Let Him be the Judge, then
A colleague of mine poses this with a serious face - Who do you prefer Bumiputeras or those Non Bumis as our leaders? Such comes about when another colleague 'critically' share his piece of mind (based on a television talk-show) that the Rulers need to be grateful and therefore should at least act impartially when it comes to controversial issue like politics.
I do not pay much attention as I truly believe in the old adage, "Raja Adil Raja Disembah, Raja Zalim Raja Disanggah". Leaders are supposed to be fair and just in their dealings with their subjects since they are actually at the mercy of the people. Unlike political leaders, Rulers are who they are hereditarily and therefore lacks the real and actual authority over the People. The least they should do is to be on the fence by not siding with any political organisations. Individually, they should be allowed to affiliate themselves with any political entities but again being a Ruler one cannot separate himself between his personal being and a Ruler - it is impossible one may say!
Coming back to my colleague question, a statement really since he utters it in a very forceful manner. Indeed, I am with him that the Bumis should be the leaders since they are the son of the soil, natives of the land. Therefore, it is only logically that natives should take preference over others. Nonetheless, every general rule there will be some very special exceptions. These are to safeguard the well-being, interest and uphold justice and fairness to the minority as well as the majority.
In any circumstances, having control or priority above others will likely lead to abuse since they are in control. This is what has happened, is happening and thus will continue to happen if Malaysians including the Bumis are not careful or having lackadaisical view over some overbearing Bumi leaders. This observation is not without proofs since we can see many of our Bumi leaders are living beyond the reach of even fellow Bumis. While the majority of their fellow Bumis are severely affected by the economic down turn but many Bumi leaders are living in relative luxury and sadly they even have the audacity to call their fellow non leaders (read middle class and lower natives) to be prudent in spending while those leaders keep flouting their extravagance before those unfortunate natives.
Bumi leaders from Sabah for instance are responsible to the erosion of Sabah's rights and privileges under the Federal Constitution either by clear consent or otherwise through their tacit and clear ignorance. They let other fellow Bumi leaders substitute, amend and worst of all cancel and nullify those rights and privileges of Malaysians in Sabah. This is even admitted by non other than Datuk Masidi Manjun, a Bumi leader from the Ranau valley.
Therefore, I qualify my support to Bumiputera as leaders by virtue of them being one of the natives. Their clear transgression and flouting the laws have obviously put their fellow natives at a disadvantage. Being Muslims for instance they flout the prohibition of taking bribes , abuse of powers or indulging in unruly behaviours like drinking and involving in illicit relations. How can we trust them to be our leaders just because they are one of us,natives if they blatantly disregard the do's and dont's both under the law and the Shariah?
Other non Muslims leaders are even better in terms of propagating and helping the Muslims though they do not belong to the same faith. Yes, their intention may be suspect but at least they before everyone is showing the respect Islam deserves unlike some Muslim Bumi leaders. Playing the racial or faith cards are certainly risky but we no longer live in the past where blind obedience rules and leaders are above criticism.
How could we trust those who are supposed to look after the welfare and well being of Islam and its believers when they themselves indulge freely and in the open in activities clearly transgress the boundary allowed by Islam? They consume alcohol though it is forbidden and males adorn jewelleries made from gold are only instances of their blatant disrespect of their own faith whom the People have entrusted upon them to safeguard. If we are to prefer them for instance as the lesser than two evils but at the same time keeping our silence and being dormant then we are actually contributing towards the demise of Islam.
Today we have alternatives whereby there exist another group of native leaders who are learning the twist and turns or political existence and co-operation among those belonging to extreme ends. So far, they have progressed in great strides making the existing leadership uneasy. Thus, to stop the increasing support for the alternatives they revert to smear campaign by sowing fear and discontent that by empowering the alternatives the natives will lose everything they have for so long enjoyed.
Such political manipulation is indeed ingenious thus many have fallen into its intricate web of deception while the current leadership continue to flout every known rule and regulation including those provided under Shariah. What they have done so far are merely acts of sabotaging the rule of law and Islam itself. For instance, they are responsible in portraying Hudud as merely about cutting off thieves' hands. Instead of educating and helping the scholars to present a clear picture that Islam is a perfect and universal religion encapsulating all, they keep on harping on the issue that Shariah is not suitable for a multi-racial nation like Malaysia.
Islam is about everything and suddenly I remember a Syarie counsellor colleague of mine who has been criticised by many for defending or rather representing a Murtad wannabe. Everyone deserves a fair trial and I'm sure that is the intention of my colleague nothing more. At least by doing so he is portraying that Islam is fair and everyone deserves a fair trail. He is not the court but he is merely an officer of the court whose function is to assist the court to arrive at a just and fair conclusion. What he does needs courage which I personally don't have. At least he is not a hypocrite compared to some leaders who pretend to be pious but in private they become totally different persons. With that statement, I humbly rest my case...
Cukuplah Allah menjadi Pelindung!
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