
She is being seen an "opportunist" and intentionally found "reasons" or "excuses" to leave the party...
In short, "KIA-SU" and BOH-CHENG!!! Although it's time for her to contribute in order to boost up the presence of the party, but she has chosen to leave...
If your "house" is claimed "dirty". Do you clean your house or leave your house?
(especially you have been there since 30 years ago)
I can't speak for her but maybe she SIEN (bosan) and lonely being the very few non-chinese.
Actually chinese can be quite insensitive at times. Like H'ng, I'm also a banana (but can understand and speak simple mandarin la). When chinese-ed people get together (in Uni or at work) they will all start speaking mandarin regardless of whether there are people in the conversation who can't understand them. At meetings it's not uncommon to find them making side remarks to each other in mandarin when there are people of other races, which is very unprofessional. So, if I being a chinese sometimes feel out of place when I'm with a chinese group, what about her?
Putting myself in her shoes, maybe she can take part in Gerakan meetings but cannot socialize well beyond that because I can imagine most members being chinese will start chit-chating and bonding in hokkien or mandarin.
Stop being so chauvinistic. Throw away your party spectacles and try to see it from the view of the public and the non-mandarin speakers.
If you are really multi-racial in the Malaysian context, then by all means speak in Bahasa Malaysia (officially) and English as the alternative since its acceptance worldwide.
I am Chinese and proud of it but because I don't speak nor understand Mandarin does not mean I'm any less Chinese. Which by way I've been constantly reminded by some members.
Not all of us are so lucky to be trilingual but we are still Chinese and do care!
I know the positions that she had held in the past. It shows that Gerakan it not racial and do not marginalize anyone or race.
The No. 1 reason I wrote this blog is to provide an alternative view for party members to read. Of course, non party members are most welcome.
Why is this so?
There are near insurmountable amount of destructive views against Gerakan whether in the net or circulating among the "intelligentsia" that had to be countered or debunk.
Sdri. Rhina case is a natural consequences of the above. I do not agreed that she is an opportunist.
There will be more to come if we do not engage our members through various methods.
In Gerakan Tanjong Youth meeting, the languages used are English, Penang Hokkien and a little bit of Malay. Meeting minutes are in Malay.
It is not a language problem. The problem is more to do with the believe of Gerakan leadership that non-racial approach is enough.
I do not think so, I am in the minority among my peers. But, it will change sooner or later, necessities is the mother of inventions.
Words of “Dato’ Rhina Bhar quiting Gerakan” have been spreading like wild fire since last week. Today, it is confirmed. She has decided to quit the party after 30 years, citing racial bias in the leadership.
There should not be bad words trading after two gentlemen (women included in this modern world) part ways, so said Confucius. However, it is always easier said than done. So, the party leaders and Dato’ Rhina DO trade words over her quit in public as reported in the news paper.
“Racial bias” is strong word indeed. As a multi-racial party, certainly this sort of comment does not reflect well on Gerakan. For sure, hearing this “strong and cruel comment”, the leadership and members of Gerakan are also feeling the pains of “heart-breaking”. After 30 years, what a heart-breaking parting it is!
Who is right? Who is wrong? It doesn’t matter anymore. What really matters here is Gerakan. Leaders come, and leaders go. Gerakan should remain and move on.
(http://veonszu.wordpress.com)
I think she is a bit too much leaving the party at this moment, I think she have the feeling Gerakan have no more lobang already, otherwise why she choose to leave at this critical moment, where is her politic ethical ? no Lobang cabut ? She should cabut during she is a senator right ?
party have given her a change at previous election ,she had failed the party and yet party give her a senator, what else she wanted ? somemore dato leh, she is so greedy and need more lobang? please lah Politic FROG
Post a Comment