[hang nadim] Ketuanan Melayu legitimasi watan

Oleh Teo Kok Seong

2010/12/08
Bukan Bumiputera tak dipinggir, diberi perlindungan

KOMEN mengenai Ketuanan Melayu sebagai satu konsep kontroversi disentuh lagi. Kali ini oleh orang Melayu sendiri dalam kongres tahunan sebuah parti politik pembangkang. Walaupun diingatkan berkali-kali oleh pelbagai pihak, termasuk golongan istana supaya tidak mempersoal, apatah lagi mempertikai Kedudukan Istimewa Orang Melayu pada Perkara 153 dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan, masih ada pihak tidak mengendahkan nasihat diraja ini.
Satu dalil yang digunakan sesetengah pihak untuk menolak konsep Ketuanan Melayu ialah hubungan tidak bertamadun antara tuan dan hamba padanya. Dalam konteks ini, orang Melayu diibaratkan tuan, manakala orang bukan Melayu sebagai hamba. Dengan pemahaman yang sengaja diada-adakan ini, orang Melayu disifatkan sebagai tuan yang mempunyai kuasa, misalnya mengawal orang bukan Melayu yang merupakan hamba. Sebagai hamba, orang bukan Melayu bukan saja berada di bawah telunjuk orang Melayu tetapi perlu mengikuti perintahnya.
Selain ini, orang bukan Melayu sebagai hamba juga tidak dibenarkan membuat sebarang keputusan mengenai diri mereka dan hanya boleh melakukan sesuatu dengan kebenaran daripada tuannya iaitu orang Melayu. Dengan kata lain, sebagai hamba, orang bukan Melayu dikongkong dari segi perundangan oleh orang Melayu selaku tuan.

Satu lagi dalil untuk menghapuskan konsep ini seterusnya menyingkirkan peruntukan begini daripada Perlembagaan Persekutuan, ialah orang Melayu memiliki status lebih tinggi. Justeru, mempunyai lebih kuasa daripada orang bukan Melayu. Dengan ini, orang Melayu yang memiliki banyak kelebihan ini perlu berkuasa ke atas orang bukan Melayu.

Sehubungan dengan dalil sebegini, persoalannya ialah – adakah semua ini benar? Untuk dalil pertama, adakah orang bukan Melayu sebagai hamba dipasung dari segi perundangan sehingga mereka tidak boleh mencari nafkah, selain tidak dapat meneruskan cara hidup etnik, yang diwarisi dari tanah asal China dan India?

Sehubungan ini, putar belit pihak tertentu mengenai pengertian kedua-dua kata tuan dan hamba itu, memperlihat betapa ceteknya kecerdasan mereka dalam usaha mempolitikkan makna kata-kata itu. Kata tuan dalam bahasa Melayu tidak semestinya selalu bermakna orang/pihak tempat menghambakan diri, seperti orang kulit putih menjadi tuan kepada hamba daripada orang kulit hitam di Amerika Syarikat, satu masa dulu.
Tuan juga bererti pemilik, dan tuan dalam konteks Ketuanan Melayu, boleh dikaitkan dengan makna pemilikan Tanah Melayu oleh Orang Melayu sebagai penduduk asal dan/atau yang lebih awal daripada yang lain-lain. Untuk ini, buktinya banyak sekali dan pemilikan dalam erti permastautinan lama ini tidak dapat dinafikan mana-mana pihak.

Tuan juga adalah kata ganti yang sopan untuk lelaki dan perempuan, tanpa mengira darjat dalam sistem kesantunan bahasa Melayu, khususnya zaman lampau. Dialog kisah purba banyak mengandungi ungkapan seperti Tuan Puteri dan Tuan Hamba.

Sehubungan itu, hamba dalam bahasa Melayu tidak semestinya selalu bermakna abdi. Ia juga membawa maksud saya, untuk tujuan merendahkan diri sebagai menghormati orang yang dilawan bercakap sekali gus ini satu ciri budi bahasa Melayu yang mulia.

Pengertian tuan dan hamba yang hanya membawa maksud orang/pihak tempat menghambakan diri dan abdi, kalau datang daripada orang bukan Melayu, boleh difahami kerana mereka bukan penutur natif. Tetapi pemahaman sebegini daripada orang Melayu sendiri yang merupakan penutur jati kepada bahasa Melayu, sesungguhnya tidak berlaku walaupun dalam keadaan tidak siuman, kecuali betul-betul disengajakan untuk tujuan tertentu.

Untuk dalil kedua, betulkah orang Melayu berstatus tinggi mempunyai banyak kelebihan sehingga boleh menentukan nasib orang bukan Melayu. Semua pihak yang mempunyai nawaitu yang betul mengetahui yang keadaannya tidak begitu.

Malah keadaan adalah sebaliknya iaitu orang Melayu yang dikatakan tuan dan yang dianggap berstatus lalu mempunyai banyak kuasa itu, sebetulnya adalah kelompok yang jauh ketinggalan dari banyak segi, pendidikan dan ekonomi misalnya, apabila dibandingkan dengan orang bukan Melayu. Dari segi ekonomi, orang Melayu masih tidak berupaya mencapai ekuiti 30 peratus daripada pemilikan kekayaan negara, yang selebihnya dikuasai orang bukan Melayu.

Ketuanan Melayu sebagai istilah dan konsep yang dianggap jelik oleh sesetengah pihak itu, sebenarnya adalah legitimasi watan, yakni hak orang Melayu/Bumiputera yang sah, terhadap wilayah yang bernama Tanah Melayu sebagai penduduk asalnya.

Legitimasi watan ini boleh wujud dalam beberapa bentuk. Antaranya adalah Kedaulatan Raja-Raja Melayu, yakni penghormatan kepada etnik Melayu sebagai anak watan negara ini yang dimanifestasikan dalam bentuk Raja Melayu selaku pemerintah dan orang Melayu sebagai rakyat. Dalam konteks ini, kata tuan merujuk kepada gelaran Raja/Sultan Melayu yang memerintah, dan Ketuanan Melayu pula adalah pemerintahan oleh Raja/Sultan Melayu.

Dalam sistem Raja Melayu dan orang Melayu ini, yang diperkemas dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan pada 1957, legitimasi watan ini mencakupi tujuh perkara. Pertama bumi yang dihuni ini dipanggil Persekutuan Tanah Melayu sebagai nama Melayunya. Perkara kedua, sebahagian bumi ini disimpan khas untuk orang Melayu dan dikenali sebagai Tanah Simpanan Melayu. Perkara ketiga, keselamatan bumi ini sebahagiannya diamanahkan kepada pasukan tentera yang digelar Regimen Askar Melayu.

Keempat, sistem pemerintah beraja yang dipanggil Raja-Raja Melayu. Perkara kelima ialah Islam dijadikan Agama Persekutuan. Perkara keenam ialah Bahasa Melayu menjadi bahasa negara ini. Yang ketujuh ialah perlindungan terhadap orang Melayu selaku anak watan dalam bentuk Kedudukan Istimewa Orang Melayu.

Dengan ada semua ini, legitimasi watan tetap memberi perlindungan kepada orang bukan Melayu yang merupakan penduduk bukan asal. Mereka diterima menjadi warga negara, layak memiliki tanah, diterima menganggotai pasukan tentera, ikut dilindungi sebagai rakyat Raja-Raja Melayu, dibenarkan terus menganuti agama lain selain Islam, boleh mengajar dan mempelajari bahasa etnik masing-masing, dan dijamin kepentingan absah mereka yang tidak boleh sekali-kali dicabuli.

Adakah semua ini, menunjukkan Ketuanan Melayu itu bersifat diskriminasi terhadap orang bukan Melayu, sehingga perlu disingkirkan daripada Perlembagaan Persekutuan, seperti dikehendaki sesetengah pihak?

Ketuanan Melayu, walaupun dipanggil dengan apa jua nama lain, misalnya legitimasi watan, tetap adalah kelayakan penduduk asal negara ini yang halal terhadap tanah tumpah darah mereka. Meskipun demikian, orang Melayu bersedia berkongsi kelayakan ini dengan orang bukan Melayu, dalam semangat permuafakatan etnik, yang dikenali sebagai kontrak sosial yang kini dimasukkan dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Penulis ialah Felo Penyelidik Utama, Institut Alam dan Tamadun Melayu, UKM

Najib: We must continue to create successes and innovations

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is a developing, competitive and progressive nation due to the strength of its multi-ethnic community’s unity, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said Malaysia’s success as a peaceful multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation could be attributed to the teachings of Islam.

“We must continue this in order to create successes and new innovations that will benefit the people,” he said in his Awal Muharam message on his blog www.1malaysia.com.my.

He also stressed the need for the country to pursue moderation on the global level based on the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.

“Malaysia has always been consistent in promoting the concept of moderation and universal peace in the past five decades.

All this while, the country’s economic and development transformation has demonstrated a philosophy of moderation and balance, which is an awesome achievement and a huge Islamic message at the global level,” said Najib.

In Putrajaya, when presenting his royal address at the national-level Ma’al Hijrah celebration, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin called on Malaysians to ensure that unity among them built over the years is not destroyed by a handful of extreme and greedy individuals.

Tuanku Mizan said national development would be hampered if unity and harmony were not defended.

“The country will regress and be destroyed if the people are suspicious of one another and fight among themselves.

“It is the responsibility of all Malaysians to ensure that the country is doing well and is successful when inherited by our children,” he said during the celebration themed “1Malaysia, 1Ummah” at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre yesterday.

“All races must have mutual understanding and respect for each other as well as be willing to give and take for the sake of maintaining harmony.

“As for Muslims, they should help build the ummah and beloved country based on faith and solidarity. And learn from the hijrah (migration of Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina) with realisation and resignation.”


Karpal raps Nik Aziz on who can be PM
2010/12/07
By Melissa Darlyne Chow and Eileen Ng
news@nst.com.my

Read more: Karpal raps Nik Aziz on who can be PM http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles//10devu/Article/#ixzz17TQsi7WO

KUALA LUMPUR: Pas spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat received a rebuke from DAP chairman Karpal Singh for saying that DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang could become deputy prime minister only if he was a devout Muslim.
In a statement yesterday, the Bukit Gelugor member of parliament said the Kelantan menteri besar's statement had no substance or merit.

Karpal said what Nik Aziz said had also negated the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion and worship.


He said the Federal Constitution did not provide for a prime minister to be of the Malay race and to profess the Malay religion.


Article 43(7) sets out the only restriction to being prime minister, and this is that a person who is a citizen by naturalisation or registration under Article 17 shall not be appointed prime minister. He had to be a citizen by operation of law, that is, by birth.

"I would advise Nik Aziz to take time off to study the provisions of the Federal Constitution before making statements which clearly reflect his ignorance and may well confuse the people."


In George Town, opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Nik Aziz was merely expressing his views when he made the remark.

"To him, from the perspective of a Muslim, it is an ideal situation," Anwar told a press conference after the state-level Maal Hijrah seminar yesterday.

But he then asked, "Why do we have to deny (the prime ministership to) any citizen, including Lim Kit Siang, with the capability and ability just because he is Chinese? I cannot accept that."


Other Pakatan Rakyat leaders also played down the matter, saying the statement was Nik Aziz's personal view.

Pas deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa said that while Nik Aziz had a right to his opinion, the issue had not been discussed by the top leaders of either Pas or Pakatan Rakyat.

He said the matter would be brought up at a Pas central working committee meeting on Sunday.

DAP deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw said the basic reference on a person's eligibility to be prime minister should be the Federal Constitution.

"Connecting this issue with religion makes it more complicated."

Read more: Karpal raps Nik Aziz on who can be PM http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles//10devu/Article/#ixzz17TQZwAKz

Samy Vellu bows out of politics
2010/12/06
By B. Suresh Ram and Yiswaree Palansamy
news@nst.com.my

Read more: Samy Vellu bows out of politics http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/6vel/Article/#ixzz17TRaKVWd


KUALA LUMPUR: MIC leaders yesterday bade an emotional farewell to the man who has been their father and the law, the rambunctious leader who even ordered a dress code for the Central Working Committee members.
"He has scolded me over the phone for my mistakes, that's the nature of the tutelage. Now he is going with his head held high," P. Kamalanathan, 44, the newest MIC parliamentarian, summed up the mood after a CWC meeting, which observed the much anticipated transition of power.

At yesterday's meeting, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu listened to his charges for a change. Second-echelon MIC leaders took turns in the CWC, which lasted almost four hours, to honour the 74-year-old leader who has for decades slogged for the Indian community, at times, prodding and chastising them.


The Samy Vellu-Kamalanathan relationship perhaps best characterised his leadership style. Kamalanathan was not Samy Vellu's first choice in the April 25 Hulu Selangor by-election.


Yet, the moment it was decided that the information chief would be fielded, the former works minister worked all out to support Kamalanathan's candidacy.

The tone at the final CWC meeting chaired by the MIC supremo was one of reconciliation.


Former MIC Youth chief S. Vickneswaran, who had a fall-out with Samy Vellu after the 2008 general election, was reinstated as a full-fledged party member.

Party secretary-general, Datuk T. Rajagopalu, confirmed the reinstatement.

Vickeneswaran had nothing but praise for his former party boss.


"It is magnanimous of Datuk Seri Samy Vellu to approve and take me back into the party fold," he said.

The other fact that struck observers was the smooth transition of power, which earned praise.

Changes in a political party can be a wrenching affair.

The need for smooth transition is something that Samy Vellu knows well enough.

When he took over the party in 1979 after the death of its sixth president, Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, Samy Vellu was acting president until 1981, when he contested and won the top post for the first time.

Since then until now, the longest serving MIC and Barisan Nasional component party leader had faced many challenges to his leadership, which, in turn, had left the party in turmoil but it eventually bounced back.

Permas state assemblyman and CWC member M.M. Samy said the leadership change was an event many had looked forward to.

"It is an emotionally charged transition of power and more so now when there is a need for greater unity among party members.

Incoming MIC chief and Deputy Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk G. Palanivel was probably the happiest about the trouble-free transition.

"I thank the party president for ensuring a smooth transfer of power," was among the first things the 61-year-old said.

Having been at the helm of the party for the past 31 years, Samy Vellu was only glad to pass on the torch to his protege.

"I am happy that I am leaving the party to Palanivel. I have had a clear head over the last 10 days. I felt that there should be a leadership change in the party and I was ready for this.

"Life has not ended yet. I will continue serving the community in my own way," he added.

When asked what were his achievements, Samy Vellu said he would like to be remembered as someone who had brought about a mind-set change in the community with regards to the importance and need for an education.

Under his stewardship, MIC established the Maju Institute of Educational development (MIED) in 1985 to promote higher education.

In addition, the TAFE College was established in Seremban to provide further and technical education as well as the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology.

"I have slogged all this while to ensure that Indians understand that education is vital for growth."

Many would want to take it easy and rest on their laurels.

It is unlikely that the man who ruled MIC for the past three decades will sit idly.

As the chairman of MIED, he will continue to contribute to the Indian community's educational well-being.

"I will be moving very fast after this, but in planes, as I would be travelling quite a bit," he said, chuckling and hinting about future activities.

There is speculation that he had been appointed as an ambassador in charge of obtaining infrastructure projects for Malaysian contractors in South Asian countries.

Samy Vellu chose not dwell on it and said that any announcement should come from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"I am not new to the task anyway. I have been doing the job for years."

If fate had taken a different path, and politics was not his love, then Samy Vellu said that he would have pursued his career as a chartered architect.

If he had done so then Malaysian politics and the country would have been poorer, for the MIC president is known to speak his mind, use of colourful language and his many a famous quotes.

Read more: Samy Vellu bows out of politics http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/6vel/Article/#ixzz17TRPZiC5