Are we responsible enough for special rights?

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And such serious fighting also seems to allow for a few breaks in the rules. You can lie and cheat and steal and be corrupt because you are fighting the supreme battle; anything goes if you are fighting for your people.

I am still waiting to see that politician who had fought so hard and sacrificed so much for his people that he is now dirt poor, having lost or given away everything in the good fight. Still waiting.

There’s a lot of drama about how well we are learning the three Rs, though it could possibly be a comedy or perhaps even a tragedy, and not likely to have a happy ending for our nation.

We grew up learning the 3 R’s – Reading, ‘Riting and ’Rithmatics. But now we seem to be fixated on another set of R’s – Rights and Responsibilities.

I take back my words. Our fixation seems to be purely on Rights.

You can hardly hear yourself think amid the deafening noise of yet another politician shouting about his or her battle to fight to protect our rights.

Malays are especially lucky to have so many rights, and so many heroes fighting for their rights. If I can get one ringgit for each Malay political or non-governmental organisation or religious hero (are they different?) fighting for my rights, I would probably be as rich as them.

We do have the Constitution to thank for some of our unique privileges that make the Malays “special”, and I hear a lot of pride in this special status. Which leads to a lot of fighting to protect them.

The question we don’t ask often enough is whether this special status means we are super-duper top of the world, or special as in an endangered species that needs protection?

Bonus question – should Malays fight to keep this special status, or fight to lose them because we no longer need protection? This is a tough one.


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