Collect a diverse vote bank: Try Chinese Regiment, Indian Regiment, and Malay Regiment.

We have to prepare Malaysia for the changing world. We have to prepare Malaysia for the new world order. We have to prepare Malaysia for the emerging world order. Diversity is the strength of Malaysia. In military matters, we need to find a new national defense position for Malaysia. Malaysia has to find her national defense position in the world. I feel currently Malaysia’s national defense position is inaccurate; and so Malaysia needs to make some adjustments in order to position herself in the right spot.

Why is Malaysia’s current position inaccurate? Let’s say there is a war between Malaysia and the Philippines. The Republic of the Philippines is a predominantly non-Muslim nation. Malaysia’s population will split into two groups. The Muslim Malaysians will support the Malay Regiment but the non-Muslim Malaysians will support the Philippine government. This split will give the Malay Regiment a big headache.

Let’s say there is a war between Malaysia and Singapore. Malaysia’s population will split into two groups. The Chinese on both sides of the Straits of Johor will unite, the Indians on both sides of the Straits of Johor will unite, and the Malays on both sides of the Straits of Johor will unite. The Muslim Malaysians will support the Malay Regiment but the non-Muslim Malaysians will support the Singapore government. This split will give the Malay Regiment a big headache.

Let’s say there is a war between Malaysia and Thailand. Malaysia’s population will split into two groups. Thailand is predominantly Buddhist and non-Muslim. The non-Muslims on both sides of the Thai-Malaysia border will unite, and the Malays on both sides of the Thai-Malaysia border will unite. The Muslim Malaysians will support the Malay Regiment but the non-Muslim Malaysians will support the Thailand government. This split will give the Malay Regiment a big headache.

What did you realize? You realized that the Malay Regiment is redundant because each time they use the Malay Regiment, it will split Malaysia into two groups: the non-Muslims vs the Muslims. This is the reality.

Next, to this redundant Malay Regiment problem we have to add the rise of China and India as regional powers. The rise of China and India as regional powers will shift the balance of power in South East Asia. Firstly, Malaysians are powerless to stop the rise of China and India as regional powers. It means that the rise of China and India is inevitable. It means that the balance of power will shift inevitably.

Therefore, it is important for Malaysia to take advantage of the shift in the balance of power. I feel so happy to report that Malaysia is lucky. Malaysia is well positioned. There is a Chinese and Indian population in Malaysia making Malaysia truly Asia. I cannot think of another truly Asia nation.  Only Malaysia is truly Asia. Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. It would not be too difficult for Malaysia to have military ties with a rising China. Likewise, it would not be too difficult for Malaysia to have military ties with a rising India too. Malaysia already has military ties with the United Kingdom. With United Kingdom, China and India on Malaysia’s side, she has three nuclear powers on her side. I feel safe. Sleep well tonight my Malaysian friends because you are in safe hands. Wait a minute there is still a flaw. How about the Malay Regiment problem? We can fix the problem.

May I suggest that in addition to the Malay Regiment, we also have a Chinese Regiment and an Indian Regiment in the Malaysian armed forces. Let’s pause and think about it. Many Malays have complained that insufficient Chinese and Indians in Malaysia have joined the armed forces.  Therefore, the solution is segregated regiments. Lets try it and see if it works. We will not know the result until we try it. Let’s try it. May be more Chinese Malaysians will step forward to join a Chinese Regiment in the Malaysian armed forces. May be more Indian Malaysians will step forward to join a Indian Regiment in the Malaysian armed forces. It may be for the better of Malaysia as the balance of power shifts with the rise of China and India.  It may also be a relief for the Malay Regiment because it will push some of the hard work and responsibility to the Chinese and Indian Regiment. Right now the Malay Regiment has to do all the hard work by itself with the non-Malays always taking advantage by pushing all the hard work to the Malay Regiment. The non-Malays live in the cities and towns and enjoy the good live which leaves the Malay regiment with the hard work of national defense. This is unfair. Therefore, my readers, please contact the Malay regiment and ask the Malay Regiment to contact the members of Parliament. Please ask the Malay Regiment to recommend the formation of a Chinese and Indian Regiment. When we have a Malay Regiment, Chinese Regiment, and Indian Regiment, then we are truly Asia. Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. How many nations, besides Malaysia, can boast being protected by three nuclear powers? You tell me. Sleep well tonight my Malaysian friends for you are well protected (militarily speaking) by three nuclear powers.

As you can see, diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia, the truly Asia nation. So if you are a politician, try collecting a diverse vote bank. I have this feeling that a diverse vote bank can win elections. Give the Chinese Malaysians a Chinese Regiment and may be they will vote for you. Give the Indian Malaysians an Indian Regiment and may be they will vote for you. The onus is on the politician to build a diverse vote bank. A politician without a vote bank is a nobody. 

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It is time to have more than one definition for the term mother-tongue. It is time to have more than one meaning for the term mother tongue. How many mother-tongues does a bi-racial person have? How many mother-tongues does a tri-racial person have? Is English the mother tongue of Jamaicans? I am sure Swahili and Zulu are not as popular as English in Jamaica. I am sure English is widely used in Jamaica. I am sure Jamaicans are comfortable with English. Jamaicans and New Yorkers may speak English with a different accent. In a multi lingual nation like Malaysia, some Malaysians do speak English at home. Thus, English is the mother tongue of some Malaysians.  Many Malaysians do code switching when communicating. Many Malaysians are bi-lingual. Those Malaysians who are comfortable with English should be allowed to claim English as their mother tongue. Those Malaysians who value English should be allowed to claim English as their mother tongue. People should be allowed to claim two mother tongues if that’s what they want to claim. In short, we need several definitions to the term “mother tongue”.

Coming to the schools in Malaysia, Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar is in favor of teaching mathematics and science in the mother tongue, not English. But English is a mother tongue to those Malaysians who claim it to be a mother tongue. There are different kinds of Malaysians and some may consider English to be their mother tongue. Some may have two mother tongues. Every family is different. This is the diversity; and diversity is the strength of Malaysia. Some of us are good in English, others good in Malay, and still others good in Tamil or Mandarin. Some mother tongues are good in the private sector, while others are good in the government sector. Some mother tongues are good in basketball while other mother tongues are good in long distance jogging. I hope Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar will accept the fact that some Malaysians who value English as a family first language will be allowed to accept English as their mother tongue.  I think that accepting mathematics and science to be taught in the various  mother tongues is a good idea provided English is recognized as a mother tongue too for those who consider it as a mother tongue. Those who want to have two mother tongues should be allowed to do so. We need to find several definitions for the term mother tongue. It is indeed a good idea to support the teaching of mathematics and science in the mother tongue because this idea will probably get votes from all the different mother tongues including English. We will end up with multi-stream education (including English stream). Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. I hope Malaysians will vote for politicians who accept English as a mother tongue in Malaysia. Multi-stream education will give parents and students more choices.

Diversity is indeed the strength of Malaysia. A Chinese who eats nasi lemak is probably from Malaysia. An Indian who uses chopsticks when eating is probably from Malaysia too. A Malay who eats stir fry noodles is probably from Malaysia too. And this is why Malaysia is truly Asia. Malaysians are a lot luckier than they realize. The co-existence of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cultures have helped to enrich Malaysia.   Teaching mathematics and science in the mother tongue is indeed a good idea because it is in line with Malaysia’s diversity. And Malaysia’s diversity is Malaysia’s strength. English is a mother tongue among some Malaysians. Therefore, mathematics and science should be taught in Chinese to those who claim Chinese as a mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in Tamil to those who claim Tamil as a mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in Malay to those who claim Malay to be their mother tongue. Mathematics and science should be taught in English to those who claim English as their mother tongue.  Any politician who accepts this idea will probably get votes to build a diversity vote bank. You build a vote bank by getting support from the different communities. If you can play the diversity card well, you can build the diversity vote bank; and the diversity vote bank will make the difference in the 14^th General Elections (GE14) in Malaysia. I’m almost about to predict that GE14 will be won by the diversity vote bank. So build your vote bank, Mr.Politician.

After reading this posting of mine, please copy and remail it to as many people as possible; and those who receive the remail copy should also remail it to others, who in turn should remail it to others.  Please use Facebook and Twitter to spread the word around. We must get the word around to as many people as possible.

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