族群和睦关係省思

话说好几周前，我注意到友人在面书上分享黄明志最新创作的音乐视频（MV），曲名为《阿里阿狗和木都》。若读者有所不知，黄明志是个颇有爭议性的嘻哈艺人。他就曾在10年前推出了一首《Negarakuku》而大红大紫。当时那首歌被批评为反政府、反伊斯兰教、反马来人和污蔑国歌，而他成为了马来右翼份子的箭靶。强烈对比当年那首「成名曲」，《阿里阿狗和木都》非常政治正確地描述我国三大种族，即华巫印裔之间的族群和谐。副歌里更如此唱：「友谊永固，同心同魂（…kawan selama-lamanya，satu hati satu jiwa）」。

我並未质疑黄明志和其他艺人欲通过歌曲与视频释放善意，努力促成族群和睦关係。只是，我们到底如何才能跳脱表面的族群和谐象徵，去回应现实中复杂的课题，尤其是那些造成我国多元种族社会出现互不满意互不信任、无法良好融合相处的矛盾？

多元社群超越三大种族

首先要指出的是，我国的族群和谐画面一般都只强调三大种族的团结。令人詬病的是，这论述遗漏了我国存在的多元社群，比方说半岛的原住民、东马的土著以及混血族群例如峇峇娘惹、欧亚混血人和印华混血人。这样的画面也似乎暗示著这些社群不入主流，只能委屈退居到被边缘化的「lain-lain（其他族群）」类別。虽然身为公民的一份子，这种排斥性的待遇或忽略往往可能造成这些族群的困惑，让他们觉得自己不受国家认同和重视。

联昌国际银行基金会（CIMB Foundation）在今年初发佈了一个有关族群关係的报告，发现有89.5%马来裔、79%华裔和68.7%印裔受访者拥有很多或几乎所有的朋友都来自本身族群。这显示在日常生活中，各族缺乏深入交流。黄明志MV里宣导的阿里、阿狗和木都的故事似乎不是现实常態。捫心自问，究竟有多少MV观赏者其实非常渴望这类的跨族友谊？如果有，那么到底在现实生活中是什么障碍阻止这类友谊建立？

单一源流教育不是捷径

有些人，包括政治人物，似乎把单一源流教育系统的倡议当成有效地拉近我国族群关係的一种万灵丹。上个月，在一场TN50国家转型计划的政治研討会里，巫青团执委沙里尔韩旦（Shahril Hamdan）直言单一源流学校基於「孩子从小就长时间接触交流」，可成为「促进族群团结的方程式」。但，单一源流学校有可能会是他口中所谓促进族群团结的「捷径」，又或者我们该问，这提议理想吗？

或许某些人已忘了（或不认同）我国独特之处和优势正来自多元文化语言的社会背景。这个多元性恰恰正是吸引许多游客慕名而来並爱上我国的原因。我国自我標榜「真正的亚洲（Truly Asia）」，不是偶然的。

前首相阿都拉巴达威曾建议在国小推动母语课程。当时他表示：「我们应该学习友族的语言，根据需求与时並进」。纵然当时的政府可能拥有其他的议程（若搁置母语科师资短缺的问题不谈），这还是个值得讚扬的语文政策。政府可参考多元语言国家如加拿大和瑞士落实双语政策。孩童们必须学习两个主要的国家语言；前者学习英语和法语，后者则是德语和法语。

语言不应成为障碍

別误会，我全力支持不同源流的学生增加交流互动的机会。这是正面的行动，应该鼓励和表扬。语言不应成为不同族群学生们的交流障碍，因为国民型学校的学生也学习马来文。

即便如此，我仍坚信仅仅语言无法確保族群和谐，尤其是当国民仍根据肤色和宗教被赋予不同的差別待遇和权利。即使学校孩童共用一室，他们仍经常意识到或被提醒自己与他人的不同。近年来就有两宗案例印证问题的纠结：其一是非穆斯林学生被迫在斋月期间在洗手间进食用餐，其二是在另一所国民学校连杯子也被区分为穆斯林和非穆斯林专用杯。

没错，没有孩子一出生就是种族主义者。然而在孩子的成长过程中，在耳濡目染下得到的讯息会影响他们如何看待事物。某些族群偏见可能因此渗透年轻人的思想，进而形成族群歧视的根源。有鉴於此，政府和社会应创造一个优良有利的环境，让孩子们从小就能有积极正面的观念与各族同胞做朋友。

检討积极平权措施

积极平权措施（Positive affirmative action）是一个全世界普遍实践的政策。如果执行妥当，它拥有巨大潜能达到社会正义的目標。因此，积极平权措施应专注於把资源导向最符合资格寻求援助的个人。

一般上主流的积极平权措施是根据阶级作分配资源，虽然在某些国家的少数民族（例如原住民族群）也可享有优惠待遇。

一旦积极平权措施被滥用和扭曲，那些没受惠的人民难免会深感不满，觉得这措施毫无社会正义可言。在我国，或许有些人会认为自己被贬至「次等」公民，不满其他人基於肤色和宗教身份就可享有更多的优惠权利。如此的不满情绪或可酝酿很久並传给下一代。若政府和社会不认真看待，日后这將会是颗计时炸弹，会一再出现令人难堪或不安的衝突。不公平待遇的印象若被默许持续下去，这將会是国民团结精神、跨族群的信任和相互接受的重大障碍。

政府与议员们应不时检討我国现行的政策、法律和宪法，並积极地確保这些条文都能符合「自由、平等和博爱」的普世价值观。若没採取实际行动处理人民的不满根源，再多的表面跨族和谐画面会有用吗？到底何时马来西亚人方可接纳各自不同的身份背景，並得以平等公民自居、共享这片土地？

刊登于《東方日報》東方文薈版2017年9月2日

Reflections on racial harmony in Malaysia

WEEKS ago, I noticed on my Facebook feed that some friends were sharing the latest music video produced and composed by Namewee, entitled “Ali, AhKao dan Muthu”. Namewee is a controversial hip-hop artist who was once condemned by Malay right-wing groups following the release of “Negarakuku” 10 years ago. His song carried some anti-government undertones, and he was accused of disrespecting Islam, the Malay race and insulting the national anthem.

In stark contrast to his previous song, “Ali, AhKao dan Muthu” is a politically-correct portrayal of racial harmony among the three main ethnic groups in Malaysia, namely Malay, Chinese and Indian. Its chorus goes “…kawan selama-lamanya, satu hati satu jiwa”.

While I do not dispute Namewee’s well-meaning intentions (and indeed that of other artistes) who are working hard to promote interracial harmony via songs and videos, how can one transcend stereotypical symbolism of interracial harmony to address the elephant in the room – the real complicated issues that create discordance, mistrust and discontent among the multiracial community?

Firstly, racial harmony in Malaysia typically emphasises the unity of only three major races, leaving out diverse communities, for example, the aboriginals (or ‘Orang Asal’) in Peninsular Malaysia, the native bumiputera in East Malaysia and mixed parentage groups such as baba-nyonya, Eurasian and Chindian, as if they do not fit into the whole picture but only the fringe ‘lain-lain’ position. These groups might feel disconnected or disillusioned at being excluded.

Secondly, a study on interracial relations published by CIMB Foundation on January 2017 found that 89.5% Malay, 79.0% Chinese, 68.7% Indian respondents reported having a lot or almost all of their friends from their own racial groups, pointing to a lack of deeper racial interactions on a daily basis.

This is indeed a disturbing reality, and one that contradicts the “Ali, AhKao dan Muthu” friendship propagated by Namewee’s video. The question we must ask ourselves is this: how many Malaysians actually desire such inter-racial friendships, and if they do, what are the real life obstacles that prevent these relationships from forming?

Certain people, including politicians, have alluded to the single-stream schooling system as the magical silver bullet that will bolster interracial harmony in Malaysia. Some weeks ago, during a TN50x session on politics, UMNO Youth exco Shahril Hamdan claimed that having single stream schools could be “the formula to achieve unity among races” based on “constant engagement with one another from a young age”. But is this “short cut” to promote unity, as he claimed, really something desirable?

People often forget that Malaysia’s strength lies in the diversity of our multicultural-multilingual plural society. This diversity is very reason why so many travellers, from near and far, fall in love with our country – a country that is indeed a Truly Asia, a well-known international recognition.

The former Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi once proposed to introduce ‘home language’ classes in national schools.

"We should be learning the languages of other races in line with today's needs," he said.

Although the then government had other motives for that proposal (and if we disregard the issue of shortage in mother tongue language teachers), it was nevertheless a praiseworthy policy proposal mirroring language policies practiced in other multi-lingual countries such as Canada and Switzerland. In those countries, children are made to learn dual major languages in school (English and French for the former; German and French for the latter).

Make no mistake, I am all for students from different backgrounds coming together and interacting more frequently with each other. Such positive actions should be strongly encouraged, moreover language should not be the barrier since vernacular school students are taught in Bahasa Malaysia too.

Still, I argue that language alone will not guarantee racial harmony especially not when Malaysians are still accorded different treatments and rights based on their race and religion. Even if school children were to share a classroom, they would still be constantly aware and reminded of how different each is to other.

One need only recall the incident when poor non-Muslim students had to eat and drink in the restroom during Ramadan, or, in another case how cups were separated according to Muslim and non-Muslim in another national school.

It is true that “no child is born a racist”. Some years ago, a documentary produced by local filmmaker Jason Lim showed that as children grow up, the messages they receive from the surrounding environment shapes and influences the way they perceive things.

Under adverse circumstances, certain racial stereotypes could infiltrate young minds, forming the basis for discrimination. The government and society should do more to cultivate a good environment for children to form multiracial friendships from a young age.

Positive affirmative action is an accepted worldwide practice. When applied appropriately, it holds much potential to reach the goal of delivering social justice. However, to attain that goal, policies for positive affirmative action should focus on channelling resources towards qualified individuals who need the assistance the most.

Class-based positive affirmative action is usually the mainstay, though in certain countries the absolute minorities (e.g. aboriginal tribal communities) do enjoy certain preferential treatment. The abuse and distortion of affirmative action creates social injustice and unhappiness for those who are non-beneficiaries of the system.

In Malaysia, certain quarters might feel they are rightly or wrongfully treated as ‘second class’ citizens, and perceive that some enjoy more privileges and opportunities than themselves. Such sentiment could brew over a long time and pass down through generations if nothing is done to weed out the roots of this dissatisfaction stemming from differential treatment according to racial and religious lines.

Left unchecked, it could even erupt into ugly (not necessarily violent) conflicts. Such cases have already unfolded now and then in our country. If the perception of unfairness is allowed to persist, it would be a real stumbling block to realise the true spirit of national unity, trust and mutual acceptance among various ethnicities in Malaysia.

The government and lawmakers must periodically re-examine our existing policies, laws and constitution, and strive to ensure that these reflect the universal values of liberty, equality and fraternity.

What use is there in propagating a superficial rhetoric of interracial harmony, if no concrete action is taken to deal with the underlying causes of dissatisfaction among the grassroots? When will Malaysians be able to embrace their different identities and daily practices, yet be treated as equal citizens sharing this land? 

Published at The Malaysian Insight, Voices, Aug 28, 2017.