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(Borneo Post) KUCHING: Land Development Minister Dato Sri Dr James Masing yesterday defended his “cultural arrogance” theory, saying that it is a theory urging people not to preach to people from another community on what they already know.
Cultural arrogance breeds racial disharmony and a form of insincerity, he said. “It is therefore wise for people to think that all are born equal in intelligence. But what makes us different from one another is opportunity. Some get more opportunities than the others. Therein is the difference,” he said in his winding-up speech at the DUN yesterday. Masing said it would be cultural arrogance, if a Chinese tried to help the Ibans but yet preached to them (Ibans) things they already knew. He pointed out that such incident happened during the land-related disputes or claims. “If you want to help others, just do it. There is no necessity to tell the world why a person needs such assistance. By the same token, if you want to help an Iban with his land, there is no need to tell him or this Dewan what land means to an Iban,” he cited an example of ‘cultural arrogance’. Masing said he once helped a Chinese shopkeeper to get a streetlight from a local council here after the shopkeeper requested for it, and sought for his assistance. Although he knew that the shopkeeper needed the streetlight to protect his shop, he (Masing) did not preach to him on why he should need the streetlight or the rationale of having one, Masing said. He pointed out that such a gesture was not cultural arrogance because he helped the Chinese with sincerity. It was also a sincere act because he did not tell the media about it nor did he argue the shopkeeper’s case in the DUN, he added. He said this to rebut some points raised up by Ting Tze Hui (DAP-Meradong) and Voon Lee Shan (DAP-Batu Lintang) when debating the Head of State’s address last week. Masing first mentioned the cultural arrogance theory during his winding-up speech in a DUN sitting in 2007. However his points on cultural arrogance yesterday did not go down well with Dominique Ng (PKR-Padunagn), who interrupted him several times telling the DUN Speaker that such talks had racial overtone. Ng was also unhappy when Masing stressed on the history of ancient China where its people then addressed non-Chinese as “barbarians”. “Why? Because the perception of the ancient Chinese that all non-Chinese were savages; they lacked culture and did not possess any skills and therefore are not capable of doing anything good and worthwhile,” he explained. He said another form of cultural arrogance manifested itself in some people’s attitude and perception towards others. “There is a general perception by others in Malaysia that Bumiputeras are not capable of doing good and successful business. Hence when a Bumiputera company is successful, the perception is that it cannot be attributed to their skills and capability. Thus, variables like cronyism, nepotism, corruption and political patronage come to the picture. “These are variables the detractors claimed, which account for this Bumiputera company to be successful,” he said. Yet another form of cultural arrogance is in the manner some people address or refer to others. “During my growing up years, the Ibans in Kapit were referred to or called by the Chinese as ‘Lakkia’ (native or wild savage). I did not take any offence then. Now I do. I will not take this form of address too kindly,” Masing said. When Ng still insisted that Masing’s speech had some kind of “racial slur”, DUN Speaker Dato Sri Mohamad Asfia Awang Nasar told Masing to proceed to another point but reminded all members to stay clear of racial remarks.
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More native lands being confiscated...
