What if the Chinese called for a boycott of Malay businesses?

WHEN a person is a public figure, especially someone who is in public office, it goes without saying that he or she will constantly be in the public eye.

It would be difficult to draw the line between what is considered private and personal and what is public and should be known by everyone.

For someone who is in the public office, the responsibility is so high that his or her actions will always be scrutinised by the people who he represents.

And this is rightfully the way because the public has elected that person to carry out the administration of the office in their name.

The people are the boss.

So when an elected official, a cabinet minister no less, posts a statement on his Facebook page that reeks of generalisation, stereotyping and racism, the people should pay attention.

Yes, I am referring to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri, the minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, who said that Malays should boycott Chinese businesses who do not lower their prices after the reduction in oil price.

It does not matter if the minister explains that it was given in the best of intentions. As a person who has been elected by the people, what he said is just wrong and unethical.

What would the minister (an UMNO member) say if, for example, a member of the MCA said that all Chinese should boycott Malay retailers who sell bad quality products?

It's really easy. If the minister really had good intentions, what his statement should have been to say that all businesses who do not lower their process should be boycotted by the public.

If he explains that it should be done to Malay businesses too, then what is the reason for generalising and referring to race and ethnicity at all in the first place?

We, as Malaysians, should condemn such behaviour because the racial polarisation in the country is already at an all time high tension without pulling it even tighter.

That is why we need to do away with racial politics, where we have elected leaders who are obligated to serve particular ethnic groups in public office.

And as Malaysians, we should also stop demanding that elected leaders of particular ethnic groups defend those particular ethnic groups that they are from.

No particular race - not Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazan or anyone else - should have higher representation in the government. It is one Malaysian for all Malaysians.