A senior official will be punished for his racist outburst warning Malaysia's ethnic Chinese minority not to become greedy for political and economic power, the prime minister said Tuesday. Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the leaders of Malaysia's 14-party ruling coalition unanimously rejected Ahmad Ismail's remarks and that they "want swift and firm action to be taken" against him.
Ahmad, a district chief in the United Malays National Organization ruling party, claimed that the Malay majority was losing patience with minorities, particularly ethnic Chinese politicians.
"I urge the Chinese not to become like the Jewish in America, where it is not enough that they control the economy, but they also want to dominate politics," Ahmad told a news conference late Monday in northern Penang state.
"Consider this a warning from the Malays," Ahmad said. "The patience of the Malays has a limit. Do not push us against the wall, for we will be forced to turn back and push the Chinese for our own survival."
Abe Foxman, head of the Anti-Defamation League, an American Jewish advocacy group, called the remarks an example of "classic anti-Semitism." But he added: "I'm delighted to hear that there is at least a rejection from the prime minister of this bigotry and anti-Semitism. ... The most important thing is the voice of the prime minister saying that this is bigotry, this is racism, this is unacceptable."
The Muslim Malay majority makes up 60 percent of the Southeast Asian country's 27 million people. Most Chinese and Indian Malaysians are descendants of 19th and early 20th century immigrants who came as traders, laborers and miners during British colonial rule. Ethnic Chinese now comprise a quarter of the population, while Indians form less than 10 percent. They have grown increasingly vocal about alleged government discrimination in economic, social and religious policies.
Malays enjoy a host of privileges in jobs, education and business as part of an affirmative action program launched in 1970 following racial riots fueled by Malay frustration over the Chinese community's wealth.
In a country where racial tensions are palpable but never discussed publicly, Ahmad dropped a bombshell last month by describing the Chinese as "squatters" and "immigrants." The uproar over his comments had barely subsided when he gave a news conference on Monday.
The 14 parties in the National Front represent Malaysia's main races, the majority Malays and the minority Chinese, Indians and others. Ahmad belongs to the Abdullah's United Malays National Organization, the dominant party in the coalition.
Following the comments, the Chinese-based Gerakan party in the National Front severed ties with UMNO's Penang branch, raising fears that it would also do the same at the national level. Gerakan leader Koh Tsu Koon said Tuesday his party would determine its next move after UMNO decides on the disciplinary action against Ahmad.
Abdullah is struggling to hold the coalition together amid a threat by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim to seize power by luring government lawmakers to his side by next week. Growing dissatisfaction about racial policies prompted many Chinese and Indians to vote against the government in March general elections. Many Malays also backed the opposition, causing the National Front to retain power with only a simple parliamentary majority.
Ha'aretz
Showing posts with label Chinese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese. Show all posts
September 10, 2008
June 14, 2007
Overcoming barriers to integration
Towns and cities across the UK are expected to be far more ethnically diverse in future.
Most are unlikely to end up resembling the Wood Green district of Haringey in north London, which ranks among the most culturally mixed boroughs in the country.
As a government-appointed commission comes up with new recommendations to improve relations between migrants and local communities in England, what do its residents feel about integration? The commission considers the inability to speak English to be the single biggest barrier to integration.
John Okono, 28, came to the UK from Nigeria - an English-speaking country - three years ago and can see how some of the immigrant friends he has made have become isolated because of a lack of language skills. Mr Okono, who is working as a security guard as he studies for a masters degree, can see himself applying for British citizenship one day.
"Whenever you come to a different country you have to integrate yourself with the culture and speaking the language is a very important part of that," he said.
It is a point not lost on charity worker Patricia Rodgers, who was brought up in Glasgow in the 1960s and 1970s and has lived in Haringey for three years, after a spell in Spain teaching English.
"It's definitely important for people to learn the language," she said. "I have taught it here to a lot of the Polish community and I'm going to start doing it again on a voluntary basis as there's a big need for it."
New shops
The shops of Wood Green, like most suburbs of London, offer clues to the changing make-up of its population.
Greek and Turkish-run grocers sit side-by-side Afro-Caribbean food retailers, Halal butchers and stores selling eastern European provisions. Accommodation advertisements in Polish, Russian and Chinese now appear in newsagent windows.
According to the 2001 Census, about 33% of Haringey's population of 216,000 were born outside the UK. White British people made up 45% of its residents.
Another message from people in Wood Green is that mixing with other residents is the key to becoming a more integrated community.
Emerging from a bagel shop is technician Mohammed Ali Hassan, 45, who came to the UK from Somalia in 2006 and has been granted asylum.
"I've only been here for a year so I don't really have friends of different nationalities yet - but when our children go to school, the parents have meetings and discussions so there integration takes place," he said.
Peter Cercek, 33, a computer worker who arrived from the Czech Republic in 2004, highlights a position communities moving to less diverse areas may find themselves in.
"For the first six months I only knew people from my country, but now I have friends of all different nationalities," he said. "If I lived in a small town I probably wouldn't mix, but there are so many different people it's impossible not to."
Sheraz Ahmed, 26, who came to London from Pakistan just five months ago, is working part-time on a stand selling telephone cards and studying English, ahead of starting an MBA. Friends he has made through work are from Mauritius and Albania, but his housemates are also Pakistani and he says he does not really know any British people.
"It's difficult to mix with other cultures when I've only been here for a short while," he said. "But that's why it's important to speak English."
The comments of student Christopher Lewis, 16, suggest that promotion of a common language more than Britishness is the most effective way to integrate communities in 2007. The UK-born son of Greek immigrants said he was not entirely at ease with being described as British.
"I've friends from Latvia and Africa but at the end of the day families always have tradition. You can socialise but your roots are going to be closer to you than your outside contacts," he said. "Some parts of me are British and some parts are not. The UK is a multi-cultural society now - it is not 'just British' anymore."
BBC
Most are unlikely to end up resembling the Wood Green district of Haringey in north London, which ranks among the most culturally mixed boroughs in the country.
As a government-appointed commission comes up with new recommendations to improve relations between migrants and local communities in England, what do its residents feel about integration? The commission considers the inability to speak English to be the single biggest barrier to integration.
John Okono, 28, came to the UK from Nigeria - an English-speaking country - three years ago and can see how some of the immigrant friends he has made have become isolated because of a lack of language skills. Mr Okono, who is working as a security guard as he studies for a masters degree, can see himself applying for British citizenship one day.
"Whenever you come to a different country you have to integrate yourself with the culture and speaking the language is a very important part of that," he said.
It is a point not lost on charity worker Patricia Rodgers, who was brought up in Glasgow in the 1960s and 1970s and has lived in Haringey for three years, after a spell in Spain teaching English.
"It's definitely important for people to learn the language," she said. "I have taught it here to a lot of the Polish community and I'm going to start doing it again on a voluntary basis as there's a big need for it."
New shops
The shops of Wood Green, like most suburbs of London, offer clues to the changing make-up of its population.
Greek and Turkish-run grocers sit side-by-side Afro-Caribbean food retailers, Halal butchers and stores selling eastern European provisions. Accommodation advertisements in Polish, Russian and Chinese now appear in newsagent windows.
According to the 2001 Census, about 33% of Haringey's population of 216,000 were born outside the UK. White British people made up 45% of its residents.
Another message from people in Wood Green is that mixing with other residents is the key to becoming a more integrated community.
Emerging from a bagel shop is technician Mohammed Ali Hassan, 45, who came to the UK from Somalia in 2006 and has been granted asylum.
"I've only been here for a year so I don't really have friends of different nationalities yet - but when our children go to school, the parents have meetings and discussions so there integration takes place," he said.
Peter Cercek, 33, a computer worker who arrived from the Czech Republic in 2004, highlights a position communities moving to less diverse areas may find themselves in.
"For the first six months I only knew people from my country, but now I have friends of all different nationalities," he said. "If I lived in a small town I probably wouldn't mix, but there are so many different people it's impossible not to."
Sheraz Ahmed, 26, who came to London from Pakistan just five months ago, is working part-time on a stand selling telephone cards and studying English, ahead of starting an MBA. Friends he has made through work are from Mauritius and Albania, but his housemates are also Pakistani and he says he does not really know any British people.
"It's difficult to mix with other cultures when I've only been here for a short while," he said. "But that's why it's important to speak English."
The comments of student Christopher Lewis, 16, suggest that promotion of a common language more than Britishness is the most effective way to integrate communities in 2007. The UK-born son of Greek immigrants said he was not entirely at ease with being described as British.
"I've friends from Latvia and Africa but at the end of the day families always have tradition. You can socialise but your roots are going to be closer to you than your outside contacts," he said. "Some parts of me are British and some parts are not. The UK is a multi-cultural society now - it is not 'just British' anymore."
BBC
March 15, 2007
Elected less than a week, and already targeted by racists
Northern Ireland's first Chinese politician has vowed not to be deterred by racists after abuse was posted about her on a high-profile website.
Police are continuing their investigations into allegations of racism against south Belfast MLA Anna Lo after new bigoted footage appeared on the video website YouTube. The videos, which are seen 100m times a day, were removed after they appeared in the comedy category showing a poster of the new Alliance MLA being defaced while the culprits ridiculed her accent.
The footage was removed as soon as the Belfast Telegraph alerted Ms Lo, the PSNI and the website to the material.
This is the latest in a series of racist on- line attacks against Ms Lo, who is the first politician of Chinese descent to be voted into government in Europe. Ms Lo's face has been maliciously posted onto pornographic websites and she has been abused on a hate site which links into a network "for national-socialists world-wide" and claims to be part of the infamous neo-Nazi group Combat 18.
Ms Lo today said that, while the racist slurs are upsetting, the overwhelmingly warm response she has received following her election as south Belfast MLA is much more representative of local people.
"I have had a meeting with police about this kind of thing before but they cannot do much because no actual threats have been made against me. When the sites are shut down, they are just re-opened somewhere else. In all societies there are small elements who are against you simply because of who and what you represent. I think my election shows how far we have actually progressed as a society. The fact that Northern Ireland is the first place in Europe to vote in a (Chinese) politician is a very positive image for the province world-wide. Therefore, I try not to think about the abuse on the internet."
A PSNI spokesman said: "Police inquiries are ongoing into an existing issue regarding internet content. The PSNI do not monitor internet sites on a day-to-day basis; however, we will take appropriate action when we receive a complaint of a criminal offence in our jurisdiction."
Nobody from YouTube was available to comment.
Belfast Telegraph
Police are continuing their investigations into allegations of racism against south Belfast MLA Anna Lo after new bigoted footage appeared on the video website YouTube. The videos, which are seen 100m times a day, were removed after they appeared in the comedy category showing a poster of the new Alliance MLA being defaced while the culprits ridiculed her accent.
The footage was removed as soon as the Belfast Telegraph alerted Ms Lo, the PSNI and the website to the material.
This is the latest in a series of racist on- line attacks against Ms Lo, who is the first politician of Chinese descent to be voted into government in Europe. Ms Lo's face has been maliciously posted onto pornographic websites and she has been abused on a hate site which links into a network "for national-socialists world-wide" and claims to be part of the infamous neo-Nazi group Combat 18.
Ms Lo today said that, while the racist slurs are upsetting, the overwhelmingly warm response she has received following her election as south Belfast MLA is much more representative of local people.
"I have had a meeting with police about this kind of thing before but they cannot do much because no actual threats have been made against me. When the sites are shut down, they are just re-opened somewhere else. In all societies there are small elements who are against you simply because of who and what you represent. I think my election shows how far we have actually progressed as a society. The fact that Northern Ireland is the first place in Europe to vote in a (Chinese) politician is a very positive image for the province world-wide. Therefore, I try not to think about the abuse on the internet."
A PSNI spokesman said: "Police inquiries are ongoing into an existing issue regarding internet content. The PSNI do not monitor internet sites on a day-to-day basis; however, we will take appropriate action when we receive a complaint of a criminal offence in our jurisdiction."
Nobody from YouTube was available to comment.
Belfast Telegraph
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