Do you know where you're going to?

To borrow the title from the Diana Ross song, "Do you know where you're going to?" In current times where discussions abound, with some threatening to cross (and sever) racial, religious and political ties, it is imperative for us as rakyat Malaysia to keep abreast of current affairs, particularly in the political arena.

Malaysia's leader warns of religious and ethnic tensions
By Thomas Fuller / International Herald Tribune
Published: November 15, 2006
Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/11/15/news/malay.php

Malaysia's prime minister, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said Wednesday that frayed relations between the country's religious and racial groups had reached a "worrying" level and warned that the government would not hesitate to crack down to preserve peace between them. [emphasis added]

"Freedom has its limits," Abdullah said in a nationally televised speech to his party that serves as an annual state of the union address for the country. "I would like to warn those who abuse this freedom that I will not for a moment hesitate to use the law against them."

Abdullah's threats were a marked shift in tone for a prime minister who previously portrayed himself as more conciliatory and compassionate than his predecessor, Mahathir bin Mohamad.

The above and following passages are extracted from the original article, here.

"More and more issues are being categorized as sensitive and now there's this threat of an iron fist," [said] Lim Kit Siang, the leader of the opposition, in an interview. "There should be room for rational discussions." [emphasis added]

Lim also accused members of Abdullah's party, the United Malays National Organization, of hypocrisy on the question of race relations.

"They are telling people not to play the race card while they are playing it to the hilt," Lim said.

Members of Abdullah's party have been particularly strident and explicit in their criticism of Chinese and Indian parties, with whom they share a coalition, at the party's general assembly, which is being held this week.

One party member, Ramli Simbok, was quoted in the local press as having said, "When we, the Malays, are weak, the Chinese will take advantage."

Another party member, Azimi Daim, warned Chinese and Indians to stop questioning the special rights of Malays.

"When tension rises, the blood of Malay warriors will run in our veins," Azimi said. [emphasis added]

And more interesting is this snippet:

In his speech Abdullah responded to much of Mahathir's recent criticism.

[...]

The government will build more schools in rural areas, he said, and will focus on strengthening its reputation as a center for Islamic finance and halal food production. [emphasis added]

In response to accusations that Abdullah had lowered the country's profile compared to Mahathir, whose acerbic often anti-Western comments kept the country in the news, Abdullah said he preferred "artful diplomacy."

Rest assured, that on a voyage, there can, and will only be one captain. Rest assured that the crew and seamen will always have the good sense to stand behind the captain. No fool would want to poke holes in their own ship.

But the nagging question is, do the crew know where their ship is sailing to?
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Article Credits: Thomas Fuller / International Herald Tribune