Dotmyhome’s Weblog

It’s tough as a non-malay to comment on Malay politics or prerogatives.

Most people don’t, for fear of giving offence and for fear of being branded ungrateful or worse. Much worse. I was one of those people. Who feared commenting that is; not that anything has happened to me at all!

Now, from my point of view, it’s not like what I would have to say is that inflammatory. Well, I don’t think so anyway. But not really being a politician (they have their place in our world but it’s not mine) I don’t have the guage of the ground so I erred on the side of caution. We went to the polls on Mar 8, most of us, thinking we were going to elect an “emperor.”

It’s obvious isn’t it.

We’re run by the executive. Our institutions are so eroded that nothing happens without the say so of the Prime Minister or anyone else. OK, nothing substantive.

Our daily lives are governed by patron – client relationships.

To get a liquor licence to open a restaurant would be made “easier” if you “knew” someone.

I know someone who is in constant contact with the police and the amount of petty corruption that goes on is systemic. “I help you, you give me RM50/nice pen/handphone.” It’s so endemic that I don’t think anyone thinks about it anymore. In this instance, the police have the power and the supplicant needs something, hence patron and client.

I don’t think that the “patron and client” even think about it as corruption.

When I was in the corporate world, and business meetings were set up for business transactions, what struck me was how little VALUE was created and how much time was wasted. Instead, what we had were occasions for name dropping. “Oh ya, I know so and so, he can help.” And phone calls were used to continually set up appointments and meetings rather than thrashing out a business model which would create value for the customer.

Don’t get me wrong. Some of these business deals ended up as money spinning exercises for the caller and for those involved in the deal. But should money and who you know be the arbiter of success?

And yes, you got what you needed from the official if the RM50/nice pen/handphone were exchanged.

But again, isn’t that why we have institutions in the first place; to ensure the orderly workings of society and do what is required?

I contend, and this is not new, that all this stems from our NEP.

Firstly, I do not deny that Malays AND OTHER marginalised people need help. It doesn’t matter who needs the most help. The marginalised need our help!

Secondly, the NEP’s implementation has been woefully sidetracked. So much so that UMNO itself is now not a party of ideas and ideals anymore, but a means to make money. I’m not going to get into that side of it. There have been a myriad articles out there that cover it better than I ever could.

Thirdly, the way the NEP has been interpreted and implemented has caused race relations to deteriorate and the Malays to be disadvantaged.

Why?

Let’s get back to the roots of the NEP for a bit; the ultimate goal of the NEP was noble. It aimed to “eventually eradicat[e] poverty…irrespective of race.” The framers of the NEP had the greater good in mind. And in those left leaning years, it looked good to redistribute wealth and much of the economic mindset went with a “managed economy.” Somewhat communist in bent.

But the implementation itself lost it’s way. In today’s global society, it’s an anachronism. Not only have the Malays failed to achieve 30% of the economic pie, we now have major racial divisions to show for 30 0dd years of affirmative discrimination or economic apartheid. Yes, apartheid.

How could you have a situation which takes from one group and gives to another, arbitrarily, and not create resentment? Furthermore, how can you give handouts all the time and expect those receiving not to want more? It’s human nature. Yes, it’s morally wrong but let’s put morals aside for now. It’s plain human nature. There would be very few people who would actually say no to more being dished out.

Heck if you gave me some I’d want more. Who wouldn’t?

The thing is, what the NEP failed to take into account is that hardship DOES build character. Cream floats to the top. We, and I mean human beings, the brotherhood of man etc, are best when our backs are to the wall. Some will sink no doubt (and as a compassionate country we need to look into systems to get them back on their feet again) but the others, and I guarantee this, will rise spectacularly to the occasion.

The job of the government is to set the stage. Not to people it with actors. Like the current situation.

Let me draw another analogy; if you have a child you’re trying to raise to be a good, hard working, dutiful child to their parents. What do you do? Multiple choice everyone. Do you

a. Spoil it rotten by giving it all it desires and when it falls down pick it up and say “its ok, we’re here to catch you.”

or

b. Teach it the best you can (education), teach it to be confident, brave, loving, kind, generous, and then let it grow. Let it do it’s own thing, make it’s own mistakes, and learn from them?

Obvious isn’t it? Let’s abandon all pretense of subtlety; a) is your brain on NEP and b) investing in meritocratic education

The NEP isn’t helping the Malays at all. It’s disadvantaging them in this era of globalisation. It’s not giving them a leg up. It’s oppressing them. Tun Dr Ismail said it best; The NEP was like a handicap in golf which “will enable them to be good players, as in golf, and in time the handicap will be removed. The Malays must not think of these privileges as permanent: for then, they will not put effort into their tasks. In fact, it is an insult for Malays to be getting these privileges.”

Can you imagine the indignity that many of our brothers feel when they think that most of the country must be thinking “oh, of course they had a hand up.” I know I would. It’s so sad because those who have truly made it – and there are quite a few – well, their victories are tainted because of this policy. There are even those who’ve made it on the international stage. I know this personally.

Listen, if you need proof, look at the other side of the coin. Non-malays in this country have been the result of 30 odd years of the NEP as well. And where are they today? By hard work yes, but more than that, imagination and creativity, they have somehow still maintained more of the economic pie. Why is that? Because they were richer to start with? Or maybe, just maybe, they had the advantage of being disadvantaged. They had to make it. No ifs ands or buts. They had to. No safety net, no options. So in general, they did.

It’s time to get away from decision making based on motives of fear. Of insecurities and of a zero sum game. The NEP was formulated based on that communal anxiety.

As a non-malay, why would I wish bad things to happen to my brother/sister citizen? I’d want good for my brethren. Yes, I’d compete and may the best person win but I’d want all my brother/sister citizens to make it. At that point, you’ll see Malaysia taking it’s RIGHTFUL place on the world stage.

As a country which is secure and confident in itself. Able to export and import the best in mind power. ALL our citizens contributing to an ever interdependent world.