At the dawn of a new decade, Pusat KOMAS is wishful of witnessing a new inclusive “Bangsa Malaysia” that Malaysians can be proud of.
In the light of the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador’s distressed statement relaying the fatigued police force due to an increasing conflict pertaining to race and religion, the situation is paradoxically admissible as well as questionable. Although Pusat KOMAS totally concurs with the concerns shared by the IGP, it is still an enigma as to why the legislators and law enforcers are tying their hands in spite of the heated turn of events that jeopardise the racial harmony erected by our founding fathers.
Reform enthusiasts are still depositing an unwavering hope with the Pakatan Harapan’s promise to deliver significant reforms in transforming their professional approaches in handling national issues. Nevertheless, its dreary progress has managed to register numerous disappointments at the expense of few applaudable instances.
Pusat KOMAS strongly recommends all ministries especially the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of National Unity and Social Wellbeing alongside fellow lawmakers to monitor and implement necessary measures against the instigators that are causing a wreck at our nation’s progress to unity. We find the valuable time spent to chastise civil rights activists and organisations must be allocated generously to prevent unfortunate incidents by those who spits fire against different ethnic and religious groups.
Malaysians have been witnessing and at certain occasions subscribed to the venomous racial rhetoric eschewed by various irresponsible contingents that sometimes can be translated as ‘hate speech’. It is unfortunate as most of them are politicians who people entrusted their well-being with. Stringent actions must be taken without further ado as these “plethora” of cancers in society are spreading its rotten cells among the members of society and rupturing us into pieces. Apart from punitive measures, we believe the time is long overdue to step away from race-based political parties or coalitions.
Yet, Pusat KOMAS would like to walk ‘cautiously optimistic’ into the year 2020 with the believe that the propounded National Harmony Reconciliation Commission to oversee and manage inter-ethnic relations would see the light in a highly aspired ‘Wawasan 2020’. This would be an ideal start as rationales for defending institutional racism have exhausted and moreover, it collides directly with our shared prosperity vision and ‘Wawasan 2020’.
Therefore, we urge our four million young voters not to be tainted by this older generational regressive politics of power, greed and racism. On the other hand, Pusat KOMAS strictly reminds the government to straighten their spines in speaking up and voice out for an inclusive Malaysia as scores of Malaysians voted Pakatan Harapan not to assume the role of a silent spectator but to be a beacon of courage, hope and better change.
As a developing nation, Malaysia, its leaders and the people should forge alliance to overcome differences and that day will truly reverberate a Malaysia we all dreamed for.
Wishing all a Happy New Year!
Statement released by,
Pusat KOMAS
31st December 2019.