A True Malaysian Chinese

One of the purposes of using my Chinese name is to draw out people like "A True Malaysian Chinese" in order that they may give vent to their true Chinese feelings. I am not trying to conceal myself because if I did I would have used a pseudonymn instead of my real Chinese name which I am quite proud of, if you don't mind. All right if Kiwis don't know my Chinese name, but that's irrelevant isn't it?

As a point of explanation, I did not in my initial letter sparking off this debate, hold the view that the Malay "Special rights" as provided in the Malaysian Constitution should remain there indefinitely. In fact, I was at pains to point out the difficulty of removing this clause at the present point in time in view of its sensitive nature. It is simply my belief that too much agitation and incorrect agitation in this area would produce a bloody race riot as in the May 13, 1969 one. But I quite clearly did point out that this special rights provision should only be temporary and cited Article 1 (4) and 2 (2) of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination in support. Unfortunately, the reference to the two articles were deleted by the editors when my letter was published. (As far as I know, Malaysia is not a party to this convention).

I am quite flattered. Mr Editors, that because I have tried to justify the special Malay rights as being necessary but only temporarily it required one full column of personal attack in Salient to counter my quite simple point. This only indicates the chronic state of race relations in Malaysia. I can bet you, Mr Editors, that if a Malay were to "fight" for his rights in Salient, he will receive not one, but two columns of personal attacks. Hence, it will be necessary for the other side to attack his person, his family, his upbringing, the way he talks, etc etc and even, true enough, the way he shits!

A True Chinese keeps reminding me and readers that I am a Chinese. A True Chinese accuses me of trying "to blacken the Image of the Chinese, even though (I am) one myself." He is, in effect, typically threatening me by slander and what-have-you, to fight for Chinese rights simply because I am a Chinese. Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, my chauvinistic chum. I will do no such thing.

A True Chinese accuses me of lacking sincerity in not fighting against racists on campus like A. Rimbaud. Well, surely a Chinese racist is not much different from a Kiwi racist.

As an aside, I find nothing wrong in attacking the 'big guns' from NZUSA and VUWSA and I can't see how this attack can be classified as 'hostile'. I suppose "them" cannot attack "us".

Not ashamed of my Chinese name,