NSDS3 on Race-Based Parties

Reading the Berita Minggu today, I come across an interview with Dr Khoo Kay Kim. In my opinion he have a very open mind, and I wish Malaysia have more people like him. Dr. Khoo raised many important points, among them race-based parties, how dangerous it is and how we, the young Malaysians, can make a change.

One sentence that caught my attention is this: "Kita perlu menggalakkan golongan muda melihat itu secara liberal. Tapi untuk melakukan susah. Kalau ahli politik tahu, dia akan menghalang kerana masa depan politiknya bergantung kepada kewujudan perpecahan itu." which roughly translate into "We need to encourage the young to see it (racial issues) in a liberal manner. But to do it is hard. If the politician knows, he will block it since his political career depends on the existance of the divisions.

I have yet to see one party in Malaysia that can really claim itself as a multi-ethnic party. In the years of old, there are a number of political parties that can claim just that. But now? To make matters worse, there are even two or three parties that claim itself as championing its race.

I can not vote until November 6th, 2007 when I will be 21 years old. By then, I would have made up my mind on whom to choose. But if the party that I believe to be good for the people raise non-sensical issues, like how the floodgates create flood (!), then I have no other choice but to go with the one that have more brain.

Any attempt to talk with my friends about politics will get me into trouble. They are the stereotype of race-based parties, only thinking about their own instead of the greater issue and the world outside. To think that they are the future gave me the chills.