SEPT 16 — From the New Economy Policy (NEP), National Economy Policy (NEP), New Economic Model (NEM) to the recently revealed measures to empower Bumiputeras’ economy, they are all far-reaching major national policies and the potential domino effects of these polices are very much worth concerning.
It is not easy to achieve a win-win situation. When you strengthen the economy of a particular race, it is quite impossible not to affect other races at all. Impact is inevitable and the extent is the only difference.
The worries of non-Bumiputeras come from the experience of the NEP. The implementation and results of the NEP are controversial, mainly because of its heavy colour tone. Moreover, its content, implementation and aspect covered not only the scope of economy, but also education, language, culture, religion and other aspects.
Therefore, the first worry of non-Bumiputeras over the new measures to empower Bumiputeras’s economy is: is it old wine in a new bottle?
In particular, the NEP did not carry any particular race on its name while it is stated clearly that the new measures are meant to empower the economy of Bumiputeras. It also seems contrary to the Prime Minister’s commitment earlier when introducing the NEM that measures will be taken based on needs instead of races. Therefore, people generally believe that the latest measures to empower Bumiputeras’ economy are actually a “strengthened version” of the NEP with similar content and targets.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak claimed that Bumipeteras made up 67.6% of the total population and thus, the Bumiputeras’ agenda is the national agenda. It sounds reasonable but not in reality.
We are not against the government’s intention to strengthen Bumiputeras’ economy; we also agree that a society of equitable prosperity is an ideal society. However, how to ensure non-Bumiputeras will not be marginalised along the process of strengthening Bumiputeras’ economy is an important question that cannot be ignored.
It is a fact that Bumiputeras are the largest group of the country. Bumiputeras’ agenda is of course the national agenda, but the agenda of non-Bumiputeras is also the national agenda, isn’t it? Therefore, to put it more precisely, the people’s agenda is the national agenda.
Over the years, we have been told that in Malaysia, Bumiputeras control the country’s politics while non-Bumiputeras control the economy. It is in fact an exposition far too simple and misleading. It is because most Bumiputeras hold no political power while most non-Bumiputeras are still far away from being called rich. In particular, the worsening problem of poverty in Indian community has become one of the factors affecting social stability.
Therefore, the latest measures should empower the economy of all races, instead of a particular racial group. While implementing the NEM and claiming that the national economy is heading towards openness to enhance the country’s competitiveness, the launching of the measures to empower Bumiputeras’ economy and getting back to racial economy is not a move of going forward, but backward.
Many other countries also implement assistance policy but most are to assist the minority or disadvantaged groups. It is rare to have assistance policy meant for “protecting” the majority. Take the Affirmative Action of the US for instance, its purpose is to relieve a variety of employment discrimination, particularly against the Black. Some new regulation were also added to the law to make it a perfect law prohibiting various discrimination including in terms of skin colour, belief, nationality, gender, age and disability. Even so, the law which has been implemented for more than 50 years, is still controversial. Some believe that it has led to reverse discrimination, namely discrimination against the White, particularly the regulation in which universities must reserve a certain number of places for minority groups has resulted in a number of legal proceedings. Therefore, there are voices in the society calling for the abolition of the Affirmative Action.
The new measures to empower Bumiputeras’ economy are not only a question of whether you are unhappy with it or whether you are worry about it. Instead, will the measure filled with “political correctness” and meat to “repay support” bring progress or retrogression to the country and society as a whole? Is it the start of another unfair policy? — mysinchew.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
