We, a group of concerned Malaysians would like to urge
Malaysians to buy Malaysian-made products and brands first.
On the onset, the calls for buying Muslim products first or
boycotting products made by non-Muslims may seem smart to some segments of the
Muslim community. If they were to study this deeper, however, they will find
such moves to be very unwise.
Many non-Muslim companies have a significant number of
Muslim staff. In fact, in many instances, they even form the majority. Even
when a business is predominantly run by non-Muslims, economic activities form
chain reactions that involve each and every community. This ranges from the
sourcing of the raw materials, to producing and supplying the product to end
customers. That is the fundamental basis of the economy, be it at the national
or even global level. Furthermore, all profit-making companies, regardless of
ownership, pay taxes that are then used towards the benefit of the Malaysian
society as a whole. These include employing and sustaining our civil servants,
building our national infrastructure and enhancing our public services such as
healthcare, education and more.
If anything, the taxes paid by all Malaysian-owned companies
have also contributed to the betterment of Islam through the annual government
budget allocation to JAKIM. Thus, it is indeed unfortunate that the few who are
propagating this exclusionary approach either fail to understand the basics of
economics or are simply attempting to spread an insidious agenda; all while
playing with the emotions of the average Muslim.
We want to remind them that Malays and Muslims hold a
substantial number of shares in most public-listed companies. They are also
represented on the board of directors of these companies. Most Malaysian
companies have also invested in ensuring that their products are
halal-compliant and certified. Malaysia is now considered one of the top halal
hubs in the world, thanks to the concerted efforts of Muslims and non-Muslims
alike.
Any boycott would only hurt fellow Malaysians, Muslims
included. We must support all Malaysian brands and products in order to make
our economy stronger. Boycotts along racial and religious lines are not only
impractical but also hypocritical in the modern-day economy, given the fact
that all of us use products from all over the world. From clothing to food, to
technology and transportation, every item we use or consume could be traced
back to producers, founders and manufacturers of various religions, ethnicities
and even nationalities. Such is the nature of the globalised economy. So how
can we then say with absolute certainty that we are only using or consuming goods
from members of our own race and religion?
As Malaysians, our lives and livelihoods are significantly
interconnected. A Malay makcik selling nasi lemak in front of a Chinese factory
every morning to support her family is a common sight in a diverse and
multi-ethnic country like ours. So is seeing an Indian roti seller plying his
wares in a predominantly Malay-Muslim neighbourhood. Are we willing to let this
uniqueness that define us disappear thanks to the divisive rhetoric of the
select few?
We strongly believe that rather than boycotting and dividing
ourselves further, we should enhance our integration and practice more
diversity and inclusion in our daily living. Our goal should be helping
Malaysian businesses to grow, to keep prices down, to curb the cost of living
emphasizing affordable but quality Made in Malaysia products. In that way, we
as Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or background will prosper and
grow.
The statement was jointly signed by:-
Tawfik Ismail
Tajuddin Rasdi
Syed Sadiq Albar
Shad Saleem Faruqi
Nurul Haqq Shahrir
Noor Farida Ariffin
Johan Jaafar
Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos
Hussamuddin Yaacub
Chun Wai, Wong
Chandra Muzaffar
Anas Zubedy
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