Is There Any Easier Way Out for Melaka Paya Mengkuang Pig Farmers ?

This morning Sunday, September 30, 2007 on the China Press Page A9 in were reports of Melaka Chief Minister YB Mohd. Ali Mohd. Rustum uttering ¡°No Comment¡± when confronted by reporters on the possible effects on Barisan Nasional, the ruling collision in the upcoming general election as a result of the latest development of pig farmers in Melaka. Also a 70 years old elderly woman Mdm. Tai passed away in Kampung Baru Paya Mengkuang due to heart ailment; reportedly as a result anxiety and worrisome of the eventualities of his 3 sons pig farms.

To add to the aforesaid, 25 pig farmers outside Paya Mengkuang have requested that the authority honored their respective compensations before 31^st Dec. 2007. Moreover, accordingly, they have tried their very best to clear all their remaining poultry before the preset datelines; but due to some much unforeseen circumstances, they were unable to do so. These plights of these pitiful pig farmers are more time frames at the mercy of the local authority!

Worse were to come, DAP and PAS, both opposition parties with majority of Chinese and Malay-Muslim supporters respectively also came to these farmers rescues with the setting up of committees, press releases, forum, demonstrations so on and so forth. The irony of PAS coming to their rescue ¡®implied¡¯ that not all Malay-Muslims in Malaysia agreed to Melaka Government¡¯s actions on these pig farmers?

In all, what initially ¡°seemed¡± as a mere environmental pollution subject had ¡®transformed¡¯ into a religious and ethnic-related political agenda; if not weapon for politicians.

This uneasiness, if not contained fast enough, could be the sparks that ignite and burnt a Kingdom down, believe me!

Our former Premier, Tun Mahathir Mohamad once said ¡°You must not only be ¡®clean¡¯; but your must also be ¡®seen¡¯ as clean!¡± How true!

Collectively speaking, the whole saga of this pig farmers in Melaka did not appear to be as genuine as it should be; be it from the environmental point of view or otherwise. There seemed to be many underlying untold stories to the public in general.

These poor farmers did not exist by chance. They were into this pig farming for 30 to 50 years, through a few generations; so to say. If environmental issues were the sole reason that leads to their eventual forced closures; why wasn¡¯t it done ages ago? Were those previous governments under the same ruling collision of Barisan Nasional irrelevant and obsolete? Or were they considerate and sensitive towards general feeling of all races then?

It was further alleged that the forced closure of Melaka¡¯s illegal pig farms were to make way for an eventual public listed poultry conglomerate¡¯s entry into the pig-farming industry in the state; hence catering for Melaka¡¯s pork market and her neighboring states¡¯ needs. It¡¯s all left to be seen who¡¯s who!

Or could it been a political mastermind¡¯s maneuver of using this saga to further weaken the MCA, Malaysian Chinese Association¡¯s advancement of influence in the Barisan Nasional ruling Government under the current aggressive and ¡®able¡¯ President in YB Dato Seri Ong Kah Teng?

If pig farming by non-Muslims is against the Islamic way of life in Malaysia¡¯s Constitutional secular society, then Genting¡¯s casino, Magnum 4d, Pan-Malaysian 3+1D, Sports Toto, and Social Welfare Lottery to name a few which are definitely against Islamic teachings should have been banned altogether ages ago. Malaysia Royal Police force should not have used dogs to fight crimes as dogs were not favored in Islamic way of life.

Next, liquors, beers, condom, contraceptives should never have been sold to an Islamic States of Malaysia duty, levy, taxations and proceeds of which were used for this nation¡¯s buildings. All those Muslim directors and shareholders of these non-Islamic co-operations should have resigned and disposed off their shares and stakes on the double.

However, I am of the opinion that this on going saga is neither environmental pollution related, ethnic-religious related nor all the aforesaid possibilities but otherwise.

This pig farm saga could be the political gimmick deployed by ¡®someone¡¯ to show power, political strength and influence to the party¡¯s grassroots in order move further up in the rank and file of the party and Government.

What more so with ¡®someone¡¯ who could politicize the saga based upon racial and religious mandates and get off with it easily at state level? What more so with ¡®someone¡¯ who did not even seem to heed our Deputy Prime Minister YAB Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak¡¯s advice to exercise restrain, understanding, tolerance and compromise?

Is this special ¡®someone¡¯ ready to take on YAB Najib instead; or this ¡®someone¡¯ was supported from behind by another heavy weight ¡®someone¡¯ to contain Najib¡¯s political career? This pig farm saga in Melaka could well turn out to be the biggest political controversy after the 1998 sacking of former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Annuar Ibrahim by Tun Dr. Mahathir.

Isn¡¯t There An Easier Ways Out?

I sincerely appeal to all my fellow Malaysians to think, behave, act and respond rationally and not fall prey to this cunning ¡®someone¡¯. Never ever be easily swayed and influenced by anyone, regardless of position, ethnic and religious background to actions that could undermined the peace , harmony and unity enjoyed by our beloved Malaysians thus far.

Denounce and vote against racist. Vote instead for candidates who have Malaysians and Malaysian ideology at heart.

I was once told that in any dead-lock, go back to basics! And the basic fundamental principle behind the formation of Malaysia, by our father of Independence, YM Tengku Abdul Rahman Putre Alhaj was ¨C Unity in Diversity. This little principle should be implanted into every citizen¡¯s mind and memory. For the power of unity lies within each and every citizen¡¯s hands; no more no less! Not even those elected representatives because they are mere servants of the people in a Democratic-Electorate-Systems employed by Malaysians.

Watch out for those who have the slightest intentions to manipulate our system of government with super sensitive ethnic, religious and other unhealthy political motives and make sure to throw them out of office.

It is our collective duties to ensure we have the best men to run our beloved country and not some monkeys or clowns.

Last but not least, to all those pig farmers in Malaysia, the time has finally come to change to another livelihood now. With whatever funds compensated, think global and venture globally, by first ensuring your children further their studies, domestically or sending your children to further their education abroad and seek opportunities abroad. All in all, master another trade and move on from there.

To the rest of us, continue to think Malaysia first, behave as a true Malaysian, respond & vote the Malaysian way!