Why racism will still be accepted

While many continue to call for racism being criminal, I personally see it as a waste of time.

Mostly because we will have issues with the multiple changes in the Federal Constitution and the abolishment of the New Economic Policy (NEP).

Unless these two are actually done first, we would all be in a lot of trouble.

Imagine then a racial discrimination law that is in line with both the Constitution and even the NEP.

Let us look at this objectively. Many will look purely at institutionalised racism in government, but will we be making the law applicable to businesses and even economics?

Will we be looking at suing companies, universities and even property owners who do not adhere to whatever diversity law we set?

If a company's diversity report shows that it does not meet the 30% bumiputera hiring as stated in the NEP, should this open them to being fined by the government?

On the other side of the prism, would anything defined as racist, even satire and just sarcasm on Facebook, be fined as well if found to be racist?

If a person renting a property finds that he was given a higher price compared to another of differing race, can he take it to court?

What about a person buying goods from Low Yat Plaza who notices he got a higher price?

What about shops that advertise being 100% Malay owned?

What about the Chinese kopitiams, the "halal only" good courts that just coincidentally had only Malays, or even the pasar malam and uptowns?

Are you going to police these for diversity as well?

Where would you end it, I wonder?

The truth is we are so naively focused on politics that we forget businesses have a tendency to be racially inclined as well. So, how would a new law regarding racism ensure diversity in all workplaces?

Will we be looking at the employees segregated by race according to each level in a corporation, ensuring full diversity all the way up to the board of directors?

Similarly, would this anti-racism act even apply to Parliament? Would there be a strict control over the number of lawmakers from each race to represent the Malaysian people?

Would you also look to the same with media? Would every television channel, radio broadcast and even newspaper and alternative media be audited to ensure there is no racial discrimination either in their corporate side or the content they publish?

Have I pointed out the stupidity in this idea of policing racism, or do I need to go on?

Look, racism is bad, but enforcing any law or policies to somehow negate racism will lead to even worse. You cannot beat this issue to the point of paranoia.

If you wish to negate racism, it is through beating and challenging the racial system altogether.

In politics it is clear that such challenges are being countered already. For example, why can't a Malay leader look after the Chinese and vice versa?

It is irrelevant.

Similarly, laws should be established not to undo racism, but make it economically painful. In the case of business, we do not have a single watchdog that talks about the diversity of listed companies.

In fact, we don't even have a consumer culture that is against racism at all, but looks more towards quality and price. Even the environmental impact of businesses have yet to play a large role in consumerism here in Malaysia.

The way America has undone racism is through economic means. Consumer groups call up advertisers to withdraw their funding against what is perceived as racism. Actors are also found to be racist find themselves lack of a job.

The same goes for Malaysia. We need to emulate a population and culture in which racism is not tolerated to the cost of boycotts and even total ruin of businesses.

Until Malaysians learn for themselves their power in large groups in denying revenue, we will continually be stuck.

After all, we did it with the Sekinchan Ikan Bakar and Meatworks franchises. What we need to do is the same thing we have done time and time again. A total undoing of corporate and even political racism.

As we have clearly seen their coffers go dry time and time again to the point of relying on "donations" from foreign nations and even looking for more money through means that may sooner or later prove illegal or at least unethical.

But most importantly, Malaysians far and wide need to understand that what they seem racist will have support due to economic inequality allowing others to take advantage and subsequently use it as leverage.

Until this is undone, you can scream racism all you want but no change will come, at least that much I can guarantee. – September 22, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.