Normala
6:00pm Fri Jan 31st, 2003

Dear Mr Prime Minister of Malaysia,

I'll make this short and straight to the point. Come o要! Give malaysiakini a break! Stop allowing Umno members to pick o要 them. Please step in and tell those close-minded and insecure Malay boys, the Umno Youth, to grow up and back off.

The world is watching this latest fiasco in Malaysia. This is so unfair! They are o要ly publishing the true opinions and perception of Malaysian citizens!

Do not be afraid of the truth. Non-Malays in Malaysia are treated so unfairly in comparison to the Malays, the majority of whom have been and are still being spoon-fed in almost every sector, rendering them socially and economically ineffective and incompetent in the process. That is a daily fact in Malaysia. Malaysians and many Non-Malaysians the world over know this.

It is also the prime reason why the majority of Malay Malaysians today are still lagging behind other tax-paying Malaysians who are considered minorities in Malaysia and who are not receiving preferential treatment whatsoever in their own country, unlike their fellow Malaysian citizens, the Malays.

Affirmative actions for the most part and in the long run do not work for either the Malays or for Malaysia as a nation. You've acknowledged and said this so many times yourself. How would our Prophet Muhammad handle this Malaysian dilemma? He would have been upright, just and fair, starting with malaysiakini.

Remember, racism, discrimination, unfairness and bullying are all forbidden in Islam! Malaysiakini is not the enemy. The brave and hard-working men and women who work at malaysiakini are proud Malaysians like you and I are. They love Malaysia just as much as you and I do.

The closed minds and ignorance of many Malays and their tendency to not follow the true religion of Islam are our real enemies in Malaysia. We have no o要e to fear in Malaysia but ourselves. So let's refocus our priorities in Malaysia. Hands off  the little folks. Let malaysiakini remain at their present work premises and let them continue to publish without censorship. Do not allow others to use them as scapegoats.

Mr Steven Gan (the editor-in-chief) has demonstrated social responsibility without compromising his journalistic integrity. The truth will not hurt us. Rather, it will set us free and make for a healthier, stronger, more dynamic and more admirable Malaysia!

Note: The letter writer signed off as: A Muslim, Malay Malaysian and daughter/niece/cousin of many Umno members (and a few Umno leaders, might I say!)

The letter was sent to [email protected] o要 Jan 27.