Malay Rights – A Mystical Myth
Published in malaysiakini June 23, 2008
The very “need” for transparency, openness and tolerance in its current practice in Malaysia today defeats the divine “efforts” of preserving and championing Malay rights and Bumiputera privileges we all are disillusioned to believe is the right way of life for us Malays today, and in the last 50 years. The Malays are “technically” in power governing the country but it is also this same controlling group that demands the rights for correcting economic imbalance and disparity for its race. It is indeed a very unique situation unlike in other countries where the “majority” politically controlling group promotes similar type affirmative action as a policy to elevate the lives of the minority. So what does this say about the “majority governing” Malay race for the last 50 years?
I dare say that most mature Malaysians (regardless of race) would like to see opportunities be spread amongst those who deserve it on meritocracy. We do not need the keris anymore to tell others to be careful of what they say and do because in the survival of the fittest, the “Keris” is of very little relevance! If we continue to hide under the Bumiputera “tempurung” as most Malays have been in the last 50 years or more, the catch up game will just get harder and hence, making the gap wider. If we continue to expect without earning it, we will never learn how to be a race that succeeds on merit. There is no substitute for merit.
The Malay politicians continue to shout about Malay rights and bumiputera rights because the very nature of our local politics is sadly racial base. Politics promote this racialist agenda going against the principle of the much talked about “Bangsa Malaysia”. This paradox, funny enough has been the silent policy for the last 50 years. In this day and age, a great nation is built upon joint success stories, meritocracy and combined hard work amongst its people without any fear or favor for racial based politics governing our daily policies.
I am a Malay (in its simplest definition!) and I belong to the post Merdeka generation and as much as I love the “idea” that Malaysia is “tanah tumpahnya darah orang melayu”, I can’t help but to also feel that this country is for all Malaysians alike including the Chongs, the Kumars, the Xaviers, the Kaurs etc who were born on the same day in the same hospital as me here in Malaysia. Yes, the Malays should be privileged in some ways but if we feel that we deserve this country more than the rest, then we should have shown them a long time ago that we deserve the “controlling all” status. We have to earn it.
The Malay rights policies failed because the very concept of Malay rights or the NEP/DEB is like a double edge sword, on one hand it aims to eradicate wealth disparity but on the other, it has made the Malays oblivious of what reality is. Our success is only reflected in the “perceived” political power which today can collapse in matter of minutes. It is true that the rural Malays are still far behind but the NEP has not and will not do much for these groups if it continues to be implemented in its current manner. Have we ever wondered how the non-Malay rural folks fare and survive their lives?
Personally, I would also like to see my children succeed in their country Malaysia for reasons that true success should be based upon, which is merit and hard work, not because they are Malays or “loosely defined” Bumiputeras. For as long as the Malays don’t see this, there is very little point in fighting the Malay rights. It just makes us lot look more ridiculous and helpless over time. We have taken this notion of being privileged a bit too literal in that it now simply means we want this country and its fruits all to ourselves without accepting the responsibilities that come with it.
The Malay politicians contribute to these problems because they want to only fight the cause without strategizing the true substance and need of the cause. They fight this cause only on the surface because in a racial based political system, such crude ways wins the votes. What do they really hope to achieve? Or shall I say… abuse? We have been given fish all the while under the pretext of being thought how to fish.
It’s funny how 2 different generations can be so diverse in their thinking and the recent elections proved just that. We are not only concerned with rising racial problems but more so the never ending Malay agenda issues! In the last general elections, the so called common goals are no longer common. The Rakyat has spoken loud and clear and such maturity shows the intense need for a common Malaysian society, the concept of Bangsa Malaysia.
The landscape has drastically changed much to the shock of current policy makers but is this change welcomed? Is it good? The answer is NO because we the Malays were caught with our pants down… we are still not ready to compete on any level playing field (we can’t even compete on advantageous grounds!) and even with 3 or 5 more continuing policies of Malay rights/bumiputera privileges over the next 50 years will still put us exactly in the same position we are in today. We would be running on the spot! The truth hurts and the truth will always prevail. And the truth of what’s to come will not go away.
I am cynical perhaps because personally I feel that the fight for Malay rights is not relevant anymore. The right to be safe, to be treated fairly, to have world class healthcare & education, to enjoy competitive prosperity, to have good governance, to live in a clean and healthy environment and to be free of war is what I want for my Malaysia. Not for my Malay race to be artificially powerful. If we want the Malays to fail, then by all means continue the fight for Malay rights. Go and polish your Keris!
shaik rizal sulaiman
3 Comments
Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI
Leave a comment
What Malay Rights? There are the rights of a few Malays, the rights of members of other races who enjoy many government contracts . I think there aremore non Malays who have enjoyed this special rights . So what are we talking about .Lets look at Malay owned companies . Not many. Also these companies have always hired non-Malays as their senior management. On the contrary, many non Malays corporation have more non-Malays as their senior teams. The Juniors , coolies, office boys, drivers are all Malays. THe GLCs entities and KLSE companies are good examplesSO PLEASE LETS NOT TALK OF MALAY RIGHTS ! I WOULD RATHER BE A NON MALAY LIVING IN MALAYSIA. THEY HAVE MORE RIGHTS! Let’s do away with this pure PERCEPTION . Why don’t we just concentrate on real issues like eradicating the poor , improving on health care and lastly a total revamo of our Education system . Please take note selling IJN to Sime Darby is not one of improvement as the poor cannot afford. Government should how many poor people go to SJMC.
You do know this article has been copied time and time again on other blogs, and made an example of? Not to mention making its rounds through forwarded emails and branded as a ‘Must-read!’ article?
I think you’ve hit the nail on its head, and I applaud you on making these thoughts public. In my simple mind, ‘Malay Rights’ – except perhaps to correct the economic imbalance – has always felt downright wrong, unIslamic even. But like many others, I feel it is not a topic easily questioned without being accused of disloyalty to the race, or ridiculed for being unrealistic. What I can never understand is how we’ve always been selling ourselves as a harmonious multiracial nation, when discrimination and intolerance is so embedded within the system.
Living in England for awhile now, I can’t help but notice how 2nd generation British-born Indians are so assimilated within the society, and how any form of discrimination towards the minority is totally condemned. In fact, I feel I – with no biological links whatsoever to the UK – have more rights as a resident here than my non-bumi countrymen have in Malaysia.
As for meritocracy, I felt privileged growing up in urban Malaysia where it seemed possible to live happily and compete on a level playing field within an integrated society… The sad thing is, however, even if us Malays worked hard and did well, our non-Malay friends may very well attribute our successes to the fact that we’ve had help as Malays. There’s little respect for us as a race. If I’m not mistaken, the black Americans opposed affirmative action that was to be introduced for their ‘benefit’ for this very reason, so as not to be seen as weak. What pride do we have as a race by claiming for ourselves – the majority race – special treatment? For saying that it is our right to do so since we, supposedly, own the land?
At the same time, we’re encouraging brain drain. So many of my brilliant non-Malay friends have no desire to return to their ‘homeland’ because they don’t feel anybody cares, which is extremely sad.
In a nutshell, thanks for speaking so succinctly for the rest of us. And well done for the blog too!
Liza, Your comment has hit the nail too.