America's Race Politics

In an exclusive interview with Sin Chew Daily, former Deputy Minister of Higher Education Hou Kok Chung said that regardless of what we hope, race politics are unavoidable for Malaysia. Speaking from many years of political experience, he further noted that despite this, it is within the world of race politics that Malaysian Chinese can find their living space.

Today, the specter of race politics continues to haunt Malaysia. Even America, the self-proclaimed greatest democratic country in the world, still suffers greatly from it.

As it happened, a 17-year-old black youth was fatally shot by a white neighborhood watchman, who was then tried in court and later acquitted. However, the court’s decision swiftly led to demonstrations in many large cities across America, protesting the unfairness of the ruling.

It is precisely because of this event and the grievous harm it inflicted on America’s image that Obama had to comment on it publicly. Some media reports say this is the first time Obama has responded to racial issues as president.

Historically, the United States has been one of the worst nations in terms of racism in politics. Until the 1960s, some southern U.S. states still carried out policies segregating blacks and whites. Even Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights movement were not able to alter political realities completely.

President Obama’s recent speech illustrates the situation in America:

“There are very few African-American men in this country who haven’t had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me …There are very few African-Americans who haven’t had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off. That happens often.”

When Obama became president, some people remarked that America was the model of a melting pot society. However, the protests in Los Angeles and other major cities sparked by the acquittal of the white neighborhood watchman have now shattered some people’s image of the American dream.

Democracy and freedom are not a panacea for all of society’s ills. Despite having a black president, 200 years after the nation’s founding, race politics and racism are still deeply rooted in America.

Occasionally, a seemingly minor event painfully exposes these rifts, leaving political leaders in a bind as to how to respond — to say nothing of how difficult it is for a developing country like Malaysia, where discussions on racial harmony are a daily reality.

Hou Kok Chung’s words provide food for thought, as well as lessons we can learn. As for whether there is still a place for Malaysian Chinese in Malaysian politics, this will depend on who leads the party, what innovations it will put forth, and whether the Chinese will support them. But that is another issue.