Tomorrow, we'll start again to have a day to decide the fate and direction of the country. However, reading the many reports, nothing has changed, in particularly Umno/BN's style of campaigning. I will stress in this letter the majority bumi mentality, especially Umno’s.
First of all, it has not gone unnoticed how BN, in particular Umno, has again brought up the race card. How detrimental this card is to our nation? You generally get the feeling the unity is breaking at the seams only to be patched up by plasters.
Our deep multi-racial boiling pot of diversity is nothing more than a sham. Over the last half- century since independence, how many policies have been in place to reduce the opportunity of deserving non-Malays? I've spoken before on education opportunities.
Using this by any yardstick, non-Malays are only asking for something quite simple and that is to open up the various educations quotas when they are unfilled to deserving and qualified candidates. By not doing this, resentment tends to build up and distrust is sowed forever in the minds of those affected.
Moving on to businesses, bumiputera companies are given preferences even though they do not have the right and qualified experience. What's worse is that these businesses generally have sleeping bumi partners to get contracts based on the ‘one bumiputera partner’ rule for businesses.
This is just a way to get around loopholes. The reason this is still happening to this very day is because of complacency and the lack of genuine interest to better ourselves in whatever we do. I don't mean the non-Malays here.
The non-Malays have always been forced to be resourceful and are determined to change their destiny and fortunes. The bumi sleeping partners here do not take the opportunity to learn and gain the necessary experience to let go of the NEP crutch.
Moving in on to employment, the policies of today have made Malaysia a rather unattractive investment destination. I'll talk less about government service as we already know and see only a small handful of non-Malays are interested in this sector.
I would like to touch more on the private sector. All businesses are about making money. No one is in it to make a loss. That's a fact. In order to make money, investors need qualified and experienced people to give themselves the highest chances to generate income and returns.
When these companies generate positive income, the government does not lose. It gains from taxes. Now there are such policies requiring 30% of a company’s staff to comprise bumis at all levels of the company. Great!
Now the government is forcing non-qualified people to fill in positions based on race (sounds similar to the education quota, doesn't it?). This policy is doomed to fail, and fail it will. The economy will be in even worse condition than it is now.
I shall not talk about property discounts today. It is already well-observed that the wealth generally gets redistributed only to the rich. Is if it not true, why are there a large number of Malays trying to make ends meet on a daily basis?
I think it is quite tiring for me to repeat this on a regular basis. As I am writing this, I sigh over how our country cannot progress any further that it already has. Maybe it's time to throw in the towel. In my opinion, the NEP has not made the bumi any better. It has made the bumis worse off.
Take for example the UiTM case. The bumis feel threatened by the mere thought of competing on a level playing ground. Is it not time to ask themselves why they feel threatened? Why is it at every point, coming down to non-bumis ‘stealing’ bumi privileges?
Between BN (Umno) and Pakatan Rakyat, it is now a matter of being between the devil and the deep blue sea. If Pakatan comes to power, it means the bumi would need to struggle more and make a real effort to improve.
If BN retains its power, then the bumis can continue receiving handouts under the guise of the NEP. Looking at the longer term, I would choose the uncertain deep blue sea (Pakatan) rather than the known evils of the devil (BN/Umno).
No. 48, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar Utama 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 03-2284 3367 (Advertising/Tech/Subscription) | 03-2283 5567 (Editorial) Malaysiakini.com is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
