Rallying Round
Divisive Politics:
Part 1
The Perfect Storm
By William Leong
Jee Keen MP Selayang
23 May 2019
The Three Parts
of this Article
In Part 1 of this Article, I draw attention to the
convergence of five factors creating a condition primed for the “perfect storm”
of ethnic conflict.
In Part 2, I caution that the PPBM-UMNO/PAS
contention for Malay supremacy in the prevailing politically charged atmosphere
may push ethnic-religious tensions beyond the tipping point, triggering ethnic
strife, hostilities or worse, conflict.
In Part 3, I suggest that in order to pull the
masses away from political entrepreneurs using the “race and religious cards”
to mobilize support, the PH government must deliver tangible economic results
and counter the UMNO/PAS narrative on racial politics. This is by exposing the
myth of race and to rebuild Malaysia as a shared society. There is no other
alternative.
The PPBM-UMNO/PAS
Contention for Malay Hegemony:
For the past one year since May
9, 2018, the sound and fury of racial and religious rhetoric have pushed the agenda
of social inclusion and moderation into the back burner. Consider the following
statements:
“Yes,
I will be accused as a racist for exposing the fate of the Malays and
Bumiputera. But for 70 years I have seen the decline happening to my people”
Tun Dr Mahathir,
29 December 2018 Speech 2nd
PPBM Annual General Meeting.
“This
government is not looking out for Malays and Muslim rights. Right now ‘the big
house’ is full of ‘penumpang” …We have been made to feel like visitors in our
own country. This is a spineless government. One that we should reject.”
Datuk Mohamad Hasan,
28 February 2019 Speech
Semenyih By-Election.
“[Muslims
especially the youth] have been used by enemies of Islam, to the point where
there is a change of politics that endangers Muslims in our country. When it is
being ruled and dominated by non-Muslims.”
Dato Seri Abdul Hadi Awang
Harakah Daily
Malaymail 17 February 2019
“It is politically convenient
to rile people up. But I will not compromise on this issue-our economic agenda
must be needs-based, not race-based…We must shed racial politics and
fear-mongering, in order for Malaysia to progress…Distribution of income and
gains that was concentrated on the elite Malays before this, have to be changed
to ensure that there is equal opportunity for all”
Anwar Ibrahim
Dewan Rakyat March 2019
Ominous Signs of
Ethnic Conflict:
Merdeka Center’s recent survey found only 39% of
voters gave PH a positive rating. The Prime Minister’s rating fell to 46% from
71% in August 2018. Prior to Sandakan, the UMNO/PAS alliance scored a hattrick
of by-election victories. Many blame the voters’ disenchantment to PH’s
non-fulfilment of its election manifesto. Merdeka Center suggests the drop in
support is due to voters’ unhappiness over the state of the economy,
performance of the administration and concerns on Malay rights and privileges
as well as fair treatment of the other races. Many commentators say the PH
government should focus on immediate implementation of its election manifesto.
I believe the drop in support and three BN
by-election victories bear a more ominous sign. It is the high risk game of
playing racial-religious politics in danger of spinning out of control.
The statements quoted above show a resurgence of
ethno-religious identity politics. Racial polemics have taken centre stage in public
discourse. This is due to the ongoing PPBM-UMNO/PAS contention for Malay
hegemony. Anwar Ibrahim is the lone voice for multi-racial inclusive politics.
This PPBM-UMNO/PAS contention is closing-out the space for politics of
moderation.
Playing the Race
and Religious Card
Political entrepreneurs in plural societies are
often unable to resist the temptation to embark on a strategy of whipping-up
racial hatred, widening social fragmentation and increasing racial and
religious intolerance. By manipulating ethnic emotions to exploit fears and ignorance
to mobilize support for their own selfish political purposes, these political
entrepreneurs push the country off the precipice into a devastating racial
conflict and violence. Bosnia, Rwanda and Sri Lanka quickly come to mind[1].
UMNO and PAS have always played the race and
religious card. However, the conditions prevailing today are different from
those existing for the past 61 years. Recent developments point to the
impending convergence of five factors that political scientists have identified
as leading to “the perfect storm” of
racial conflict and violence.[2]
Experts have found that ethnicity “embodies an element of emotional intensity
that can be readily arouse when the group’s interest are thought to be at
stake.”[3]
A sudden major change such as the collapse of communism in Bosnia and
decolonization in Rwanda and Sri Lanka upsets previous political and
institutional arrangements. When these institutional mechanisms are no longer
in place during a period of political and economic transition in which “the old no longer works while the new will
not yet function” a situation of instability and uncertainty about the
political, social and economic future of the communities arises.[4]
This leads to the particular racial group, who under the previous regime
enjoyed distribution of the nation’s resources based on racial criteria to
encounter “a collective fear of the
future.”[5]
Political entrepreneurs, in their quest for power,
mobilize ethnic constituencies by promoting inter-ethnic animosities using
rhetorical weapons of blame, fear and hate. Political memories and emotions
also magnify these anxieties, driving groups further apart. Together these
factors produce a toxic brew of distrust and suspicion. This leads to further
ethnic intolerance, resentment, fears and eventually-violent conflict.
The five factors for “the perfect storm” are set
out below:
The Perfect
Storm: 1st Factor-Major Structural Change
The first condition is a major structural crisis
or change. The change in the Federal Government is the first in Malaysia’s
history. It causes uncertainty and anxiety especially amongst the Malays who
fear they will lose Malay rights, privileges and benefits.
The Perfect
Storm: 2nd Factor-Historical Memories of Inter-Ethnic Grievances
Political entrepreneurs manipulate fears and
uncertainties of ethnic groups. They are able to “awaken a consciousness of common grievances and a desire to rectify
these wrongs.”[6]
Ethnic cleavages allow political entrepreneurs to mobilize grievances against
distributions of benefits that are perceived to be unfavourable to the group.[7]
UMNO from its inception in 1946 sought leadership
in the quest for independence through the social – construction of a Malay
identity. In doing so, UMNO perpetuated the myth and continued with the false
pseudo-scientific claims of the colonial masters such as “the lazy Malay,” the “venal
Chinese” and the “cringing and
cheating Indian.” While the British used these stereotypes to justify
imperialism, UMNO used them to justify their hold on political power.
Instead of forging a post-independence inclusive
society, UMNO used the Chinese and Indian stereotypes as convenient foils to
maintain hegemony. It also served the purposes of the BN Chinese and Indian
elites that they are the only ones with the capability to negotiate and deal
with UMNO. The use of these stereotypes allowed UMNO to maintain power by raising
the spectre of the Chinese bogeyman while the Indian became the invisible man
and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak the forgotten man.
UMNO/PAS’ constant use of these stereotypes,
myths, reminders of the May 13 incident and repeated vilification of the
“Other,”- that without UMNO, the Malays will be left behind in their own
homeland to become serfs to foreign masters have become embedded and
internalized in the psyche of many Malays. Internalization is the process where
an individual accepts the norms and values established by others through
socialisation.
The continued use of this strategy after GE14
poses a danger that is different from before. The change in government means
that for the first time, the security blanket offered by UMNO, torn and
tattered by corruption as it may have been, is no more. The Malays suddenly
find themselves exposed to uncertainties. They are facing the very bogeyman they
are brought up to fear. This internalized acceptance of historical memories of
inter-ethnic grievances fulfils the second condition of the “perfect storm” of
ethnic conflict.
The Perfect
Storm: 3rd Factor-State Institutions that promote ethnic intolerance
State institutions have distributed the nation’s
resources, rights and privileges on an ethnic basis beyond the special and
reserved rights under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution. In doing so, the
state institutions openly practiced and legitimized politicized racial
preferential policies.
The UMNO elites have taken advantage of their
dominant position to assume a position they have a manifestly divine right to
scarce resources, contracts, monopolistic power, economic advantages and
privileges. Political patronage and rent-seeking behaviour have become the
accepted norm.
The minorities (“the Other”) in the meanwhile begrudge their exclusion in silent
resentment. Uneasy peace and order are maintained by a strong state apparatus
and robust use of its coercive powers and repressive laws.
Malaysia’s experiment on social engineering have
until now been blessed by a growing economic pie. The current global economic
slowdown together with the kleptocrats’ plundering has reduced the PH
government’s financial space to satisfy every one’s needs.
Beverly Crawford, a professor in the University of
Los Angeles California and co-editor of the book, “The Myth of Ethnic Conflict: Politics and Cultural Violence”
opined that a weakening of the Malaysian state is likely to lead to intense
cultural conflict because its political institutions have indeed cemented the
political relevance of ethnic differences.[8]
State institutions’ legitimization and promotion
of ethnic intolerance fulfils the third condition of the perfect storm of
ethnic conflict.
The Perfect
Storm: 4th Factor-Manipulation by Political Entrepreneurs
Political entrepreneurs must possess the skills
and ability to articulate in a coherent and plausible fashion, the structure of
opportunities and constrains that face the particular ethnic group and the
potential costs of not acting collectively. UMNO and PAS leaders have long
mastered these skills.
Scholars have found in Bosnia, Rwanda and Sri
Lanka, such appeals have historically shown to be persuasive in times of
trouble when societies are faced with high degrees of uncertainty and see their
economic and social prospects come under challenge.
The effectiveness of the political entrepreneurs’
rhetoric to win support is not dependent on the truth of the grievances. Often
the grievances may sound frivolous and are indeed even ludicrous. It is not
that the masses do not know that racial discrimination, racial intolerance and
ethnic violence are wrong. The masses buying-in are dependent on whether the
interpretation of discrimination and injustice articulated by the political
entrepreneur draw sufficient support from the targeted group (“the In-Group”). There must be a
sufficiently large number of the In-Group supporting the venture in ethnic
disharmony to show it has a more than an even chance of success to be able to mobilize
the masses.
It is also dependent on whether the political
entrepreneurs’ promises of financial and material gains are sufficiently
credible. It is financial rewards, material gains and exclusive access to
resources promised by the political entrepreneurs that motivates the In-Group
to act. Grievances are used as a cover for greed.
The combination of UMNO and PAS enjoying
two-thirds of Malay support fulfils the requirement of the In-Group being
likely to be on the winning side. The proven UMNO machinery of
institutionalised political patronage is seen as a credible confirmation that
their offer of material rewards will be honoured.
Ultimately to paraphrase an UMNO leader’s infamous
saying, the masses in the In-Group follow the political entrepreneurs on the
basis that just as theft is not a crime if one is not caught, it is not wrong
to carry out acts of racial disharmony if one does not end up on the losing
side. In the final analysis, it is a feasible venture because when an
unapologetic racist contends with naked racism, it is always the moderates and
the Other who loses.
If new Malaysia continues with the dominant racial
political game then the In-Group masses will be emboldened to ratchet- up
racial tension, raise intolerance to ever higher levels and even carry out acts
of provocation and violence. In the rush for a piece of the spoils, tears and
death are never ever considered.
For these reasons, rhetoric by the political
entrepreneurs evoking emotions of fear, resentment and hatred in the present
circumstances fulfils the fourth condition.
The Perfect
Storm: 5th Factor- Interethnic Competition over Resources and Rights
At the heart of all ethnic politics is access to
and distribution of economic, political, social and cultural goods relating to
property rights, jobs, scholarships, educational admissions, language, rights,
government contracts and development allocations.[9] All such resources are scarce and thus
objects of competition and struggle between individuals and when individuals organized-groups.
In societies where ethnicity is an important basis for identity, group
competition forms along ethnic lines. Politics matters because the state
controls access to scarce resources. Individual and groups that possess
political power gain privileged access to these goods. In multi-ethnic
societies, resource rivalries and the struggle to control state policy produce
competing ethnic interests.
In almost all ethnic conflicts, ethnic groups’
demands are focused on securing basic rights, a fairer share and distribution
of education admissions, employment opportunities and contracts. What is “fair”
is seen from their own subjective viewpoint and often partial to that ethic
group because each group is living in a silo society. When a group establishes
its dominance within the society, it is able to maintain a system of stratification
of economic differences on ethnic lines. In a major structural change, the
In-Group begin to see the Other as taking away their entitlement to the
economic and political goods. Thus inter-ethnic competition for resources
spawns the politics of political, economic and social exclusion.
UMNO and PAS have exploited Malay anxieties that
if they lose dominance, they will be denied access to resources and rights. To
maintain access, they must exclude the Other from the programmes and institutions
distributing the resources. Social exclusion of the Other is therefore an
important feature of ethnic-based distribution of resources.
Inter-ethnic competition for resources and rights
fulfils the 5th Condition.
Convergence of
the 5 Factors
The presence of all five factors is cause for concern.
Strategic action by the political entrepreneurs described in Part 2 may trigger
ethnic violence and conflict.
End of Part 1
Next: Rallying Round Divisive Politics Part 2:
St
[1]
Beverly Crawford and Ronnie D. Lipschutz “The Myth of ‘Ethnic Conflict’:
Politics, Economics and ‘Cultural’ Violence
[2]
Bojana Blagojevic “Causes of Ethnic Conflict: A Conceptual Framework” Journal
of Global Change and Governance Volume III Number 1 page 2.
[3]
Donald L. Horowitz “Ethnic Groups in Conflict” Los Angeles University of
California Press 1985 page 59
[4]
Georg Brunner “Nationality Problems and Minority Conflicts in Eastern Europe”
Foundation Publishers 1996 page 92
[5]
David A. Lake and Donald Rothschild “Containing Fear: The Origins and
Management of Ethnic Conflict” International Security Volume 21 No. 2 1996 page
41.
[6]
David A Lake and Donald Rothchild “Ethnic Fears and Global Engagement: The
International Spread and management of Ethnic Conflict” Working Paper,
Institute on Global conflict and Co-operation, January 1996
[7]
Ibid.
[8]
Beverly Crawford and Ronnis D. Lipschutz “The Myth of Ethnic Conflict: Politics
and Cultural Violence”
[9] David A. Lake and Donald Rothchild;
“Containing Fear: The Origins and Management of Ethnic Conflict”
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