Syed Hamid Albar the comic

Found this old, but relevant BBC interview transcript, from 2007 (thecicak.com).

Particularly liked this point:

Sarah Montague:
There is outside… there is inside Malaysia who say this.. this social contract is actually State racism. What do you say to that?


Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar:
Oh. I can say the worse about Israeli State racism; in our case we don’t have that provision. You have to look at it in, I think, objectively. I don’t think it is right to look at Malaysia as a racist country. I don’t think it is right. You should see how the infusion of cultures, the getting together, the people get along together.. Yes you can find there are.. people who disagree with it.. there are certain things that people say ‘Ah it’s not perfect,’.. I would be the last person that say this is a perfect situation, but I think we have succeeded in building a multiracial society out of our diversity. We have succeeded in bringing the whole of the Malaysian community, even against the diverse backgrounds, together, to work together. There will come a time… that… if it is the choice of the people, because one person is one vote..


Sarah Montague:
When do you think that time will come..


Dato Seri Syed Hamid Albar:
… That is up to the voters…