CC Pung’s dose of philosophical musings
( The writer is a Sabah Justice of Peace, Tokoh Wartawan Sabah and Labuan)
Everyone has read the fictional tale of how a tortoise won a race against rabbit.
If there are those around you who don’t get the morale of the story, you best tell them to go live in a cave.
My thoughts switched to the Malaysian race to economic prosperity since the introduction of the openly discriminatory and racial New Economic Policy.
Because of NEP and a host of other measures that gave unfettered advantages to the Malay majority, the ‘race’ in reality has been between a supercharged armoured Hummer and 15-year old, 1.2-litre Toyota Corolla.
Back in 1970 at the start of NEP, this arrangement may be fair considering the Malays then were said to be behind in their share of the national economic pie.
The competiveness of the non Malays needed to be blunted.
So we have them represented by the tortoise, and the Malays, the rabbit.
It’s been 50 years.
One would have thought that the supercharged Hummer would have sprinted light years ahead, or at worst claiming parity with the non Malays.
But that’s not the case since recent statistics revealed that the majority of the so called B40 (low uncome) group are Malays.
Only one Malay is ranked among the richest 50 Malaysians and every single subsidy scheme in every shape or form are directed at benefiting the B40, or the Malays.
There are Malays-only schools and colleges, government run universities have e trance preference for Malays, Malays even get subsidy for going for the Haj to Mecca.
But Malay politicians still, today, go to town crying for more and longer Malay privileged, claiming they are still being marginalised.
By whom, May I ask?
The Hummer would have won hands down if the driver knew his mission and just drove.
That he still hasn’t arrived reveals many truths and ironies that he is still not willing to accept.
The Corolla driver knew his handicap.
He busy negotiate the twists and turns (unfair policies) and avoid every potholes.
He. believes in the divine but kept that to himself while focus in the challebges ahead.
He just kept driving.
The Hummer driver wore his beliefs on his sleeves.
While his Corolla competitor stopped, tested and ate whenever convenient.
The Hummer driver must stop to report his journey five times a day, and could only rest and eat at authorised stops.
Many a time the purpose of his journey seemed secondary.
The Hummer wants badly to win but appears always distracted.
The Corolla couldn’t care less about winning because he understands that the race was designed not for him to win, and he’s fully aware that staying the course is victory itself, and the journey is perpetual, anyway.
Editor:The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of Talantang.
