Borneo is an exotic island storing more than 200 ethnics, rich in cultures, languages, customary laws, religions, costumes, foods and etc a population of 19.8 millions with a land size of 743,330 square kilometers
Borneo Malaysia shared no less than 70 of different local ethnics, compare with Malaya, which has been identified only about 18 sub ethnics from the main 3, Negrito, Senoi and Proto Malay
It also tells us Malaysians in Borneo have more experience living in multi-ethnics society. This what puzzled Borneo Malaysians when Prime Minister mooted the slogan of 1 Malaysia (one Malaysia). Prime Minister launched the programme in September 2010, and not to mention the cost it incurred to the government and its agencies just to emphasise ethnic harmony and national unity.
The programme was spearheaded by The National Civic Bureau to promote the concept. Everyone knows this very institute functioned to brainwash every young Malaysian especially, in the rural areas to realign their thinking into UMNO’s ideology that Malay race superiority must be defended and Islamic religion must be safeguarded. The impact is seen, as an example, a Mufti (religious cleric) from Sabah in one of the forums held in Kuala Lumpur this year proposed that the non Malay Muslims in Sabah should be converted to Malay race, a dangerous statement indeed.
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| Among Borneo ethnics found in Sabah |
Come back to the 1Malaysia slogan programme, about two years later, a survey was conducted by Malaysia Insider to find out how well Malaysians received the concept. The result were about 46% never believe that Prime Minister is sincere; his political agenda is to win non-Malay voters. Only 39% believed PM is sincere, no motioned what happened to 15%.
Malay in UMNO getting intolerance
Recently Malays in the ruling political party UMNO were infuriated when one of the lawmakers from its component in the ruling government made a remark that all Malays were originally immigrants. Since race and religion are sensitive subjects to some especially, the Malay whose livelihood defendant on UMNO find it’s difficult to accept the definition that Malays are immigrants too
Thus ethnics like those categorised in Sabah and Sarawak actually play very little role in running the country in Malaya, let alone in Malaysia. The immigrants are the powerhouse and the elites who dominate and control everything else on the land. The Malayan ethnics identified earlier namely: the Negrito and Senoi groups, further divided into Lanoh, Semang, Kensui, Semai, Mah Meri and Jakun are very much treated as second or third class group in the country.
Examples of country’s leaders whose parents were immigrants, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammed, an Indian by origin, his forefather was from South India, Kerala State, yet called himself Malay. The present Prime Minster, Najib Razak whose ancestors were from South Sulawesi, Indonesia, a Bugis by origin. In fact none of the present cabinet Ministers in Federal Government are from the ethnics mentioned with the exception, members from Sabah or Sarawak who are mostly local ethnics of Borneo. The issue that Malays originally were immigrants indeed by definition is correct.
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