林德宜：大马能克服种族主义吗？

美国黑人乔治·弗洛伊德（George Floyd）之死，引发全球的反种族主义、警察滥权、体制歧视以及政府无能的的抗议浪潮。数以百万计的公民，尤其是年轻人，走上街头，声援美国示威者。他们也趁此批评本身政府直接或暗含支持种族主义行为，行动和政策的措施。

在大众媒体成千上万的有影响力抗议声中，其中一个格外出众的，就是英国籍世界重量级拳击冠军安东尼·约书亚（Anthony Joshua），他在英国一场抗议游行上对参与者说，这些参与者都是种族主义“病毒”的“疫苗”。

是一种慢性杀害

“我所指的病毒，就是种族主义。”

他问道：“我们要允许种族主义在我们社区中漫延多久？彻底杀害一个人是不可原谅的，但是剥夺他们的人权，压迫他们，嘲笑他们，侮辱他们，限制他们的发展……这也是一种慢性的杀害他们，夺去他们灵魂的生命。”

在马来西亚，没有出现如在亚洲、非洲、欧洲、拉丁美洲、大洋洲和北美的全球50多个国家所发生的示威浪潮，抗议弗洛伊德的死亡和种族主义。

这些示威，是在新冠疫情流行下展开的。在这防疫期间，世界一些地方是不鼓励人群集会，甚至一些地区集会是非法的。

尽管，国内没有类似的抗议，但这没有阻止我们的一些领袖站出来呼吁，要求我国反省对待少数族群的记录。其中一人就是联昌集团前主席拿督斯里纳西尔，他在Instagram上发文声援弗洛伊德，并表示他较迟才表态，因为他一直在思考这问题在马来西亚社会的普遍性。

“这里的少数民族每天都面临著类似挑战。纠正种族之间不平等现象的制度化措施如何被滥用或过时，这需要进行彻底改革。”

他说：“我们甚至没对种族主义进行定义或立法反种族主义。马来西亚民族──成为马来西亚人意味著什么，以及我们的政府，经济和社会如何运作，都需要重新调整。”

这位退休银行家警告说：“就像1957年和1970年局面那样，我们必须对此重新思索和定义。我们必须这样做，以免为时已晚。”

另一位从弗洛伊德事件中获启发者，是政治评论员达祖汀拉迪（Tajuddin Rasdi）教授，他在一家中文媒体专栏一篇题为“为何我们不能压平种族主义病毒的曲线”文章就是试图回应此问题。

根据他的说法，“首先，政客非常喜欢这种情况，因为他们可以拯救自己种族为借口，利用这种情况来捞取选票。因此，他们可以在演讲中说得很好听，‘我们都是马来西亚人，我们必须和睦相处’，但其实在背后，他们说：我首先是‘M’（族群），其次和最终需要的是一个很强大的‘M’政党来控制那些‘非M’的人。”

“藏在被窝里的敌人”

其次，他指出，“有些种族认为马来西亚是属于他们的国家，而且专属于他们。其他人是移民。他们甚至不承认他们的爪哇人，武吉士人和曼特宁人（Mendailing）的先辈也如华人，印度人和其他人般一样是移民。他们甚至不承认沙巴人和砂拉越人是马来西亚主人。因此，‘外来者’和‘寄居者’一词始终被广泛接受。”

第三，根据他的说法，“某宗教的一些人时常喊著要发动圣战，以保护其宗教免遭我国异教徒攻击。这些异教徒被视为“藏在被窝里的敌人”（musuh dalam selimut），而这国家应专属于某宗教的。”

在悲观的结论中，他认为，“出于这三个原因，种族主义的曲线永远不会压平，因为种族主义并不被认为是危险的，也不认为他们所谓的敌人受到歧视。歧视一直是一群不安的人生命之源，这些人由于无知的宗教师和投机取巧政客煽动而变得更加恐惧。”

将病毒置于阳光下

纳西尔在简短但有见地的发文中指出，我们需要“一个新平台”，为马来西亚探索一种新模式。

在我们想通过一个新平台，探讨新模式来解决本国根深蒂固的种族主义时，更重要的是，我们将打开马来西亚版本的潘多拉盒子，并面对著与世界各地一样的种族主义有关的棘手问题。

马来西亚的种族主义病毒可能与在美国或其他国家的病毒完全不同。但这依然是不管在公共或私人领域首要关注的课题。它也影响著我们生活每一天的方方面面。

将这种病毒摊开于透明的阳光下，可以让我们更好地了解这种社会病，以及如何对其危害进行消毒。

本文是作者“马来西亚的种族主义”系列文章的第一篇。

《大马能克服种族主义吗？》（Can we tackle racism in Malaysia）原文：

In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, an unprecedented wave of protest against racism, police brutality, institutionalized discrimination and the failure of governments to deal with it, is sweeping countries across the world. Millions of concerned citizens, especially the young, have taken to the streets in cities to show solidarity with protestors in the United States. They are also  strongly criticising their own government for policies that have directly or implicitly supported racist conduct,actions and policies.

Among the most powerful statements to emerge from the thousands of influential voices recorded in the mass media, one stands out in its bluntness. World heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua told a crowd of Black Lives Matter protesters in Britain that they are the "vaccine" to the "virus" of racism.

"The virus I am referring to is called racism."

He asked "how long are we going to allow racism to spread through our communities? Killing a person outright is unforgivable But stripping them of their human rights, oppressing them, mocking them, insulting them, placing glass ceilings above them... is just a slower way of killing them and taking the life out of their soul."

In Malaysia there has been no public outcry against Floyd’s death and racism similar to that which has taken place in over 50 countries across the world in Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Oceania,and North America.

Such protests have taken place despite the COVID-19 pandemic, during which gathering in crowds has been discouraged in some parts of the world, and is illegal in others.

Reflections on Floyd’s Death in Malaysia

The absence of a similar public protest here has not, however, deterred a few of our leaders from speaking up to call for the nation to examine its own track record with minorities. Perhaps the most prominent has been Datuk Seri Nazir Razak who in a posting on Instagram to support Floyd said that he was late in doing so because he has been reflecting on how prevalent this problem is in Malaysian society.

"How minorities here face the same challenges every day. How institutionalised measures to redress inequality between races have been abused or become out of date, and need to be overhauled.

"How we don’t even define racism or legislate against it. Our nationhood – what it means to be Malaysian and how our government, economy and society work – needs recalibration," he said.

"As there was in 1957 and 1970. We must do it before it is too late," the retired banker warned.

Another voice drawing inspiration from the protest is political commentator Prof. Tajuddin Rasdi. Writing in the Chinese media he has attempted to provide the answer to the question as to why in his words “we cannot flatten the curve on the racism virus”.  

According to him “[f]irstly politicians like this situation very much as they can exploit it to gain votes under the pretext of saving their own race. So they can spout beautiful speeches about 'We are all Malaysians and must live in harmony” but in actual backdoor speeches, 'I am 'M' first, second and last and we need a Big 'M' party to control the non-M's”.

Secondly, he has noted that “some race feel that Malaysia is a country belonging to them and them only. Others are immigrants. They don't even acknowledge that their Javanese, Bugis and Mendailing ancestors were also immigrants like the Chinese, Indians and others. They don't even acknowledge the Sabahans and Sarawakians as owners of Malaysia. Thus the term 'pendatang' and 'orang tumpangan' will always be popularly accepted.”

Thirdly, according to him, “the religion of one group of people frequently screams of jihad to protect the religion against kafirs who happen to be citizens of the country. These kafirs are considered 'musuh dalam selimut' to the country that should belong to one religious group only.”

In a pessimistic conclusion he argues that “with these three reasons, the curve of racism will never be flattened because racism is NOT considered a dangerous and indiscriminate enemy. Discrimination has been the life blood of a group of insecure people made frightened more by ignorant religious teachers and opportunistic politicians”

Putting the Virus Out in the Sun

In his short but insightful message, Nasir Razak posed the need for “a new platform” to deliberate a new model for Malaysia. .

Before we think of a new platform to discuss a new model to deal with the entrenched racism in the country, it will be important to open up the larger pandora’s box on our Malaysian version and to ask the difficult questions relating to racism that are being asked around the world.

Malaysia’s virus of racism may be quite different from what is found in the United States or other countries. But it is still the number one subject of concern in the public and private arena. It also  affects our lives every day in every way.

Taking this virus out into the sunlight of transparency can lead to a better understanding of this social sickness and how we can disinfect ourselves of its harmful effects.

This is the first of a series on “Racism in Malaysia”