LETTER | Get our bearings right on 3R restrictions

LETTER | We can almost draw a parallel between the two political coalitions in our country with that of the Republican and Democrat parties in the United States.

Perikatan Nasional, in particular PAS, is Republican while Pakatan Harapan, although its ground is gradually shifting, is more inclined to Democrat.

PN is rightist, conservative, and supremacist thinking that the proportion of the Malay-Muslim population will continue to outpace other minorities. Hence playing on Malay-Muslim dominance is its raison d'etre.

Harapan, on the other hand, is more liberal, progressive, and inclusive. However, make no mistake, Malay Muslims too must remain on the saddle.

Today, the 3R (religion, royalty, race) issues are considered sensitive and disruptive and all should refrain from weaponising them. However, the dichotomies within this restriction cannot be wider. Let me explain why.

First, asking for fairness and greater racial equality is disruptive or sensitive. I think every nation and every citizen aspires to this. On the other hand, asking for racial supremacy and dominance is out of sync with the time and the world we live in today.

Asking for the right to mother tongue education and to study other major international languages is not being parochial or chauvinistic. I think we all want the best for ourselves in terms of knowledge and marketability.

On the other hand, those asking others to study only the language they know are being unreasonable and supremacist. Because of their inability or laziness, they feel that others should be insular and inward-looking like them. This is baloney.

Asking for freedom to practise one’s religion is very different from asking others not to establish any place of worship in a certain locality. Who is to decide a certain locality is out of bounds so long as that religion is practised in peace and without disrupting the way of life of others?

We cannot ask to restrict the rights of others in the name of exercising our own rights and freedom unless the rights of others have encroached into our way of life.

Similarly, it is not interfering when we urge the police to investigate all cases fairly and without fear and favour. However, it is wrong to try to influence the police to fasten or slow down an investigation based on some explainable or unknown reasons.

It is important for us to get our bearings right. The objective of 3R restrictions is not to stifle minorities’ rights but to prevent those in dominant positions from further strengthening their discrimination and bullying others.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.