Hishammuddin Hussein
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dato' Seri Hishammuddin Bin Tun Hussein (born August 1961) is a Malaysian politician and member of United Malays National Organization (UMNO). He is the current Malaysian Education Minister, having served since March 30, 2004. He is also the Chairman of the Youth Wing of UMNO.
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[edit] Biography
Hishamuddin is the son of Tun Hussein Onn, the third Prime Minister of Malaysia and subsequently the grandson of Onn Jaafar. His grandfather Onn Jaafar was one of the founders of UMNO. Hishamuddin is also the cousin of the current Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak. He was attending Malay College Kuala Kangsar before his father became Deputy Prime Minister in 1973. Upon his father's appointment to the post, he was transferred to a private school abroad.
Prior to his commencing his political career, Hishamuddin was formerly a lawyer with the large Malaysian firm of Shearn Delamore and Lee Hishammuddin.
His wife, Yang Mulia Datin Seri Tengku Marsilla Tengku Abdullah, is a princess from the State of Pahang in Malaysia.
[edit] Comments on Racial Harmony
"Young leaders who make racial and religious statements to be popular with a particular community will not go far in a multiracial and multicultural Malaysia," said Barisan Nasional Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. Anyone could make popular statements to gain popularity from a particular race or to gain support from their delegates, but their popularity would be short-lived, he said.
"They must be far-sighted because when it is time for them to be selected as ministers or party presidents, they must not only be smart, they have to be wise too."
He noted that the top leadership was mature enough to know who was sincere, honest and had held to the Barisan principle of multiracialism.
"The top leadership will not forget – and in a multiracial Malaysia the people will also not forget – those who have taken advantage to be popular for short-term gains," he said after attending the opening of the 19th Gerakan Youth and Wanita national delegates conference yesterday. The top leadership would not select those who fought for only one race, and "Their future will be tainted, and that applies to all young leaders who have aspirations to be national leaders," he said.
Nonwithstanding these statements, he has in the past strongly supported Ketuanan Melayu, a state philosophy based on the dominance of Malays over other ethnic groups. See also 'Keris controversy', below.
[edit] Keris controversy
In 2005, Hishamuddin became infamous for waving the keris (traditional Malay dagger) at the UMNO Annual General Meeting. Commentators perceived this action as meant to defend ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) and to threaten those who opposed the Malay special rights as set out in Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia and in the social contract. Although applauded by the Malay delegates, the picture of Hishamuddin with the keris was widely ridiculed and parodied in the Malaysian blogosphere.
The 2006 UMNO Annual General Assembly was noted for controversial statements made by several delegates, such as Hashim Suboh, who asked Hishammuddin when he would "use" the keris; Hishammuddin had again brandished the keris at the assembly that year. The assembly was the first to have its entire proceedings televised in full. Several delegates raised the issue of the Malay Agenda, and called for greater enforcement of the NEP.[1] In response to concerns over the racial rhetoric, Vice President Muhyiddin Yassin said that "Although some sides were a bit extreme [this year], it is quite normal to voice feelings during the assembly."[2] The Deputy Chief of the Youth wing, Khairy Jamaluddin, insisted that "while there is nothing extraordinary about this year’s congress and that similar sentiments have been raised in the past, these feelings have never compromised the ultimate manifestation of governance in this country through BN’s power-sharing formula."[3] Hishammuddin also defended the delegates' actions, saying that events earlier in the year related to the status of Islam in Malaysia and the NEP had "played on the Malay psyche. If they had not been allowed to release their feelings in a controlled channel, it could have been even worse." He defended his usage of the keris, saying it was meant "to motivate the Malays" and that it "is here to stay", denying that it was a symbol of Malay supremacy (ketuanan Melayu).[4]
Hishammuddin also asserted that "The keris is on the Umno flag...It is a symbol of Malay culture. You give keris as gifts to non-Malays, and non-Malays give them to me at functions." However, Chinese politicians declared themselves unconvinced by Hishammuddin's explanations, with the Malaysian Chinese Association (a member of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition) Youth chief, Liow Tiong Lai, saying that "If I hold a Chinese sword at a wushu function, it would be different than if I hold one at a political event. This was a political function, so it is seen in a different context. It can create uneasiness." One commentator suggested that "A keris does not make people uncomfortable. It is the gesture and brandishing that makes people uncomfortable", while a Chinese political analyst said that "You say the keris is a cultural symbol, but it is a cultural symbol of violence."[5]
[edit] References
- Ooi, Jeff (2005). "The 30% solution". Retrieved Nov. 17, 2005.
