Kelantan Crown Prince Tengku Faris Petra said today that Malays had given into granting non-Malays citizenship and the latter should therefore not seek equality or special treatment.
He said this during his keynote speech at a forum titled “Malay unity is the core of national unity” organised by the newly formed Barisan Bertindak Perpaduan Melayu in Kuala Lumpur today.
Speaking to a crowd of about 1,000 people, Tengku Faris said the Malay rulers would be an umbrella to foster unity among all Malaysians, based on the Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara.
“Therefore, the rakyat must unite and never raise issues regarding Malay rights and special privileges because it is a quid pro quo in gratitude for the giving in of citizenship (beri-paksa kerakyatan) to 2.7 million non-Malays into the Tanah Melayu federation.
“Thus, it is not appropriate for these other ethnic groups to have citizenship, only (later) to seek equality and privileges,” said Tengku Faris, who read from a 11-page prepared text.
Quoted from Malaysiakini
If race and religious relations in Malaysia are currently said to be strained, what this Kelantanese prince is doing is adding fuel to the fire.
Is there anything more discouraging for the non-Malay than to hear that they have been given citizenship because of the magnanimity of the Malays? And as such they, who have been magnanimously granted citizenship, should not deign to ask for equality and special treatment?
It makes me want to put my finger on my tongue and gag!
The children, grand-children and great-grand children of immigrants to Malaysia do not know any other country other than Malaysia. Malaysia, for better or worse, is where they call home. And for someone like Crown Prince Tengku Faris Petra of Kelantan to say that they should not even aspire to be treated equally as the “natives” of the land is like telling them that they are no better than second class citizens! Excuse me while I go puke in a corner!
Crown Prince Tengku Faris Petra is exhibiting race superiority of the first order! While talking about national unity from one corner of his mouth, the other corner is spouting racism and discrimination. Does he actually believe that Malaysia is what it is today without the help of immigrants?
I had high hopes that Malaysia was finally moving away from race based politics and policies especially after the outcome of the General Elections. But now it seems, Malaysia has a long, a very long way to go, if the words of the Kelantanese prince are anything to go by.