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 As usual we Malaysians are very used to the fact that there will be a group of Malaysians who will see no harm or no wrong in donning the tudung all for the sake of uniformity but run to the opposition or the NGOs if their next of kin has converted and passed away leaving all this people helpless and not knowing what to do. As Malaysians who think and Malaysians who see the future, such practices by the Police management is wrong and not good for the complex multi-racial fabric that Malaysia is made up of. But as the young female recruits that were interviewed had to say, an order is an order.
One wonders what it will be if the order was something more serious, will these young recruits who are the future generation of police personnel in the country and also role models for the young out there, follow blindly? Our young have been successfully moulded as blind bats who will follow and do anything for praise of their worth. One wonders if the respectable IGP has taken into account the definition of the word "Malay" in the Federal Constitution. Although the Federal Constitution is the least respected legislation in the country, it still states according to Article 160 (1) that a Malay is a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language and conforms to the Malay customs therefore if looked at the third portion of the definition, if one were to habitually conform to the customs of the Malays does it make that person a Malay? Therefore will an Indian or Chinese policewoman slowly be one day deemed as a Malay?
If uniformity is the answer to the latest directive, then why not ask all the MCA, MIC and Gerakan women politicians to also don the tudung as a form of uniformity? If the Education Minister is clear and looking progressive by saying that the tudung is encouraged but not compulsory then why have the police taken a step backwards. One hopes now Malaysians see why certain quarters have boldly said that Malaysian women are being treated as second class citizens. None of the MCA, MIC or the Gerakan women politicians have said a word about the tudung directive, this goes to show how much they can be trusted to champion women's rights, freedom of choice and religion. If the Police are allowed to enforce this ruling be it on official functions or otherwise, other government departments and agencies will see no harm in enforcing the same on their female non-Muslim staffs in the near future. One has got no queries or issues on Muslim women who choose to don the tudung, but why make it an official attire for the non-Muslim women? Why then be hypocrites by saying that we are a melting pot of cultures in Asia? Why call ourselves "Malaysia truly Asia"? Why do we see three women in Baju Kebaya, Cheongsam and Saree respectively in the advertisement, why not all three of them don the Baju Kebaya and tudung in uniformity so that we can at least portray to the world, the truth. It is a pity that only the young female recruits who have been moulded to think in a certain way were interviewed. It is also a pity that these individuals come from families who don't seem to think beyond the parameters. Can we perhaps see Malay women donning the saree or the cheong sam? What will we call that? Uniformity perhaps?
By stating that uniformity is the reason for such a directive, it will not be surprising to note that very few non-Malays will take up the call to join the civil service. One's very own identity can be lost in the long run as a result of being in the civil service. All these directives are very clearly going against the very pillars civil liberties and guarantees that have been enshrined in the Federal Constitution. The first principle of Rukun Negara is " Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan" are we respecting each other's religions? By seeing that this directive is implemented, there is no surprise why the Police are opposed to the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission [IPCMC].
It is also a pity that our Judiciary is not bold enough to question the Executive and the Legislature on the excesses of power by the police and other government enforcement agencies. If suits are filed today, it will be thrown out the very next minute with common and well heard reasons of a "threat to nation security", hence the reason for seeking foreign NGO lobbying to put pressure for change to occur. Are we a society of automatons? Why are we restricting our women? Shouldn't we feel proud that a woman has made it to the final four that are to become Malaysia's first astronaut? What Malaysia badly needs is more Marina Mahathirs, Zainah Anwars, Ivy Josiahs, Teresa Koks and Fong Poh Kuans. One hopes that our women will go beyond the racial divide to correct current trends and bring about a more just and democratic society.
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Circular No 023/2012: Talk on ISO 9001 | 2008 Quality Management System Certification
As I have written elsewhere, this is the general observation:
The First World celebrates diversity of cultures while the Third World celebrates uniformity as they feel threatened by diversity.
The First World abhors nationalism and knows its excesses as occurred in the Holocaust in Germany during World War II. The Third World, probably because they are relatively newly-minted nation-states, celebrate their nationalism.
Nationalism went out the door of history after the excesses of Nazi Germany perpetrated in the name of Nationalism and Socialism.
A nursery rhyme from kindergarten comes to mind: "Where are you going my pretty maid?" Here's the variation:
"Where are we going, my Malaysia?
"Where are we going,
my Malaysia?
"I am going to milk the cows, she said; so, she said.
"I am going to milk the cows, she said."
Are we going to milk our cows? Or are we allowing the cows to milk us?
Can we go lower than the lembu?