Manoharan wants Bumiputera status for all born after independence

 

Thursday May 21, 2009

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By Shannon Teoh

SHAH ALAM, May 20 – Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leader M. Manoharan today called for all those born in Malaysia after independence to be accorded Bumiputera status, saying that this would truly unite Malaysians and give 1 Malaysia some meaning.

Fresh from being released from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention, M. Manoharan may well be courting trouble again with his speech at a teatime function today.

“I want to meet the prime minister to propose that we accord Bumiputera status to all Malaysians born here after August 31, 1957 to dismantle racial barriers,” he said.

In an interview with The Malaysian Insider later, he said that such a move might give PM Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia slogan of unity a chance of bearing some fruit, as it would be the first step towards recognising all citizens as equal Malaysians.

Recognising the sensitivities surrounding Bumiputera status, he explained that it was not meant to impinge on the constitutional rights and privileges of Malays.

“The constitution enshrines the rights of Malays, not Bumiputras, so they can still continue to enjoy their special status. I am not trying to take it away from them,” he said.

The Kota Alam Shah assemblyman added that, along with four other Hindraf leaders released recently from ISA detention, he would resume its 18-point demands to the government which includes affirmative action for ethnic Indians as well as protection for its schools and temples.

In his own capacity as a DAP assemblyman in Selangor’s Pakatan Rakyat government, he hopes to pursue some of these issues.

“I have a masterplan for Selangor. If we solve these three problems – Tamil schools, Hindu temples and graveyards or crematoriums – then we will have solved 90 per cent of Indian problems,” he said.

He said the state government had the power to end these Indian issues as it was in charge of giving out land titles.

“We are asking for nothing more than what are government obligations to its citizens. We are not asking to be prime minister, deputy prime minister or to be astronauts,” he quipped.

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Inilah dikatakan ibarat melepaskan anjing yang tersepit! Kalau tak mahu berterima kasih kepada kerajaan kerana membebaskan ia dari tahanan ISA tu tak apa lah tetapi selepas ditahan begitu lama, ia masih tidak ragu-ragu cuba menjolok sarang tabuan.

Apa kata kalau kita sebagai orang Melayu pula menuntut supaya hak orang india dan cina ditarik balik?

Disini aku mahu menerangkan apa maksub “Melayu” dan “Bumiputra”.

1. Melayu merujuk kepada mereka yang bertutur bahasa Melayu dan mengamalkan adat resam orang Melayu
2. Istilah “Melayu” ditakrifkan oleh UNESCO pada tahun 1972 sebagai suku bangsa Melayu di Semenanjung Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Filipina, dan Madagaskar.
3. Bagaimanapun menurut Perlembagaan Malaysia, istilah “Melayu” hanya merujuk kepada seseorang yang berketurunan Melayu yang menganut agama Islam.
4. Bumiputera or Bumiputra is a Malay term widely used in Malaysia, embracing ethnic Malays, Javanese, Bugis, Minang and other indigenous ethnic groups such as the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia and the tribal peoples in Sabah and Sarawak
5. This term comes from the Sanskrit word Bhumiputra, which can be translated literally as “son of earth”
6. The concept of a “Bumiputra” race in Malaysia was coined by Tunku Abdul Rahman and has its roots in the recognition of the “special position” of the Malays given by the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, in particular Article 153.
7. However, the constitution does not actually use the term “bumiputra”, it only contains the definitions of “Malay” and “aborigine” (Article 160(2))^[1], “natives” of Sarawak (161A(6)(a))^[2], and “natives” of Sabah (Article 161A(6)(b))^[2].
8. If one of the parents is Muslim Malay or Orang Asli as stated in Article 160 (2) Federal Constitution of Malaysia; thus the child is considered as a Bumiputra”
9. “If a father is a Muslim Malay or indigenous native of Sabah as stated in Article 160A (6)(a) Federal Constitution of Malaysia; thus his child is considered as a Bumiputra”
10. “If both of the parent are indigenous native of Sarawak as stated in Article 160A (6)(b) Federal Constitution of Malaysia; thus their child is considered as a Bumiputra”

Apa perbezaan Melayu dan Bumiputra?

Aku tak nampak apa-apa perbezaan pun sebab istilah Melayu merujuk kepada satu bangsa yang mengamalkan adat resam orang Melayu dan berugama Islam.

Di negara Malaysia, orang Melayu didefinisikan menurut perlembagaan dalam pekara 160(2). Menurut perkara ini, orang Melayu ditakrifkan sebagai ^[11]:

1. Seorang yang beragama Islam
2. Bertutur bahasa Melayu
3. Mengamalkan adat istiadat Melayu
4. Lahir sebelum hari merdeka sama ada di Persekutuan atau di Singapura atau pada hari merdeka, dia bermastautin di Persekutuan atau di Singapura

Apa yang Manoharan mahukan ialah mereka yang dilahirkan selepas kemerdekaan diberikan status Bumiputra tanpa mengira bangsa.

Adakah ini adil kepada mereka yang sudah digelar Bumiputra? Sekiranya PM berikan apa yang Manoharan mahukan, bukankah ia akan melanggar erti sebenar Bumiputra atau Melayu seperti dialam point 7 dan 8?

Point 7 dengan jelas menyatakan bahawa perkataan Bumiputra tidak digunakan dialam perlembagaan sebaliknya perkataan “Malay”,”Aborigine (The term indigenous peoples can be used to describe any ethnic group of people who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest known historical connection, alongside more recent immigrants who have populated the region and may be greater in number.) dan “native Sabah & Sarawak)

Maka persoalannya, bagaimana isu yang dibawa oleh Manoharan ini sesuai untuk diadaptasikan sedangkan ia jelas didalam perlembagaan.

Aku cuma lihat Manoharan ini mahu menjolok sarang tebuan demi memperjuangkan agenda yang salah. Dia berani mengatakan dia ada “masterplan” untuk negeri Selangor. Apa masterplan yang disebut sehingga mampu menyelesaikan 90% masalah kaum India?

Isu seperti sekolah Tamil, kuil, kubur dan pembakaran mayat? Ini bukan isu yang serius! Kalau benar dia mahu menyelesaikan masalah ini, kita ada rangkaian kerajaan yang mampu menyelesaikanny.

Isu seperti sekolah Tamil harus dilupakan sekirannya kita sokong kampen “1 Sekolah”. Kenapa perlu ada sekolah Tamil? Bukankah baik kalau semua pergi ke satu sekolah dan belajar pembelajaran yang sama atau lebih baik?

Isu kuil, kalau kuil dibina atau dipohon secara halal, maka tiada isu yang perlu dibangkitkan.

Masjid atau surau pun boleh dirobohkan sekiranya ia didirikan ditempat yang tak sesui atau struktur binaan yang tak menepati standard majlis.

Sama juga dengan isu kematian. Semua diatas kerjasama dan toleransi.

Saya ambil contoh, sekiranya suatu kawasan perumahan itu majoritinya ialah Melayu, adakah sesuai sekiranya kuil hindu dibina sedangkan masjid atau surau tidak?

Isu yang dibawa oleh Manoharan ini semata-mata untuk mewujudkan rasa tidak senang diantara kaum.

Saya amat berharap pihak berkuasa menjalankan siasatan keatas kenyataannya supaya rakyat tidak mempunyai persepsi yang negetif.