Student Group 'Anak Muda Harapan Malaysia' Pens An Open Letter Najib Should Read
A group comprising of six student activists from Universiti Malaya has set themselves up to be the voice of hopeful young Malaysians.
By Mei Mei Chu — 27 Jan 2015, 12:58 PM — Updated almost 10 years ago
A group of students calling themselves Anak Muda Harapan Malaysia (AMHM) has written an open letter to the prime minister asking for the abolishment of Malay rights
In a strongly-worded open letter to the prime minister and federal lawmakers, a student group demanded today the abolishment of the special rights of the Malays and vernacular schools to pave the way forward towards a “better Malaysia”.
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Led by Fahmi Zainol, the Universiti Malaya student council president who was suspended for organising the Anwar Ibrahim talk in campus, the six-member group is made up of other students from UM
Calling themselves Anak Muda Harapan Malaysia (AMHM), the six-member group comprises student activists from Universiti Malaya including its former student council president Fahmi Zainol. Apart from Fahmi, the other members making up the group are: Ganeshwaran Kana, Atyrah Hanim Razali, Lee Jin Yang, Zawani Syafiqah Zainal Bahrin and Adam Fistival Wilfrid.
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Anak Muda Harapan Malaysia calls itself a new liberal and moderate movement seeking to bring all Malaysians together. "Malaysians are equal; Muslims or non-Muslims, Malay or non-Malay," says the group.
Professing itself to be “a new liberal and moderate movement that seeks to bring all Malaysians together”, AMHM asked Malaysians to be “less sensitive in discussing national matters publicly” before making its bid for meritocracy. “We truly believe that all Malaysians are equal; Muslim or non-Muslim, Malay or non-Malay,” the group said.
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The open letter that was published on The Malay Mail made 15 recommendations to move towards a better Malaysia. They are:
1. Clearly identify whether Malaysia is an Islamic or secular nation
“AMHM strongly believe that Malaysia is a secular state and the Government should publicly declare Malaysia as a secular state,” it said. AMHM also called for the government to declare Malaysia as a secular state as backed by Paragraph 57, Constitutional Proposals 1957 and public statement of Malaysia’s founding fathers; Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Dr Ismail and Tun Hussein Onn.
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2. Establish a neutral and transparent commission to review the need for pro-Bumiputera policies and amendment of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution
Article 153 of the Federal Constitution grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the responsibility of safeguarding the special position of Malays and Sabah, Sarawak natives and “the legitimate interests of other communities”. AMHM strongly advocate the abolishment of pro-Bumiputera policies, to be replaced with need-based, without any reference to neither race nor ethnic [sic]. “Pro-Bumiputera policies have clearly failed in distributing wealth equally, as wealth disparity among Bumiputeras are too high despite many state-sponsored economic plans,” it wrote.
Pointing out the discrepancies in the measurement of Malay success, it said studies have shown that 30 per cent equity holding for Bumiputera has long been achieved but the government has rejected the findings. Such policies also induce “second-class citizen” feeling among the non-Bumiputera, it added.
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3. Government-sponsored public discussions to align the dual legal system of civil and Shariah law
The group also said the dual-legal system; civil and Shariah creates complications as it discriminates against certain parties in cases of child custodial rights, when a parent converts into Islam or for Muslims seeking conversions.
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4. Public discussion on the question of state secession such as in Sabah and Sarawak
“AMHM strongly urge the Parliament to amend Article 2 to enable any future secession of states in Malaysia, if approved by a referendum in the referred state. “Malaysia has seen a precedent in state secession when Singapore formed a sovereign state of its own. However, it was not done through a plebiscite,” the group said.
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5. Open discussions on issues like the Malay special rights, vernacular schools and such
AMHM urged the government to abolish the vernacular school system and Malay priviledges.
AMHM also said unity in Malaysia can only persist if there is single-stream education system. It added however the quality of national schools should be improved and a trilingual policy should be made compulsory for all students.
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6. Efforts to encourage media independence and freedom in Malaysia
AMHM called for a medium that is neutral and non-partisan in Malaysia. To achieve this, a commission for media freedom needs to be established with clear ethical codes. This commission must not be controlled by a political entity.
7. The welfare of Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia
AMHM urged the government to step up efforts to increase the standard of living of the aboriginals in Malaysia. Many of these communities live below the poverty line and is subjected to discrimination especially when their homes are destroyed due to widespread logging. They may have a seat on the Senate, but oftentimes they do not have real power in representing their communities.
8. Establish a commission for law reform
AMHM recommends the establishment of an independent commission to revise the laws of Malaysia that are oppressive and no longer relevant.
9. The need for stronger public space and more Malaysians who dare to speak out
Taking a leaf out of the US government’s book, the group said the Malaysian government should set up an official web site for petitions on issues and if the threshold of 100,000 online signatures is met, the government should be obligated to respond to the issue.
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10. A transparent and stronger management of the economy
AMHM urge the government to improve the nation's economic management and increase its level of transparency. They also encourage the government to participate in the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to be more open, accountable and responsive to citizens.
11. Reinforce Article 152 of the Federal Constitution
There is also the need for Article 152 of the Malaysian Federal Constitution to be reinforced as it has witnessed the erosion of the Malay language and even federal ministers are also found to be lacking in the proficiency of the national language, it said.
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12. Review and expand the scope of the History textbooks
AMHM questions how much of the history lessons that are being taught to children are 100% true.
13. Devise a strategic plan to cope with natural disasters and improve national security
AMHM opines that the authorities were not well-prepared when responding to natural disasters, especially during the flood crisis that happens yearly. A strategic and sustainable plan is needed during disaster responses. In light of the three plane tragedies that struck Malaysia in 2014, AMHM also asks the government to review the systems that protect the safety and security of our nation.
15. Implement a law to separate solid waste in the initial stages
Malaysia is facing a shortage of landfills and incinerators are not the best solution as the burning of solid waste can lead to the emittance of harmful gases like dioxin. AMHM urge the government to look for a better alternative to manage solid waste.