Malaysians all for merit-based policies

Survey: Most young Malaysians want meritocracy

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak may not realise it yet, and Umno warlords may not understand the concept but an overwhelming number of young Malaysians, including Malays, want merit-based policies.

A comprehensive survey commissioned by a non-governmental organisation and carried out by international polling outfit shows that 92 per cent of Malay professionals aged between 21 and 41 support the liberalisation of the economy and prefer the country’s policies to be anchored on meritocracy.

Not surprisingly, 100 per cent of Indians and Malaysian Chinese in the same age group support liberalisation and merit-based policies. Some 1600 Malaysians in the peninsula and 800 Sabahans and Sarawakians were polled in the survey, which was completed on April 29.

The Malaysian Insider got sight of some of the survey findings. The poll was commissioned to gauge the sentiment of Malaysians on a range of political and economic issues.

Since becoming prime minister on April 3, Najib has hitched his survival and the political fortunes of Umno-Barisan Nasional to the 1 Malaysia concept.

He has announced the removal of the 30 per equity requirement for several sectors in the services industries and liberalised the financial services sector.

At the same time, Najib has also spoken about making equality among races a cornerstone of his administration.

Thirty days after taking office, the jury is still out on whether Najib will be able to walk the talk on his IMalaysia concept, especially with opposition from Umno warlords who have been uneasy with his proclamation that Umno should represent all Malaysians.

Still, he will be cheered by the fact that an overwhelming percentage of young, educated Malays support merit-based over race-based policies and liberalisation.

In the general elections in 2008 and in by-elections since then, BN component parties have finished second best in the fight for the vote of younger Malaysians.

The findings – that young Malays, Chinese and Indians are on the same page as far as meritocracy and liberalisation are concerned – could embolden Najib to ignore Umno warlords who would prefer that affirmative action programmes be strengthened.

Political analysts believe that Najib has little choice but to dismantle, piece by piece, the New Economic Policy put in place by his father, Tun Abdul Razak.

And the drive for this move is not only to regain the political support of non-Malays who have come to associate the excesses of the NEP with Umno, the ruling party for the past half a century. There is also an economic imperative to open up Malaysia.

Najib is likely to take his 1 Malaysia pitch directly to all communities in the next few weeks – perhaps an acknowledgement of the inability of BN component party leaders to connect with the communities they represent.

Read:

Approved Permits – Umno’s tool for patronage

• Biro Tatanegara indoctrinating civil servants against minority Malaysians
• Umno’s Mukhriz defends NEP that specifically benefits Malays

Umno harping too much on Bumiputera, not enough on Malaysians

Khir Toyo croaking a new tune for 1Malaysia

Malays can rise to the challenge

Bumi businessmen will not lose: Najib

Bumiputra businesses will not become “extinct” or lose in competition just because the government has removed the 30% bumiputra equity requirement.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said bumiputra could still take part in business in a more “open and competitive manner.”

“I can see that bumiputra have the ability to compete with the rest. I am not worried that they will become ‘extinct’ or lose out in competition because of this decision,” he told the Malaysian media at the end of his one-day official visit here Thursday.

Time to review the NEP

Why it is time to review the NEP

THE New Economic Policy or NEP was introduced in 1971 in the aftermath of the May 1969 race riots as a policy tool to rectify racial imbalances, which was thought to have been one of the main causes of racial disharmony in the first place.

There were three main tenets of the policy which have been diluted through administrative details which emphasised other aims.

The first of these was the eradication of poverty irrespective of race and the second was to eliminate the identification of economic function with race.

The third was that the first two distributive aims were to come from an increase in wealth rather than redistributing the existing cake itself. That meant rapid economic growth was necessary to achieve distribution goals so that no community felt deprived.

While no one had problems with the broad tenets of the NEP (and the subsequent policies which took the name of the NEP), many practical difficulties arose. The problem was not the NEP but its implementation.

Of these, the main ones were quotas and the effective reservation of jobs, mainly in the public sector but also in many sections of the private sector and government-linked companies or GLCs, for bumiputras.

Over the years, these quotas were often abused. For instance, the 30% equity quota resulted in many bumiputras becoming shareholders in name only without contributing to management.

Bumiputra firms obtained contracts only to turn them over to others to complete, merely earning a commission, oftentimes hefty, for merely being the conduit to getting the job.

In government and GLCs there is a large over-representation of bumiputras, thus inhibiting the process of cross-fertilisation and competition so necessary to improving the quality of people and processes.

While the Prime Minister’s revocation of bumiputra equity quotas on 27 service sub sectors is to be applauded and will definitely increase incentives for investments in these areas, a holistic review of the implementation of the NEP is still necessary.

One corporate personality who has called for a review of the NEP is CIMB Group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, the Prime Minister’s brother.

“I hope the Government will embark on a holistic review of the NEP and all its instruments of implementation towards a framework for affirmative action that today’s Malaysians can accept and unite behind,” he had said.

The key thing that is objectionable in the NEP is the method of implementation. The first tenet with regard to eradication of poverty irrespective of race is not being adhered to if bumiputras continue to be given privileges even if they are no longer poor.

And by employing too many bumiputras in government and in GLCs, there is now clear identification of economic function with race, which violates the second principle of the NEP.

Ideally, as employment of bumiputeras increased in the private sector, there should have been a concomitant decrease in the government sector. But that did not happen.

The system of setting quotas was a very crude one and did not in most cases help increase bumiputra capability but offered some of them a quick means to riches, in the process depriving non-bumiputras of existing wealth. That violates the third tenet which states that distribution should come from growth.

All that is now in the realm of history. But in the here and now, things have changed considerably. Bumiputras have been lifted out of poverty a long time ago. They, together with state-owned entities set up for them, account for a significant amount of business activities in the country.

GLCs account for more than a third of market capitalisation of listed companies. If government companies, including national oil corporation Petronas, have their ownership broken up proportionately according to race, bumiputras would own far more than 30% of corporate wealth.

That would imply that there no longer is any need for quotas, whether for equity ownership, government jobs or private sector jobs, university admissions, government contracts etc. The time has come for a paradigm shift towards meritocracy.

Essentially, that means a shift towards a needs-based affirmative action plan rather than one based on race because the gap between the races has actually narrowed considerably over the years. The poor and the under-privileged need to be helped – across the board.

If indeed the bumiputras are the poorest they will automatically be helped the most. That kind of policy also considerably reduces the race element in our politics, which remains shockingly high even after more than half a century of independence.

This will not be an easy shift to make, and even if the necessary policy steps are taken much resistance at all levels in government will have to be overcome. Building consensus on such a policy and plan will be crucial as will explaining its principles to the people.

The collection and distribution of information has to be revamped to make it more accurate, to ensure that it measures the right things and that it is above any bias. The methodology and details must be disclosed to enable independent assessment of facts and figures.

The review is likely to show that it is not the NEP that has outlived its usefulness – the original key principles are in a sense timeless and are a good set of socio-economic principles to continue to hold on to.

What has to go are, to use Nazir’s term, the “instruments of implementations”, some of which have been flawed right from the start while others have long since outlived their usefulness.

Industry players laud removal of outdated bumi quota requirement

Industry players laud bumi quota removal

Business communities have applauded the removal of the 30% bumiputra equity quota in 27 services sub-sectors, saying the new regulation will attract more investments and create a competitive business environment.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday the liberalisation, effective immediately, was aimed at creating a conducive business environment to attract more investments, bring in more professionals and technology, encourage competitiveness and create higher value employment opportunities.

He also indicated that more services sub-sectors would be liberalised progressively.

These service sectors include computer and related services, health and social services, tourism, transport, sporting and other recreational services, business services, rental and leasing services without operators, and supporting and auxiliary transport services.

RAM Holdings Bhd chief economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng said the liberalisation would lead to waves of investments into the country.

“The lifting is a great boost to foreign direct investments (FDIs) and domestic investments. It is a much-awaited move and will greatly boost the investment climate,” he told StarBiz.

AirAsia Bhd group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes concurred that the lifting was a great move.

“Globalisation is here and with a liberal environment, it makes Malaysia more attractive to the world. It is yet to be seen how investors will view this but I see it as a positive step for Malaysia.

“As we further liberalise, create a more level playing field, encourage greater entrepreneurial flair and bring companies of similar nature, it can only benefit the Malaysian people,’’ Fernandes told StarBiz yesterday.

CIMB Group chief executive Datuk Seri Nazir Razak hoped the Government would review the New Economic Policy (NEP) so that it would be acceptable to all Malaysians.

“I welcome this move as the present restrictions on ownership in these services sub-sectors represent some derivatives of NEP that have outlived their relevance and instead serve to impede investments and competitiveness.

“I hope the Government will embark on a holistic review of the NEP and all its instruments of implementation towards a framework for affirmative action that today’s Malaysians can accept and unite behind,” he said.

Meanwhile, Malaysian-American Electronics Industry chairman Datuk Wong Siew Hai said with this move, there would be no tie-down on certain policies in the companies involved.

“Generally, the liberalisation can attract more foreign investments to the country and bring more value to the companies involved,” he said. “However, (I am) not sure how the bumiputras feel about it.”

Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia chairman David Wong said the lifting of the 30% bumiputra quota would open more opportunities, as there would be fewer restrictions.

“It gives a boost to FDIs and opens doors for foreign companies to participate in contracts and tenders and so forth.

“It also creates healthy competition among all and there is a more level playing field. Hopefully this translates into more innovative services and cost competitiveness with more choices in the marketplace,’’ he said.

Proton Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh said he hoped there would be more efficiency and those who participated in business should contribute positively.

“In the past, the bumiputras may have felt left behind, but today we must take up the challenge. Initially, not many bumiputra firms could compete, but we should revisit the policy now. Certain bumiputra companies are doing well.

“The key issue today is how to compete as an economy. We also have to take care of the feelings of others who may have felt discriminated against previously. But we should revisit any new formula that enables us as a country to move forward – ensuring justice and the ability to compete.”

Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said the move might not sound good at the beginning for those involved but the liberalisation would eventually help grow the country if Malaysians could work together.

“Our business involves suppliers, manufacturers and services. There will be restriction in the selection of business partners if we have the 30% bumiputra quota.

“We should think and do things as a team to go global,” he said.

Malik Imtiaz receives international award for his fight against injustice in Malaysia

Malik Imtiaz gets international human rights award

Malaysian human rights lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar was awarded the 2009 Bindmans Law and Campaigning Award in London last night, marking a controversial milestone in a country that likes to think itself a champion of democracy.

Organised by British-based human rights magazine, Index on Censorship, this particular award is given to outstanding human rights activists who have set legal precedents in the fight against injustice.

When contacted by The Malaysian Insider today, Imtiaz said he was “happy” and honoured by the award which seemed to justify his efforts in pushing the human rights campaign here over the last 10 years.

“It’s good because it gives the opportunity to focus on what is happening here and the restrictive attitudes faced, including freedom of expression which undermines democracy,” he said.

He related he learnt about the nomination indirectly only three to four weeks ago, from a fellow lawyer from an international law monitoring group who was in town to observe the case of Raja Petra, the editor of online news site “Malaysia Today”.

He had been nominated by a group called Article 19, which fights to bring freedom of expression around the world.

But he noted the award was a double-edged sword, which drew undesirable attention to Malaysia.

“At the same time, it’s sad. There were other people from Egypt, Zimbabwe, a Filipino who were nominated for their struggle to change the system.

“What does this say about our country? The world now sees us on par with Zimbabwe and Egypt,” Imtiaz highlighted, adding that it was “not a great honour” for Malaysia to be associated with the democratically resistant countries like Zimbabwe and Egypt.

He hopes the government will not treat his award as an excuse “to block views” but to allow more room for dissenting views to be heard as befits a democracy.

In the meantime, work goes on for Imtiaz, notably the fight to uphold the High Court’s decision to keep Raja Petra from being sent back to detention without trial. The Home Ministry is seeking a judicial review of the High Court’s decision last November to free the popular blogger from a two-year detention in Kamunting.

The matter is now in the hands of the Federal Court, the highest court in the country.

Imtiaz noted the High Court had made a “good decision” in that it limits a minister’s arbitrary power to detain anyone without trial.

In addition, he is presently occupied with campaigning for the student’s right to express himself, challenging recent amendments under the University and University Colleges Act, recently tightened in Parliament to restrict any student from participating in activities remotely critical of the ruling government.

He is also working together with several non-profit organisations to push another review of the ISA, seeking to repeal the Act and work on a better replacement law.

Imtiaz,who is also the president of the National Human Rights Society (Hakam), was selected from a distinctive group which included Egyptian Gamal Eid who set up a legal clinic to protect journalists, bloggers and intellectuals; Harrison Nkomo, a lawyer from Zimbabwe who also struggles to fight for the rights of reporters and human rights campaigners in the face of great personal risk from a regime used to crushing resistance; and Harry Roque, a professor of law at the University of the Philippines College of Law who had challenged the husband of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for his attacks against the media and won a class action suit for reporters.

Imtiaz’s personal struggle in the fight for freedom of expression, especially religious freedom, includes his suggestion to set up a National Inter Faith Council; his fight and success in securing freedom last November for vocal anti-government critic Raja Petra Kamaruddin from detention without trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA), and Lina Joy who was born a Muslim but sought to convert out of Islam into Christianity.

The website also noted the widespread circulation of a poster in 2006 calling Imtiaz a “traitor to Islam” and clamouring for his death sentence in multiracial, multicultural modern Malaysia.

Read:

Najib has no public support

MCA tells Hishammuddin not to distort history for political mileage

Malaysian history being distorted by Barisan Nasional government

Muhyiddin told to be grateful to voters, not ask voters to be grateful to him

Najib’s One Malaysia concept – an idea he took from Anwar Ibrahim

• Najib and high-powered team (Muhyiddin, Hishammuddin, Zahid, Mahathir) dealt a bruising rebuke in polls
• Najib and high-powered team (Mahathir, Zahid, Hishammuddin, Muhyiddin) lose referendum

Najib’s ascension marked by government crackdown on Umno political opponents and on free speech

 

Najib starts crackdown on opposition

 

Umno graft worsens, faces political doom

 Malaysians (including Dr Mahathir) have no confidence in Umno leaders

Zaid Ibrahim urges King to appoint some who is beyond reproach to be PM, not Najib

 

Umno corrupt: survey

Najib’s stimulus package comes too late, fails to impress market

MACC closes in on …. Azalina

Badawi And Najib’s Silence On Umno Youth Thuggery In Parliament Highlight Umno’s Lack Of Credible Leadership

The likes of Umno Youth thugs turning Malaysia into a banana republic

Umno duo want full investigation into Umno graft allegations including Badawi and Najib

Umno-Led Barisan Nasional On The Way DownWith The New Crop Of Uninspiring Leadership

The Unethics Of Umno – The Utter Hypocrisy Of Umno

Malaysia going to the dogs with our ethical levels does not improve

Umno’s ‘defence’ of Perak Sultan raises suspicion

Malaysians disgusted with Barisan Nasional power grab in Perak

Barisan Nasional’s NEP retards national unity, investment and economic efficiency

Only 41% think Najib will be a good prime minister

50 Umno members protest against Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s arrest of party members

Najib, ill-placed to change UMNO, a party that lives on patronage and claims to represent the core interests of majority Malay community

Umno’s humiliation at Kuala Terengganu, the beginning of the end

Umno party-ful of carpet-baggers and ne’er-do-wells still clueless to Malaysian’s rejection

Corrupt, callous and incompetent Barisan Nasional becoming more irrelevant in the new Malaysia political landscape

Barisan Nasional’s pork-barrel politics fail to win Kuala Terengganu

Umno politicians polarizing society to score political mileage

Zaid urges Malays to be wary of leaders who use the name of Malays for political mileage

Dr. Mahathir disgusted that Umno cannot control racism, says Ahmad Ismail should face disciplinary committee

Barisan Nasional government has done poorly in fulfilling Malaysia’s Independence proclamation

Umno – money politics reach worrying levels

Umno conservatives stalling reforms

Umno hegemony is under threat, Malays are not under threat

Umno is a nest of conspirators

Umno lacks intellectual capability, courage, energy to lead

Umno on the way down

Umno rife with corruption

Umno’s formula – turn everything racial

Umno’s day is over until it learns to respect Malaysian people with more dignity

 

Barisan’s Permatang Pauh loss was due to swearing by Saiful and Najib

Barisan’s ugly campaign in Permatang Pauh

Badawi faces calls to quit after Najib’s botched and ugly campaign in Permatang Pauh

Najib flees from angry crowd at Permatang Pauh

Shahrir Abdul Samad does not want to be part of Najib’s government

Shahrir to submit resignation on Wednesday

DATUK Shahrir Abdul Samad will submit his resignation as Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.

He said he had decided not to be part of any new Cabinet line-up after he lost in his bid for one of 25 seats on the Umno supreme council on Thursday.

He also said that he would not accept any offer of an appointment to the supreme council.

…
Asked if he would reconsider his decision to quit his Cabinet post which he has held for only a year, Shahrir said his decision was final.

…
On the four mentris besar who lost, Shahrir said he was surprised by the results.

“I am not certain how to answer. I cannot explain, especially when they are from states that had been able to garner the support of the people during the last elections,” he said.

Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman (Johor MB), Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob (Pahang), Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (Negri Sembilan) and Datuk Seri Dr Md Isa Sabu (Perlis) failed to win a seat on the supreme council.

Read:

Umno rank and file resist reform calls

Umno’s ways – silence critics, jailing opponents, discriminate against minorities

Badawi issued damning indictment of UMNO – it is contaminated by GREED, COMPLACENCY and INTERNAL RIVALRIES

Badawi in his last UMNO address, warns against Umno to reform

Umno Youth endorsing political bribery

Candidates with good track record lose due to money politics

Najib’s ascension marked by government crackdown on Umno political opponents and on free speech

Najib starts crackdown on opposition

Umno graft worsens, faces political doom

Malaysians (including Dr Mahathir) have no confidence in Umno leaders

Zaid Ibrahim urges King to appoint some who is beyond reproach to be PM, not Najib

Umno corrupt: survey

Najib’s stimulus package comes too late, fails to impress market

MACC closes in on …. Azalina

Badawi And Najib’s Silence On Umno Youth Thuggery In Parliament Highlight Umno’s Lack Of Credible Leadership

The likes of Umno Youth thugs turning Malaysia into a banana republic

Umno duo want full investigation into Umno graft allegations including Badawi and Najib

Umno-Led Barisan Nasional On The Way DownWith The New Crop Of Uninspiring Leadership

The Unethics Of Umno – The Utter Hypocrisy Of Umno

Malaysia going to the dogs with our ethical levels does not improve

Umno’s ‘defence’ of Perak Sultan raises suspicion

Malaysians disgusted with Barisan Nasional power grab in Perak

Barisan Nasional’s NEP retards national unity, investment and economic efficiency

Only 41% think Najib will be a good prime minister

50 Umno members protest against Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s arrest of party members

Najib, ill-placed to change UMNO, a party that lives on patronage and claims to represent the core interests of majority Malay community

Umno’s humiliation at Kuala Terengganu, the beginning of the end

Umno party-ful of carpet-baggers and ne’er-do-wells still clueless to Malaysian’s rejection

Corrupt, callous and incompetent Barisan Nasional becoming more irrelevant in the new Malaysia political landscape

Barisan Nasional’s pork-barrel politics fail to win Kuala Terengganu

Umno politicians polarizing society to score political mileage

Zaid urges Malays to be wary of leaders who use the name of Malays for political mileage

Dr. Mahathir disgusted that Umno cannot control racism, says Ahmad Ismail should face disciplinary committee

Barisan Nasional government has done poorly in fulfilling Malaysia’s Independence proclamation

Umno – money politics reach worrying levels

Umno conservatives stalling reforms

Umno hegemony is under threat, Malays are not under threat

Umno is a nest of conspirators

Umno lacks intellectual capability, courage, energy to lead

Umno on the way down

Umno rife with corruption

Umno’s formula – turn everything racial

Umno’s day is over until it learns to respect Malaysian people with more dignity

Barisan’s Permatang Pauh loss was due to swearing by Saiful and Najib

Barisan’s ugly campaign in Permatang Pauh

Badawi faces calls to quit after Najib’s botched and ugly campaign in Permatang Pauh

Najib flees from angry crowd at Permatang Pauh

Badawi in his last UMNO address, warns against Umno to reform

Beware The Return Of Mahathirism | My Sinchew

“The path that we choose will determine whether we continue to remain relevant or whether we are reduced to a forgotten footnote in the pages of history.

“Sadly, there are still those who feel that we do not need to pursue reforms. They believe that Umno will regain its glory if we revert to the old ways — the old order, by restricting the freedom of our citizens and by silencing their criticism.

“They are of the view that Umno can continue to be in power if they safeguard the interests of certain individuals and give in to the demands of certain groups. There are those among us who gain comfort from these thoughts and are still lulled into a false sense of security.

“If we revert to the old path I believe we are choosing the wrong path; one that will take us to regression and decay. It is a path that I fear will hasten our demise. If we do not take courageous steps to reform in the face of this dynamic transformation of society and the radical global changes taking
place, then we shall live to witness the end of our beloved Umno.”

Read:

Najib’s ascension marked by government crackdown on Umno political opponents and on free speech

Najib starts crackdown on opposition

Umno graft worsens, faces political doom

Malaysians (including Dr Mahathir) have no confidence in Umno leaders

Zaid Ibrahim urges King to appoint some who is beyond reproach to be PM, not Najib

Umno corrupt: survey

Najib’s stimulus package comes too late, fails to impress market

MACC closes in on …. Azalina

Badawi And Najib’s Silence On Umno Youth Thuggery In Parliament Highlight Umno’s Lack Of Credible Leadership

The likes of Umno Youth thugs turning Malaysia into a banana republic

Umno duo want full investigation into Umno graft allegations including Badawi and Najib

Umno-Led Barisan Nasional On The Way DownWith The New Crop Of Uninspiring Leadership

The Unethics Of Umno – The Utter Hypocrisy Of Umno

Malaysia going to the dogs with our ethical levels does not improve

Umno’s ‘defence’ of Perak Sultan raises suspicion

Malaysians disgusted with Barisan Nasional power grab in Perak

Barisan Nasional’s NEP retards national unity, investment and economic efficiency

Only 41% think Najib will be a good prime minister

50 Umno members protest against Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s arrest of party members

Najib, ill-placed to change UMNO, a party that lives on patronage and claims to represent the core interests of majority Malay community

Umno’s humiliation at Kuala Terengganu, the beginning of the end

Umno party-ful of carpet-baggers and ne’er-do-wells still clueless to Malaysian’s rejection

Corrupt, callous and incompetent Barisan Nasional becoming more irrelevant in the new Malaysia political landscape

Barisan Nasional’s pork-barrel politics fail to win Kuala Terengganu

Umno politicians polarizing society to score political mileage

Zaid urges Malays to be wary of leaders who use the name of Malays for political mileage

Dr. Mahathir disgusted that Umno cannot control racism, says Ahmad Ismail should face disciplinary committee

Barisan Nasional government has done poorly in fulfilling Malaysia’s Independence proclamation

Umno – money politics reach worrying levels

Umno conservatives stalling reforms

Umno hegemony is under threat, Malays are not under threat

Umno is a nest of conspirators

Umno lacks intellectual capability, courage, energy to lead

Umno on the way down

Umno rife with corruption

Umno’s formula – turn everything racial

Umno’s day is over until it learns to respect Malaysian people with more dignity

Barisan’s Permatang Pauh loss was due to swearing by Saiful and Najib

Barisan’s ugly campaign in Permatang Pauh

Badawi faces calls to quit after Najib’s botched and ugly campaign in Permatang Pauh

Najib flees from angry crowd at Permatang Pauh

Education is about acquiring knowledge, not popularising a language

Dr M defends English for maths, science

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who pushed to teach students mathematics and science in English, today defended the decision that raised protests last week, saying education is not about popularising a language but to acquire knowledge in various fields.

He also reserved his bitter criticism against those protesting the use of English, saying national policies should not be dictated by protesters as that would be detrimental to race and nation.

“It will get worse if those who demonstrated are orchestrated by opposition politics,” Dr Mahathir wrote, using Bahasa Melayu, in his popular www.chedet.cc weblog.
He pointed out that acquiring knowledge was important for everyone’s future no matter the language used.

“Let’s not gamble their future because we are nationalists who love our mother tongue. Loving the mother tongue cannot exceed loving one’s race. Those who love their race would like it to progress, have knowledge and be respected by the world.

“Only speaking in our own mother tongue won’t make us a race that is respected and admired by people,” said Dr Mahathir, who still wields influence in the country he led for 22 years before retiring in October 2003.

The former prime minister left office a year after his Cabinet agreed to implement the language switch for primary students despite protests from Malay and Chinese educationists. Things came to a boil this year and culminated with a protest outside the National Palace on March 7 by educationists and opposition politicians.

In his latest post, Dr Mahathir expressed sadness reading about last week’s protests led by the Malay literati for allegedly claiming it curtailed Bahasa Melayu as a medium of instruction and reduce its growth as the national language.

The veteran politician said the only way to raise the status and progress of a language is learning the language and its literature, pointing out that science and mathematics cannot possibly help a language’s progress particularly Bahasa Melayu as most of its words are in Latin which have been anglicised.

“Yes, we can turn make the words Malay as we have done with words from other languages but scientific terms are hundreds and are the base for more words with different meanings,” he wrote, giving the word oxygen as an example and its many derivatives in science.

Saying that oxygen is just one of 118 elements, he noted that if every term is made into a Malay word, then the language will switch to be English with the same pronunciation but different spelling.

“Then it is not Bahasa Melayu anymore,” he wrote, adding both science and mathematics were not static subjects but expanded through time with numerous research, inventions made through hundreds of research papers that would need translators for Bahasa Melayu.
.
He said those who understood the subjects and could translate them would not be interested to be translators their entire life, adding science would still progress after their deaths and newer works would need translation.

“Without the ability to translate all these new knowledge, the Malays will be left behind in some of the most important fields,” Dr Mahathir said, asking the detractors to count how many doctorate holders have learnt science only in Bahasa Melayu or medical specialists who learnt only in the national language without referring to English text books.

He also rubbished the idea that rural students cannot understand English, saying many of those from the villages holding high posts in the public and private sectors have passed the language and are capable of speaking well.

“Those against the language switch are also from the villages but have passed English tests. In fact, they regularly speak English,” he said, adding diplomats, officials, scientists who represent the country have to speak English as Bahasa Melayu would not be an effective language.

“I am not looking down on my own mother tongue. But I have to accept the reality,” Dr Mahathir said.

He felt that a language is only learnt by foreigners if those from that race have progressed and are known for their knowledge and research, saying th Europeans in the 15th century had to learn Arabic as the Muslim civilisation then was great and well respected.

“But after the Muslims set aside science, medicine and mathematics, the Europeans did not learn Arabic anymore and instead, the Arabs and Muslims had to learn European languages,” he said, adding Malays had to progress in all fields before Bahasa Melayu can be used widely.
.
He concluded by writing that science and mathematics must be learned to develop the race until it becomes famous for its research and innovations that would entice others to learn the national language to acquire Malaysian knowledge.

Najib admits mistake in NEP implementation, wants to return to original goal to help the poor irrespective of race

BERNAMA – Najib Talks About Services As New Economic Model For Malaysia

…Turning to the New Economic Policy, Najib said he favoured gradual reform of the policy to help support economic restructuring. “We must accept policies that are attuned to the changing times.”

However, he said: “We cannot have too drastic a move until people are ready for it.”

Najib said that rules on foreign investment such as the quota on bumiputera equity in the services sector would be relaxed.

He also said the NEP had successfully raised living standards for the majority of the population but acknowledged that some mistakes had been made in its implementation.

The report also quoted him as saying that he favoured a return to his father’s original vision of improving conditions for the poor of all ethnic groups.

His late father, Tun Abdul Razak, was prime minister when the NEP was introduced in 1971.

Malaysians implore Umno to REALLY change for the better

Umno’s hope lies in leaders with principles

…Middle-rung leaders like Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz must be applauded for revealing the extent of corruption within Umno – firstly in declaring that money politics “has gone underground” and secondly, that it is rampant because “Umno members go into politics for self-gain and self-interest” (Sunday Star, March 8).

The admission by a serving senior party leader confirms what has been the talk among ordinary Malaysians for some time and raises the more contentious question of why the top Umno leadership has not made much headway in combating the scourge despite promises to do serious soul searching after the last general elections.

Nazri’s decision not to contest in the Umno elections because he does not want to be part of the despicable corrupt culture is indeed telling, and raises questions about the willingness of the other candidates to follow suit.

One can see the validity of Nazri’s argument that being in competition with the practitioners of money politics somewhat implicates you and compromises your own integrity.

Declaring your love for your race and the party representing it may be fashionable but, to me, it is just a flimsy show of loyalty, nationality and patriotism.

Parading the streets to demonstrate your love for the Malay language and culture may be trendy but, to me, quite unproductive. There are a million more wholesome and meaningful ways to show you care!

And you don’t have to be an Umno vice-president or Supreme Council member to restore the much-maligned dignity of the Malays. If the party leaders are indeed sincere, they must immediately embark on a strategic course of action or programmes that will penetrate the mindset at all levels of the party.

Employ the professionals and the NGOs to inject substantive content and innovative ways to reach out to their members. Announcing details of party programmes to bring about a real change in Umno is more useful than its chest-thumping rhetoric!

HALIMAH MOHD SAID,

Kuala Lumpur.

Read:

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