Dear Editor,
I am aghast at Nazri Aziz comment that non-Malays reason for lack of interest in joining the army is due to lack of patriotism. But behaving like a loose canon, this minister who is wellknown in Sabah for saying that the illegal problems here are not causing any problem, has committed another blunder that will haunt him for the rest of his life.
He tried to explain himself later, but he only ended up shooting his foot as proven by the outcry from MPs from both the BN and the opposition. What a way to create notoriety, to be confirmed as someone who shoots first and think later!
Nazri’s remark is in fact a blessing in disguise because he has helped us to highlight the problem of non-Malays avoiding joining the army and the police so that the MPs and many other parties will start to discuss the real reason behind it. Whose fault is it that the country’s army has long been called ‘Tentera Melayu DiRaja’ (Royal Malay Army?)
This has caused non-Malays to regard the army as a Malay army and if they join it they will not be regarded as a full part member of the army or that they will be discriminated against. There is this widespread belief that only Malays will be promoted in the army. How many non-Malays have been promoted to the rank of generals in the Malaysian army, I wonder?
There is also the understanding that Malays are more patriotic to the nation so they are more acceptable to become soldiers. Non-Malays are seen as very much less patriotic so they are not given preference when they apply to join the army of the police force.
So being patriotic or not is not the non-Malay’s fault, but the fault of the government which has been doubting the patriotism of non-Malays. This is very different from the case of the United States army which dared to recruit Japanese Americans to fight against Japan in World War II!
The other reason for non-Malays lack of interest in becoming soldiers is the low prospect for higher income. The pay to a Chinese youngster is too low knowing that he can just open a stall in his town and earn RM300 to RM1,000 per day! The fear of dying is not a factor because we have not been at war with anyone for almost half a century. It is mostly the pay and perks.
For some youngsters, they enjoy the glamour of becomine pahlawan negara (heroes), resplendant in the smart uniforms and handling firearms, and so attain a high status in the villages, but for some (even Malays) prefer to go into the government service or into business.
After all, it is the government who has been encouraging Bumiputeras to venture into commerce and industry. Whewre have we ever seen any campaign to get youngsters to join the army, with slogans like ‘Uncle Sam wants you’ or ‘Be all you can be!’ as they do in the United States.
Even school children seldom thin about becoming soldiers because there is no publicity about it. Why? Is it because the government wants to reserve the profession of soldiers only for or mostly for Malays? I believe so.
Of course the government puts a sprinkle of non-Malays in the army but it is only token numbers. I would like to challenge Nazri to come to Sabah and get non-Malays to join the army tomorrow, promsing there will be no discrimination. I bet the huge number of unemployed youths in Sabah would make a bee line to the recruitment centre.
But speaking of patriotism, what does Nazri know about this word? How about the sons and daughters of the political leaders in Parliament? Why aren’t they joining the army? In the United States, the renegade documentarian, Michael Moore actually went to the grounds of Capital Hill in Washington D.C. and asked the congressmen, on camera, if they would send their sons to serve the army in Iraq.
Just about everyone refused to speak to him! Patriotism doesn’t mean serving in the army only, Datuk! The biggest contributor to the nation;s development are those people who are doing business and paying income tax by the hundreds of millions of ringgit every year! The teachers who slog to educate our children, the farmers who plant our rice, rubber tappers, fishermen, stall vendors, shopkeepers, voters who made you guys ministers and those who voted against you-these are all patriotic Malaysians!
It looks like a few Malaysians leaders still have a long way to becoming matured leaders who can say the right things at the right time with poise and intellect. I don’t wish to say I am looking forward to Nazri’s next gaff, as that is bad for Malaysia. But I have this fear that it will come again sooner or later.
Regards,
DANIEL JOHN JAMBUN
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