Even Malays leaving Tanah Melayu

Ku Li: ‘Sebab orang Melayu kecewa, tinggalkan Tanah Melayu’

Oleh Neville Spykerman
KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Feb — Pemimpin veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah (gambar), kini menjadi tumpuan dalam arena politik tempatan khususnya di kalangan orang Umno ekoran pendiriannya dalam isu royalti kepada Kelantan, melahirkan kebimbangan beliau dengan perasaan kecewa orang-orang Melayu, malah ada yang mengambil keputusan keluar negara.
“Ada sesuatu yang tidak kena dengan bumi yang dikenali sebagai Tanah Melayu apabila mereka (orang Melayu) mula meninggalkan (negara),” kata Ketua Umno Bahagian Gua Musang ini dalam pertemuan dengan The Malaysian Insider.
Dengan memberikan contoh-contoh khususnya, Ahli Parlimen Gua Musang ini berkata, khususnya golongan generasi muda juga merasakan tidak senang dengan perkembangan dalam negara.
“Ada orang Melayu di London yang profesional, memperolehi pendapatan yang baik, yang tidak akan kembali kerana persekitaran tidak sesuai di Malaysia,” katanya.
Malah menurut beliau publisiti negatif yang dijana ekoran hukuman sebatan terhadap tiga wanita Islam baru-baru dan isu kontroversi berkisar kalimah “Allah” juga tidak akan membantu negara.
Walaupun hukuman merotan selaras dengan undang-undang syariah, Tengku Razaleigh berkata pendekatan itu membawa impak negatif kepada negara apabila ia menjadi tajuk utama media di seluruh dunia atas sebab-sebab yang tidak wajar.
“Pelabur-pelabur dan pelancong tertanya-tanya apa yang berlaku di Malaysia, ketika kita memerlukan pelaburan, modal dan pekerjaan bagi golongan muda yang terus merasakan ia sesuatu yang sukar.” katanya.
Bekas Naib Presiden Umno ini memberitahu, bukan Islam pula ditangkap kerana berpegangan tangan di khalayak ramai, malah beliau merujuk kepada satu kes di mana pihak berkuasa agama menceroboh bilik hotel dihuni warga asing beberapa tahun lalu.
Malah beliau juga risau dengan hubungan kaum yang semakin buruk disebabkan dasar pecah belah.
Kata beliau, kerajaan boleh mangadakan sebanyak mungkin rumah terbuka tetapi hakikatnya tiada elemen “kemesraan”.
“Sudah tentu orang akan datang jika adanya hidangan makanan percuma tetapi ia bukan sesuatu yang tulen,” kata Tengku Razaleigh, anggota kerabat diraja Kelantan.
Beliau menambah walaupun ada jaminan bahawa kadar jenayah semakin menurun rakyat masih belum merasakan keselamatan mereka terjamin.
“Malah isteri saya takut untuk keluar. Mengapa kita harus takut di negara kita sendiri?” katanya.
Tengku Razaleigh membidas amalan rasuah sambil mengutarakan bagaimana enjin jet pejuang milik Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia boleh “hlang” dan kemudian dijual ke negara lain dan insiden kapal selam yang menelan berbilion ringgit tidak boleh beroperasi dengan baik.
“Sekarang ia boleh berselam. Kita tidak pasti sama ada ia boleh muncul semula,” kata beliau sambil menambah, ia kelihatan seperti gurau senda tetapi sebenarnya sesuatu yang membimbangkan.
Sehubungan itu kata beliau amalan rasuah turut menyebabkan dadah boleh dibawa masuk dengan mudah ke negara ini.
“Malaysia hanya pasaran kecil berbanding dengan New York tetapi disebabkan ada yang rasuah mereka membenarkan dadah menyalur masuk,” kata beliau sambil menambah ia merosakkan minda golongan muda dan meragut banyak nyawa.
“Ini tanda-tanda kemerosotan yang tidak kita alami sebelum ini,” jelas beliau.

Ku Li: Even Malays leaving Tanah Melayu

Umno veteran and Gua Musang MP, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah laments the state of affairs in the country. - Picture by Choo Choy May

By Neville Spykerman KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah is concerned that even Malays are getting disillusioned with the state of the nation and leaving the country.
“Something must be wrong in this so-called Malay Land (Tanah Melayu) when they (Malays) are leaving.” said the Kelantan prince during an interview with The Malaysian Insider.
The Umno veteran and Gua Musang MP said people, especially the young, are feeling uneasy over developments in the country and didn’t mince his words when he pointed out that there are signs of decline everywhere.
“There are many Malays in London who are professionals, making good money, who will not return because the environment is not right in Malaysia.”
He added that the negative publicity generated by the caning of three Muslim women and controversy surrounding the use of the word “Allah” is not helping the country.
While the caning may have been in accordance to Syariah laws, Razaleigh said it still negatively impacts the country when it makes headlines around the world for the wrong reasons.
“Investors and tourists are wondering what’s happening in Malaysia, at a time when we need investments, capital and jobs for our young who are also increasingly finding it difficult...”
He said even the non-Muslims are being hauled up for holding hands and cited a case where Islamic authorities barged into a room where a foreign couple was staying.
Razaleigh also decried that race relations are getting increasingly strained because of divisive policies.
He said the government can stage as many open houses as they like but there’s no warmth.
“Of course people will come if there’s free food but it’s not genuine.”
He pointed out that despite the recent assurances on the crime rate coming down, people are still insecure about their safety.
“Even my wife is afraid to go out. Why should we be afraid in our own country?”
He lamented the corruption in the country and how Air Force jet engines that weigh a ton can go “missing” or how the nation’s first submarine, which cost billions, could not initially dive.
“Now that it can dive, we’re not sure if it can come up again.” he said, adding that it may sound comical but it is alarming.
On the streets, he said, corruption have allowed drugs to flow in.
“Malaysia is only a small market compared to New York, but because people are corrupt they allow drugs to flow in.” he said, adding that young minds and lives are lost because of it.
“These are signs of decline which were never here before,” he concluded.