Malay Rights - Excellent article!

Oct 10th, 2008 :

An interesting article a friend forwarded. Definitely food for thought.



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Subject: Fwd: Malay Rights - Excellent article!

Just want to share this with all of you.....................................
Something interesting, something hopeful!
The writer is a Malay. If only there were more Malays who think and feel like him perhaps there could be a future in this country. Excellent article!
This guy has my respect...

Malay Rights .......... by Shaik Rizal Sulaiman

The Malays are 'technically' in power governing the country but it is also this same controlling group that demands the right to correct economic imbalances and disparities for its own race.What does this say about the 'majority governing' Malay race for the last 50 years?

I dare say that most Malaysians (regardless of race) below the age of 40 would like to see all 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 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 racially biased. In this day and age, a great nation is built upon joint success stories, meritocracy and thecombined hard work of its people WITHOUT any fear or favour of racial biased politics governing our daily policies.

Sadly, the Malay politicians have ended up completely corrupt, racialists, twisted religious fanatics. I am below 40 and as much as I love the 'idea' that Malaysia is tanah tumpahnya darah orang Melayu, I can't help but also feel that this country is for ALL Malaysians alike including the Chongs, the Kumars, the Xaviers, the Singhs & Kaurs etc who were born on the same day in the same hospital as me here in Malaysia.

If we feel that WE (the Malays) deserve this country more than THEM , then WE (the Malays) should have shown them a long time ago that we deserve the 'control all' status. We have to earn it. The policies FAILED because the very concept of Malay rights or the NEP/DEB is like a double-edged 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 (Malays) success is only reflected in the 'perceived' political power which today can collapse in a matter of minutes. I would also
like to see my children succeed in their country, Malaysia, for reasons that true success should be based upon, which are merit and hard work and NOT because they are Malays or bumiputeras.

For as long as the Malays don't see this, there is very little point in fighting for Malay rights. It just makes us look more ridiculous. We have taken this notion of being privileged a bit too literally in that it now simply means we want this country and its fruits all for ourselves without accepting the responsibilities that come with it. I blame the MALAY politicians for this because we want to only fight the cause without strategising for the true substance and need of the cause.

We have been given fish all the while without being taught how to fish. It's funny how two different generations can be so diverse in their thinking and the recent elections proved just that.. We are no longer concerned with racial problems but more so the never-ending Malay agenda issues. The rakyat has spoken and the landscape has drastically changed. Is this change welcomed? Is it good? The answer is 'NO'. Because we,the Malays, have been caught with our pants down - we arenot ready to compete on any level playing field (we can't even compete on advantageous grounds!). Even with three or five more continuing policies for Malay rights or bumiputera privileges over the next 50 years, we will still be in exactly the same position as we are in today. 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 I feel that Malay rights is NOT relevant anymore.The right to be safe, to be treated fairly, to have a world-class healthcare and education, to enjoy equal prosperity, to have good governance, to live in a clean environment and to be war-free is what I want for my Malaysia, NOT for MY 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.

p/s : In recent months we have seen the Syariah Courts allowing quite a few Malays to exercise their rights to a third or fourth wife. Fair, the guy may be able to provide for the financial & conjugal needs of his wives. However, question here is when he has a dozen kids, will he be able to provide a decent education and life to his kids or will he demand for his 'Rights' for subsidy and aid and be a burden to the govt and society.

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At the time of this writing, UMNO is having their nominations for various posts for their party election in March, 2009. Current president (PM), Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had indicated he would not be defending his post ; handing over power to his No.2, Dato' Seri Najib.

We await eagerly, what sort of agenda this "new batch" of leaders (post-Badawi) of UMNO, has for the nation.