The ‘Malay story’ is
once again in the limelight – this time, after Mr Nizam Ismail stepped down from
the Board of Directors of AMP (the Association of Muslim Professional and Chairman
of RIMA (Research on Malay and Islamic Affairs)
The ‘aftershock tremor’
is not much about his resignation per se but more on the reason behind it.
Nizam claimed that the
government threatened to stop all funding to AMP due to his participation in the
protest in Hong Lim Park and in the Workers Party youth wing forum. So by
resigning, he hopes the funding to the organization will continue.
However, a Minister supposedly
to be responsible for the Malay/ Muslim Community reiterated that the
government would not interfere with the internal affair of any Malay/Muslim organization.
Then who are the two Ministers
who called airing their concerns about his participation in these activities?
I believe the funding
received by any welfare organization is for the benefit of the community and
not for it to ‘kowtow’ to the government in return. If participating in activities
in our own personal capacity being construed as political, what about those MPs
and Minister in the Board of Directors in other welfare organization…..they can? That’s BIAS.
Poor Nizam, not only
is he being pressured by the leadership, even the print media is not helping.
Berita Minggu (one
and only Malay language newspaper…duh) on 28 April seems to add salt to his wound by
reporting on his personal, family and financial problem instead of focusing on
the issue of his resignation.
Being Malay in this
city state is full of challenges. Meritocracy and equality have different
meanings. If we are not interested to help our own community, who else will?
My salutation to Nizam.
