The Conservative Muslim Forum is organising a series of Policy Roundtables to look at various issues. Our aim is to produce a short Policy Briefing for the Party following each Roundtable. We therefore expect the Roundtables to be ‘learning dialogues’ in which we hope participants will actively join in the debate and contribute ideas to the discussion.
Places for all Roundtables are strictly limited. To attend, please register your interest by sending your details (name, occupation, contact details) to me via email wansaiful@gmail.com. Please register your interest early so that we can confirm your seat allocation.
Theme: Is it possible to have unity in a diverse society? A case study of Malaysia
Date: Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Time: 6.00pm for 6.15pm start, to 7.45pm. Please allow 20 minutes to pass security
Venue: House of Lords, Westminster, London.
Background: Malaysia’s is a diverse population. Ethnically, it comprises of Malays, Chinese, the indigenous people, Indians, and various tribes in the Borneo island. Religiously, the proportion of Muslim to non-Muslim is almost equal, with a healthy number of Christians, Buddhists and Hindus. The country has been working hard to maintain harmony between the different groups. With Britain becoming an increasingly plural society, what can British policy-makers and the Conservative Party learn from the experience of its former colony, Malaysia? How can we ensure unity in the increasingly diverse British society? Dr Ooi Kee Beng, Fellow, Institute of South East Asian Studies (ISEAS) and an expert commentator on the sociopolitics on the South East Asian region will present his thoughts. Join us to discuss this important issue.
This event is jointly organised by the Conservative Muslim Forum and the Malaysia Think Tank London.
To attend, please send your name, occupation, and contact details to me via email: wansaiful@gmail.com
Maybe my expectations were somewhat high & quickly dashed by what really came out of this round table meeting on the 2nd July in Abbey Gardens.
The primary speaker Dr. Ooi gave the Swedish model of integration as the case example; instead of following the meeting’s theme of a case study of the example of diversity / integration in Malaysia. Additionally, he had little understanding of the situation in UK.
The Chair was completely oblivious to the issues at stake resulting in a chance for lively debate to be squandered; considering the time limits on the rooms (1.45 min). Attendees had come from afar as Scotland for this meeting; which in my opinion failed even to raise a single tangible issue about integration.
If the motive of such rountable meetings are to ‘gain’ what Malaysia can ‘teach’ UK, then all one has to do is to look across to Singapore where real diversity exist and recognised as such.
I do not think Malaysia; with its race divisive NEP and the biased legal and draconian ISA can ‘show’ the way for ethnic integration in UK. I think the UK should be praised for the way it treats everyone fairly and equitably; (exceptions included). I do not wish the ‘boat ‘ rocked by the inconsiderate demands of a few to the detriment of all the ethnic groups in UK, be they Sikhs, Somalis, Muslims, Hindus or Jews.
These people are in UK because they wish to be here; there is a choice for them if the opposite is the case.