Asli's Bumiputra Equity Ownership Dispute - Turning Point In Malaysian Racial Politics
The hoo haa that the bumiputra equity ownership report by Asli had created is a landmark event in the racial politics that has consumed this country. For once the battle lines were clearly drawn and whatever both sides had to say was said openly and without reservation.
The non-Malays almost to a man supported the findings and implied that the government was attempting to hoodwink the people both Malay and non-Malay by fudging figures to perpetuate a racist policy which has over the years been hijacked solely for the benefit of not the ordinary Mat Kampung but the avaricious Umnoputras, the political elites and their hangers on in Umno.
The government, ably supported by the rent seekers, begging bowl in hand, came out fighting with all guns blazing. They clobbered Asli into retracting the findings, dismissed the report as 'baseless,' 'rubbish' and are now attempting to muzzle any discussion on the issue.
It is a good thing that this report came out as it did. For one, the discussion on discriminatory policies is now out in the open and no amount of government reminders or threats is going to stop the people from questioning it or the real beneficiaries of this corrupt style of distributing largesse. And corrupt it indeed is. For those of you who have not read it, there is a University of Oxford working paper entitled "Ethnicity and Inequality in Malaysia: A Retrospect and a Rethinking" by Maznah Mohamad which you can access from Howsy's Sensintrovert.
While in the past years it has been a lone battle between DAP's Lim Kit Siang and the government, now the entire population have become participants in the ongoing debate. The government can no longer without justification prolong this racist policy by giving doctored figures. Either it has to slowly roll back on outdated so-called 'affirmative action' or it has to openly come out and tell the truth which everybody already knows - That the government will not and has never ever intended to end the NEP and will persist with it for all time to come. That should once and for all stop further government sandiwara and bullshit on preaching equality and fairness for everyone.
If there is one big loser in this episode, then that title should go to the government, for it has irreversibly damaged its credibility in the eyes of decent people especially among the poor Malays, non-Malays and the world.
The non-Malays almost to a man supported the findings and implied that the government was attempting to hoodwink the people both Malay and non-Malay by fudging figures to perpetuate a racist policy which has over the years been hijacked solely for the benefit of not the ordinary Mat Kampung but the avaricious Umnoputras, the political elites and their hangers on in Umno.
The government, ably supported by the rent seekers, begging bowl in hand, came out fighting with all guns blazing. They clobbered Asli into retracting the findings, dismissed the report as 'baseless,' 'rubbish' and are now attempting to muzzle any discussion on the issue.
It is a good thing that this report came out as it did. For one, the discussion on discriminatory policies is now out in the open and no amount of government reminders or threats is going to stop the people from questioning it or the real beneficiaries of this corrupt style of distributing largesse. And corrupt it indeed is. For those of you who have not read it, there is a University of Oxford working paper entitled "Ethnicity and Inequality in Malaysia: A Retrospect and a Rethinking" by Maznah Mohamad which you can access from Howsy's Sensintrovert.
While in the past years it has been a lone battle between DAP's Lim Kit Siang and the government, now the entire population have become participants in the ongoing debate. The government can no longer without justification prolong this racist policy by giving doctored figures. Either it has to slowly roll back on outdated so-called 'affirmative action' or it has to openly come out and tell the truth which everybody already knows - That the government will not and has never ever intended to end the NEP and will persist with it for all time to come. That should once and for all stop further government sandiwara and bullshit on preaching equality and fairness for everyone.
If there is one big loser in this episode, then that title should go to the government, for it has irreversibly damaged its credibility in the eyes of decent people especially among the poor Malays, non-Malays and the world.
posted by The Malaysian. at 10/13/2006 11:10:00 AM
4 Comments:
Can export this A-Class commentary to Monsterblog (err I mean UMNOblog) just for fun ?
Then all honest guys who are now terminally wasting their breath and time in UMNOblog + MCAblog can crossover to the Malaysian, starting today !
I am serious.
Ha Ha Ha. Be my guest toniXe!
Our DPM has already given a mild threat that this can be a sensitive issue. Same as interfaith forum-it's sensitive, LKY's marginalize remarks- it's sensitive. (Exception: UMNO's remark on "marginalize Penang Malay" is not sensitive). He treat it as though the non-bumi/non-Malays are zombies (or are we not?)& has no feeling. The Umnoputras can hurl all accusation, comments, remarks & even wield kris and yet expect the non-bumi/non-Malays to accept it. Or subdue it with their political power.
What's the tolerence limit? Waiting for the right catalyst for a complete melt down of the present "unity". Most of us with our family here are not filthy rich, where can we run or escape? We are doomed & damned. Of course, the rich Umnoputras & their Chinese & Indian cronies with their wealth stashed overseas can always take a flight out.
We could change it by using our votes to vote these crooks out in next GE. But this would be a Malaysian dream. Every GE, these crooks would be voted back to power with even a biggest majority in history in the last GE. How sad. We never learned. Don't believe? Wait for the next GE in 2007?2008?. Our PM (smiling) is already preparing for it! He would say: see, the rakyat has given me a huge mandate.
Spot on, bloggers.
But do remember Mirzan is his father's son and ASLI has only reveal these figures lately.
Don't you think 45% takes, let's see, a span of at least 20+ years? Beware when these two loggerheads clashes, we're the ones to pay.
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