Former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim says the Chinese in Malaysia cannot be labelled ‘extremists’ as they have had to be adaptable and accommodating of others in order to prosper all these years. ― File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 ― The Chinese in Malaysia cannot be labelled “extremists” as they have had to be adaptable and accommodating of others in order to prosper all these years, former minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said, noting that these are not the qualities of an extremist.

Instead, Zaid said it is the Malays who are struggling with an identity crisis, finding themselves unable to adapt with modern Malaysia after being indoctrinated with a rigid world view by religious preachers and clerics.

“The Chinese may be selfish, parochial, greedy, egotistical and whatever other ungodly labels some may want to slap on them, but extremist they are not,” the former law minister wrote in his blog today.

Zaid said the Chinese had come to Malaya in the old days to start afresh, make a living and ultimately prosper in business and in life, things he said the community still does very well till today.

“To succeed, they have had to be adaptable and accommodating, and they have had to know how the game is played both politically and socially. These are not qualities that extremists have,” he claimed.

Zaid cited the example of the Peranakan people ― Chinese who assimilated themselves with the Malays during the Malacca Sultanate days ― who even speak the Malay language and wear Malay clothings.

He said the Chinese community have also adapted by aligning themselves to whichever group that possesses political power at any point in time, from the Malay rulers to nationalist party Umno.

“At the height of the NEP, the Chinese were strong supporters of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad,” Zaid said, referring to the New Economic Policy championed by the nation’s longest-serving prime minister.

“They didn’t care about what percentage of the nation’s wealth the Malays received, because they were shrewd enough to claw some back for themselves.

“They didn’t care about how many timber licences or APs (approved permits) the Malays had, as they were always in the front line of the business,” he said.

In comparison, Zaid said the Malays have not kept in time with the modern world, and resort to punishing each other if the world does not fit into their rigid frame.

“So don’t make people laugh by saying the Chinese have no identity. It’s the Malays who are struggling to know themselves.

“They are struggling to realise that the world is not what they are being told,” Zaid said.

“They are being taught that there is always instant success and reward in this life, that the world revolves around this fixed formula which can be unearthed if they follow the ulama and preachers. They do not care too much about scholars, scientists or elements of modernity.”

Speaking at Gerakan National Conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave his assurance that Barisan Nasional (BN) rejects extremism, saying the ruling coalition’s politicians have to lead by example by championing moderation.

This is despite the hatred spewed online via comments by disgruntled Internet users, which the prime minister said exists “because there is no censorship when it comes to the Internet”.

But the prime minister, Zaid said, had wasted his time speaking about the dangers of extremism to those at the conference, as they were mostly Chinese.