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Media Statement/Letter to the Editor

Ethnic Relations: A Sad Tale of Conflict

It is really sad that 44 years of nationhood had failed to forge a united and harmonious nation out of our diverse cultures and ethnic backgrounds.

It is difficult to fathom how an isolated incident can flare up into an ethnic conflict that has claimed, according to official counts, six lives, left more than fifty injured and some seriously too, and inflicted damage to property.

It is a great pity that this has to happen in less than three years after the Kampong Rawa incident in Penang. It only confirms that we should not be lulled by the superficial unity that is superfluously projected in the media and through political pronouncements.

It is clear that the underlying causes of poverty and neglect of marginalised communities have yet to be tackled seriously and responsibly. Their plight has not received the concern that we would have expected. Development has bypassed these communities without batting an eyelid.

In the midst of this tragedy politicians should refrain from trying to score political points that will only stir emotions and aggravate a very painful situation.

The media should not be partisan in these tragic circumstances. They should play a responsible role in accurately reporting efforts that are being taken to allay fears and bring peace and harmony � irrespective of the personalities involved. In this respect, it is to be regretted that the media hardly gave space for the visits to the affected areas and efforts of the Barisan Alternatif to mollify the pain and anger of the communities concerned.

The police should provide all the information that is accurate to instil confidence in and acceptance of their news release. Threatening punitive action against those who contradict the police version of information is hardly the way to seek co-operation from the public. Such intimidation would only suppress certain things from being uttered openly and instead will only encourage the transmission of information through whispers. If it develops into this, the police will not be any wiser to counter any contradictory news.

The only effective way to deal with rumours is to be honest and truthful and make available all information. If there are others who claim more than six have died from this conflict, then get the hospital to release the names and addresses of those who have died and openly welcome information of other deaths, if any, in this conflict. In this way, rumours are scorched and truth is allowed to prevail.

A lot of things are being said and the police are obliged to confirm or counter the following allegations:

1. Is it true that the state assembly woman for Taman Medan, Norkhaila Jamaluddin, "said it was Indians who attacked the Malays?" Is the statement true? What action has been taken with regards to this statement?
2. It is claimed that there are eyewitness reports from the flats in Desa Ria testifying that "young people armed with knives, parang, golf clubs and sticks" had gathered openly "while police in two patrol cars were a few metres away on the road near the entrance of the flats" without taking any action against the group. This allegation must be checked out and explanations must be provided.
3. Another account reports that one of the victims had alleged "that he was beaten by people from another ethnic community within the view of police manning a roadblock in a kampung near Jalan Kelang Lama."