Teori kenapa orang Melayu terima pemimpin perasuah

The mystery surrounding why Malay people accept corrupt leaders like Najib Razak and Umno persists, even among non-Malay individuals who question the issue. This question arises from incidents such as Najib's leniency, house arrest, and the party's victory in Johor and Negeri Sembilan elections. The article presents a theory that may interest readers who wish to explore it further in their research or doctoral thesis.

The first reason is that many Malay workers, including two of the author's children who work after university with salaries below RM4,000, do not pay much tax. The author has to explain to them how tax is calculated, but the amount is only a few dozen ringgit per month, so it does not seem significant. The author's own salary is cut by around RM2,500 per month, resulting in a yearly tax payment of RM30,000.

Compared to a non-Malay friend who pays RM120,000 annually, Malay people do not seem to care about the tax and many are not concerned about declaring their income, so they do not pay tax at all. Therefore, the corruption and tax evasion do not make sense to Malay people. The second reason is that many Malay people work for the government, which is almost 80% Malay, including civil servants, politicians, and ministers.

Every month, salaries arrive, so the corruption of RM40 billion does not bother them. Malays continue to receive their salaries even with the 1MDB debt, so what is there to be concerned about regarding corruption? Even if Malays do not calculate, they are still able to pay their monthly salaries because other income exists. The third reason is that no one wants to tell civil servants, Malay business owners, or entrepreneurs about the fact that most salaries and development projects funded by tax revenue come from Malay taxpayers.

More tax revenue comes from non-Malay taxpayers because they do not work for the government. The country's corruption of billions remains unaddressed due to Malay people's lack of awareness of the country's debt burden. The fourth reason is about Islamic education. Three factors related to Islam make the corruption issue acceptable or not condemned by the Muslim community.

First, the Islamic religious education itself is inadequate, as it does not explain the source of tax money and how it leads to salaries or development. Corruption seems like a "minor sin" and is not easily understood in terms of its impact on personal and community development. Second, religious leaders like imams from political parties "justify" corruption.

They argue that corruption is not punishable by cutting hands since it is not mentioned in the classical fiqh books. Therefore, stealing RM200 may result in cutting hands, but stealing RM40 billion is not mentioned in the religious texts. As a result, corruption does not seem as serious as drinking alcohol, not wearing a hijab, or voting for an Islamic political party.

Third, there are Indian witnesses in Malaysia who require Muslims to vote for Islamic candidates, even if the candidate is weak or immoral, as long as they are Muslim. This is extremely problematic. Additionally, there is a political party that supports paradise as long as their voters support them, so it does not matter if the party is corrupt, dishonest, or disrespectful, as long as they fight for Islam in Malaysian politics.

The fifth and most classic reason is that Malays go to Hajj, receive food rations, and ride bicycles from the Islamic party. Where does the party's money come from to fund these benefits is never questioned by Malay people. When dining at a Malay-owned restaurant, patrons always check for halal certification, but they never ask where the funds for the party's benefits come from.

The sixth reason is the most classic and effective: voting for the Malay or Islamic party to prevent the DAP from ruling the country. Malay people never count the number of hands required to determine the number of DAP members involved in corruption. Malay people are unaware that many Malay and Islamic party members are also involved in corruption.