P Ramakrishnan
Former President of Aliran
17 March 2020
Malaysians are flabbergasted that we have an uncaring Prime Minister who doesn’t care for the fate of Malaysians in five states. He comes across as a heartless politician of the worst kind.
When the COVID-19 infected cases are escalating in numbers in Malaysia with two recorded deaths today for the first time, the concern should be for the welfare of all Malaysians. We should take urgent steps to control this dreaded virus throughout the country and protect every citizen – and not only those in the states that are controlled by the Perikatan Nasional (PN).
The total number, as of today, has risen to 673 cases with 120 new infections. The situation is clearly worrying and remains very serious and this is not the time to play petty partisan politics.
Inclusive politics must come to the fore, and no citizen must ever be given the step daughter or Cinderella treatment.
Inclusive politics must come to the fore, and no citizen must ever be given the step daughter or Cinderella treatment.
Does the PM realize that by excluding these five PakatanHarapan (PH) states – Sabah, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Penang – he is denying the Malaysian citizens in these states whatever remedial steps that he is implementing in the PN-controlled states? Undoubtedly, whatever policies that are devised and undertaken to fight this vicious virus costs money. The money that is being utilized comes from tax-paying Malaysian from every state.
Is it his policy that we, who are from the PH-controlled states, are not entitled to the safe measures taken to contain this virus? It is an obnoxious and un-Islamic discriminatory policy that is unfair and unjust. It goes against the principles of justice.
If he doesn’t care for these five states, then he shouldn’t care for the taxes derived from these states. If the five states are considered ‘haram’, how can the money from these states be ‘halal’?
If we condemn the discriminatory policy that affects the Palestinians, how can we practise the same discriminatory policy against our own fellow Malaysians? This exposes the sheer hypocrisy of these unprincipledpoliticians. They utter words in the international platform that you don’t honour at home.
We are moved to ask, “Where are your principles, where are your values and where is your ethics? Where is your dignity?”
Someone rightly said, “These stupid biases and discrimination are the reason our country is so screwed up.”
Malaysians will remember this blatant act of discrimination in the face of a national emergency and will punish all those who are party to this injustice come GE-15.