Kempas assemblyman ticks off DAP MP for hypocrisy over ‘Muslim only laundry’

In wake of the laundromat controversy in Malaysia, a MP from the main opposition party Democratic Action Party (DAP), Teo Nie Ching, discussed the need of an anti-discrimination law. In reply, Datuk Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Jumat said she "should instead propose the introduction of an anti-hypocrisy act". The key aspect of his argument is that the difference between race and religion, and that this laundry issue is a religious one. That is, anti-discrimination laws are when the state steps in on discussions of race, but on religion, there should be no such policing, in his opinion.

Moreover, he also brings up the economic argument: "That is his choice if we are to promote free enterprise in this country, just like pubs and bars are permitted in a predominantly middle-class Malay Muslim areas like Taman Tun Dr Ismail (in Kuala Lumpur)". Going on to relate that it is not (currently) discriminatory when a company puts fluency in Mandarin as a requirement for a job.

More interestingly, he brings up, though Teo makes the point of laws needed to enforce equality or at least "discrimination on the basis of faith, gender, and race", the previous move by the Johor Sultan to advance a one-school system. The hope of the one-school in the Sultan's mind is uniting the three main ethnic groups of Malaysia (Malay, Tamil, and Chinese) in the "neutral" school where English is the main language. Currently each culture has their own schools.

Regardless of whether or not you find Tengku Putra's arguments compelling (I don't, though on some issues I'd need greater background on the circumstances of Malaysia), this discussion shows to what extent a state pushes free enterprise and religion and balances that with the three major ethnic groups of Malaysia. Teo acknowledges the Sultan did the right thing by speaking against the sign, but notes that there should be a law to ensure this does not happen. But her silence on the issue of the one-school system the Sultan supports shows a disinterest a more organic way of fostering equality that comes from the down up versus a top-down state enforcement.

Moreover, it mentions some of the non-laundry related news coming from Johor. As of last week, there have been many articles where important figures like the Sultan's wife talk of the need to reinvigorate English learning in Malaysia. The new generation raised under the new 3-part school system is, apparently, not learning English to the same degree as the previous generation causing some to worry.