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10 ways to really help bumis - P Gunasegaram

Tan KW
Publish date: Sun, 22 Sep 2013, 04:51 PM
Tan KW
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Good.

P Gunasegaram

Malaysiakini
Sep 20, 2013

QUESTION TIME The recent RM30 billion package (although I am not sure how it works out to that) for bumiputera economic empowerment is certainly not something that will help or have any kind of impact on the vast majority of bumiputeras who form 67 percent of the population.

Just think of that figure for a moment. Nearly seven out of ten people in the country are bumiputeras. Help everyone in the country who needs it and you help the bumiputera community the most. More on that later.

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s plans to economically empower bumiputeras will not help the ordinary bumiputera because he is not the one who owns shares, or will become a major entrepreneur, or live off government contracts. That affects only the rich bumiputeras.

Realistically, the economic empowerment programme is a thinly disguised ruse to help those who continue to live off the government through patronage and corruption. And in this case this is the Umno elite and many of them are likely to be among the 150,000 delegates who will vote in Umno’s forthcoming general assembly.

It’s another form of vote buying.

So what will help ALL bumiputeras and especially those who are in the poor and middle classes and thereby help bridge the income gap between bumiputeras on the one side and Chinese and Indians on the other?

For that, you simply go back to the basics. Here are are 10 things we can identify immediately. If the government had been doing this without respite and full sincerity for the last 56 years from independence we would long ago have become a developed a country, even far surpassing that of our southern neighbour Singapore which has no natural resources to speak of.

1. Raise school education levels

In the haste to increase Malay usage and hire more Malay teachers into the education system after 1970, educational quality dropped in national schools. Until today this is a major problem because of poor quality of teachers (entry standards were foolishly dropped) and lowering examination standards to favour bumiputera students.

It will require much more than the national education blueprint, a document laced with political considerations. Education has to be de-politicised, secularised and its syllabus reoriented to modern needs.

And this has to be done by true educationists, not nationalists who tend to be blinkered because of their political overzealousness and who think of education as brainwashing instead of a development process. Education needs to be taken out of the hands of politicians.

This is crucial for bumiputera development. If they don’t get good education right from the start – and that includes preschool – then they are going to be handicapped relative to the rest because most bumiputeras go to national schools. National schools must be at least as good as vernacular schools. That would also mean that non-Malays will start coming back to national schools.

Education is such an important thing to improve incomes that it covers several of our other points. No country has managed to improve and equalise incomes without a superb education system. Putting as much resources as possible into this is vital.

2. Revamp higher education

The entire education system must be revamped to put meritocracy and higher educational standards in place. If bumiputera students lack minimum standards, you must enable them to reach those standards through tuition and other means and not drop minimum standards. Only then will bumiputera students take the trouble to be on par.

Genetic studies have shown beyond doubt that no race is superior in terms of intelligence which implies that attitude and environment is all important.

There is really no point in government universities churning out graduates in the thousands if they don’t have the basic skills to be employable.

3. Don’t compromise on education quality and standards

In education as in life, one cannot aim for equalisation of outcomes – you can only hope to equalise opportunities. Then it is up to those given the opportunity to make use of it. If results are adjusted to sort of equalise the eventual outcome, inefficiency and incompetence will be the result.

If our programme of eradicating poverty and eliminating the identification of race with economic function – the original and oft-forgotten twin pillars of the New Economic Policy of 1971 – was premised on these methods, we would most likely have been able to bring about the change in attitude necessary to produce better outcomes. Instead spoon-feeding has needlessly lengthened dependence.

4. Empower bumiputeras with English

Sometime back, I witnessed the unhappy spectacle of a young, suave, urbane, Malay Oxford graduate defending the move by the government to revert to teaching of science and maths in English who swore blue that evidence is that teaching these subjects in the mother tongue made it easier for them to understand them. I told him that in his case – he was the son of a diplomat, I believe, and educated all over the world – it did not seem to have done him much harm.

That young man is Khairy Jamaluddin, son-in-law of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and current Umno Youth chief. I just cannot understand the attitude of people who have benefited so much from the English language and yet who are so keen to deny this benefit to millions of others from their own race. Does being a politician blind them to what is good for their own race? Or is it something else that motivates them?

5. Cut corruption

If the government wants to reduce income gaps, then it must cut corruption, bring it down to virtually zero. Look where it got Singapore to. Just one illustration will be sufficient for this. Let’s say our chief ministers were corrupt. Then this land proposal comes up – one of them de-gazettes forest reserves, allocates the land to a developer and then approves the conversion for mixed development.

The chief minister, who may be bumiputera, will get, oh, let’s say anywhere between RM1 million and RM10 million. And the developer, most likely non-bumiputera, will make anywhere between a RM100 million and RM1 billion from the deal. A precious state resource is sold way below its value and the income gap between the bumiputera and non-bumiputera is considerably widened – because of corruption.

And to make it worse, this bumiputera chief minister may well go out on his political rounds and talk self righteously to rallies and such and rail against the wide gap between bumiputera and non-bumiputera incomes!

This is just by way of illustration of course, the point being corruption when analysed and tracked almost always increases income gaps..

6. Cut subsidies and import taxes

One of the myths is that the poor are helped considerably by subsidies on say fuel and electricity. That’s wrong because the poor don’t use much of this. The rich and industries use much more of this than the poor. The clear implication is that subsidies while helping the poor, help the rich much more.

What should be done in tandem with subsidy cuts is to cut or remove import taxes altogether so that the prices of goods come down and local industries (such as cars for instance) are not protected by tariffs which make their product prices higher. This is a policy which will help the poor but since probably more than 70 percent of them are likely to be bumiputera, they will be the prime beneficiaries.

7. Have open tenders

Contrary to popular belief negotiated tenders are not likely to benefit bumiputeras – instead they are likely to benefit connected bumiputeras through patronage. Best to have an open tender. If it is deemed necessary to give bumiputeras an advantage, then this can be done via a price differential, say 5 percent.

That does two things – one, bumiputera pricing is not way out of line with the others, and two it still does give a preference to bumiputeras but a quantified one.

8. Use all resources available

Any wise country will use all the resources available to it and not restrict it to a particular race. It is important to staff government departments on merit to ensure proper performance and to cast the net for recruitment as far and as wide as possible.

The rush and needless urgency to put more Malays into the education system ahead of time resulted in a huge and rapid decline in the quality of education as entry standards for teachers were lowered. This directly affected most the quality of national schools which most bumiputeras attended.

9. Raise government efficiency

There is one imperative for raising efficiency – those who are not efficient must be made efficient or removed altogether. Government departments cannot be made refuge for idlers and shirkers. They must earn their income and to do their part for the betterment of the nation – we can’t afford a subsidy mentality in government.

Once that is established, we must put in all effort needed to make our government services really top class and one that facilitates rather than hinders all legitimate private efforts to initiate economic and other activity.

10. Give loans, not grants

Najib’s bumiputera empowerment programme even envisages grants for entrepreneurs. That’s absolutely the wrong move which is sure to encourage abuse and breach of trust. Instead grant loans instead. That way only those confident of their projects will seek them. And the repayment of these loans will ensure that financing is available for future generations.

The same should be the case for scholarships. Limited number of merit scholarships are fine but it is pointless extending scholarships in the thousands indiscriminately. What is given free is seldom appreciated. Instead, these can be loans which will have to be repaid and which will then enable others to take advantage of opportunities in future.

These measures are not anywhere near rocket science and I trust most Malaysians will agree with them. But unless politicians eschew race politics and become really and genuinely interested in helping their communities, things are not likely to change.

I wish these politicians had the “scrotal gumption” (to borrow the words of retired judge Mahadev Shankar) to put aside politics and do the best for their own race. In the process, they can’t help but do well for all Malaysians too as all these 10 measures will help all of them no matter their race, religion, creed or social status.

With seven out of 10 people in the country being bumiputeras and perhaps more in the lower income category, Isn’t it about time we moved to a Malaysian agenda? Even if it is 56 years too late?

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P GUNASEGARAM is the founding editor of KiniBiz.

 

 

Discussions
1 person likes this. Showing 13 of 13 comments

ahtan

well written articles, but i doubt how many of the so call current nation leaders can understand and digest and accept your opinion . honestly i totally support your views ( long ago) i am not objecting any measures to help the so call "bumis" but let it be "real" support to the real group. if this has been done , long ago we already dont see any hard core poor malays lives in places without electricity and waters, whenever i see that i felt heart pain. ( i am chinese) i love my countryman no matter is malay, indian chinese or others. BUT i hate n sick of those politician that abuse the harmony of the races.

2013-09-22 22:07

chongkonghui

It is a matter of quality of leaders. If a leader only concern own benefits, own 'chair'... of course you guys comes only once in a while, for show only.

2013-09-22 23:00

necro

Raise gov efficiency using what?...
Saliva?
Kih kih kih....kira undi pon talak leti punya komunis parti mau ckp transparency...macai macai

2013-09-23 01:27

necro

Learn english dalam2 for?u wanna bcome wat?Shakespeare?....aiyo ask your son la eventhough kaw2 kena tiaw sbb dpt C in English they still wanna strike ka?...simple2 ok la,lu olang pandai aaa,ask ppl to jump into science stream but your son mostly send to biz school?...hehehe i can see that dun worry the truth shall be prevail...

2013-09-23 01:32

necro

Compare how many billion GAMUDA and SUNWAY got in MRT project compared to so called Malay company that operates in office like reban ayam(AZRB)...thats wat u call racist?

Cai oh cai....

2013-09-23 01:36

INV3ST0R

Lol necro, sunway and gamuda have track record and can get things done. If award the projects to tongkat like u gone case la. Everywhere collapse cos all structures supported by tongkats only HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

2013-09-23 01:49

ayub

athan ... like

2013-09-23 02:05

lotsofmoney

Nobody asks what the people actually wants ?

2013-09-23 09:17

curiwangbagus

Corruption in Umno an INTERNAL matter - MACC won't get involved

party elections also got corruption. UMNO never learns.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is advising Umno's Disciplinary Board to act against corruption as the party's election approaches next month.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (Operations) Datuk Mohd Shukri Abdull said the matter was an internal problem and should be referred first to the party's disciplinary committee before further action was taken.

"In my opinion, this is just an internal problem... it does not matter whether it concerns Umno or any other party, I recommend the misconduct be referred to their respective disciplinary board.

"If there is evidence in their probe that needs to be investigated further... please come forward and submit the proof to us (MACC). I suggest let the diciplinary board decide and if there are any issues, they can refer directly to the MACC," he told reporters after attending the opening ceremony of the Pahang MACC Office Complex, here, today

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on investigations into the misappropriation of funds meant for the poor under the government's 1AZAM (Akhiri Zaman Miskin) programme, Shukri said it was still ongoing.

A former political secretary to a former minister and six other individuals were detained to assist MACC in its investigations concerning the 1AZAM fund irregularities.

They were subsequently released on bail.

About the case involving the Perak Football Association over alleged sabotage and corruption following a series of defeats suffered by the state team in the Malaysia Cup tournament, he confirmed receiving a report yesterday and that an investigation had been initiated. - Bernama, September 24, 2013.

Full article: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=165562:corruption-in-umno-an-internal-matter-macc-wont-get-involved&Itemid=2#ixzz2ftBxpyab
Follow us: @MsiaChronicle on Twitter

2013-09-25 00:58

curiwangbagus

Well said INV3ST0R. As a Malay I feel ashamed of another Malay necro who always spread hate. We are all GOD's children and must learn to love & not like necro who always spread hate against the Chinese as I had read through his postings. Like INV3ST0R said, we Malays no need tongkat like necro. We have our both hands to cari makan, so necro? My sincere hope is to see more Malays stand up and give a piece of mind to necro as he is disgracing the Malay race and perhaps being shame. Be peaceful, salam.

2013-09-25 01:04

curiwangbagus

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim
September 23

No need to empower Bumis. Have clean transparent govt and all Malaysians including Bumis will be empowered

2013-09-25 01:29

curiwangbagus

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim
September 23

Economic policies decided and implemented by the majority for the majority could not uplift the majority. Blame the minority?

2013-09-25 01:30

bsngpg

Curiwangbagus :
From another perspective, do you think they are killing the general ethnic Malay quietly ?
At the lower level, if you compare to Indo who came to our land, they are the same Muslim, having the same Malay culture but they can compete and grab away almost all of the sub-construction and house cleaning works from Chinese. Look back at our Malay, 67 % of the country population, where are you?

At the middle level, just go to manufacturing sector where efficiency is the upmost value (no color factor here except some privilege given to Malay to please the gov), safe to say that almost 80% of engineers and managers are non-Malay. Where are the Malay ?

At the higher level such as entrepreneurship or businesses, just look at KL during Chinese New Year and Hari Raya festivals. Where is the Malay in businesses? Look at Bursa, how many are owned by Malay if not GLC?

Look at the result list in universities every end of the semester, how many Fatimah or Ali appear at the top of the list?

Hey my dear friends, pls wake up, you should not let Mahtirism to kill the beloved ethnic Malay. He is not a genuine Malay anyway. Honestly, I as a Chinese do not want to leave you behind as I agree that there will not be a true peace if the majority is lagging far behind. Please wake up and let us progress together, we will extend our helping hands when you need it.

What do you think ?

2013-09-25 07:39

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