Indian Malaysians Should Avoid Trap of Special Privileges
Indian Malaysians Should Avoid Trap of Special Privileges
M. Bakri Musa
[Reprinted from Malaysiakini.com July 5, 2005]
Indian-Malaysians are falling into the same trap as Malays; they refuse or are unable to view their community’s problems beyond the parameters of race. Indian-Malaysian leaders and intellectuals are even clamoring for their own special privileges a la Bumiputras. That would be a regressive move.
The recent controversy over not recognizing Crimean State Medical School is instructive. Indian-Malaysian leaders vehemently protested, to the extent that one of them was suspended from his cabinet position. Their objection was because most of the Malaysians affected are of Indian origin. I would have thought that the debate would be on how to ensure that our future doctors get the best training.
As for special privileges, we should strive to restrict (with a view of eventually eliminating), not expand them. Having special privileges for Malaysian-Indians would create the same problems for them that Malays now face: increased inequities within the community, reduced competitiveness and productivity, and worse, perpetuation and aggravation of already rigid social classes. There is no indication that Indian-Malaysians (or any other group granted privileges) have any special qualities that would spare them these blights. Indeed the problems would be worse for them.
Disproportionate Flow
Unlike the relatively homogenous Malays, Indian-Malaysians are very diverse. The problems faced by Maniam on the rubber estate are very different from that of Maidin anak/lelaki Mahmood who runs the neighborhood mamak stall, which in turn are vastly different from the tribulations of Dr. Menon of Bangsar. Rest assured that with special privileges, the benefits would flow disproportionately more to the advantaged over the disadvantaged, just as they are with Malays. Meaning, the Menons would benefit far more and at the expense of the Maniams.
Special privileges quickly breed in their recipients an undue sense of entitlement that is difficult to eradicate. The more privileged the group, the greater is this sense of entitlement. Among Malays, members of the royalty, being the most privileged, are the most insistent in demanding their “rights.” For example, the sultans insist that state land is theirs for the taking, no questions asked, not even by the chief minister. A few have been known to take the law into their own hands. When these sultans incur gambling debts on their frequent trips abroad, they expect the ambassador and the state treasury to bail them out.
Next are members of the political elite, specifically the “UMNO Putras.” Multimillion dollars are exchanged in UMNO’s money politics; none asked where the bounty originates. Of course it comes from rent-seeking activities made possible through special privileges.
Those poor folks in the kampongs and squatter settlements remain underprivileged. They do not demand anything and are resigned to, “It’s just our fate!”
As in India, Indian-Malaysians are rigidly stratified socially despite the lack of an overt caste system. With special privileges, the fate of the Tamils on the rubber estates will remain unchanged and be no different from those of kampong Malays.
One of the smartest things Nehru did on India’s independence was to pension off the maharajas and nawabs, and deprive them of their special privileges. He knew that such privileges in a rigidly stratified society would only aggravate class differences and be socially destabilizing. The social turmoil and instability in Malay society today is in part attributable to the skewed distribution of special privileges.
Indian-Malaysians constitute less than seven percent of the population, a very small minority. Their problems are further compounded by the fact they are also divided ethnically, socially and politically.
Preoccupation of Leaders
As if those were not enough, their leaders are derelict in their duty to champion the causes of their followers. These leaders are more concerned with being accepted into the Malay establishment. Give them a datukship, and these Bumiputra wannabes become “more Malay than a Malay.”
While these leaders are consumed with integrating and ingratiating themselves to the Malay elite, the message they urge upon their followers is the very opposite. “Maintain your identity, language and culture!” “Send your children to Tamil schools!” Never mind that these schools are dilapidated, poorly funded, have declining enrolment, and are dead end as an institution. They themselves do not send their children to such schools; they know better. Besides, their children deserve more!
Indian-Malaysians should learn from successful minorities elsewhere. American Jews would not have been successful had their leaders insisted that their followers send their children to Hebrew schools. Even traditionally Jewish institutions like Brandies University use English. Visit its campus and you could not distinguish it from any other American university. Many Jews even anglicized their name in order to blend in with the mainstream.
In the past, some Indian-Malaysians, especially those who were Muslims, had successfully integrated. While they may not openly acknowledge it, today many ministers, including a former prime minister, are descendants of such Indians. Ironically, they are among the most strident champions of “Ketuanan Melayu!” (Malay supremacy).
Indian-Malaysian leaders would be doing their community a great service if they were to close these Tamil schools and encourage parents to send their children to national and other schools. At the very least, their children would then have a far superior education than they would have had at their vernacular schools.
Indian-Malaysian leaders are preoccupied with building a local university and medical college. This is nothing more than an exercise at stroking their massive egos. These leaders should instead focus on improving the schools. Those children need much more help than the students accepted into medical schools. It would also be considerably cheaper and produce far greater benefits.
Contrary to the chauvinistic chanting of their leaders, the Tamil language, culture and way of life would not disappear with the closing of Tamil schools.
The ways to improve the plight of Indian-Malaysians lay less with communalistic appeals and more with adopting the insights of modern development economics. Improve their education through good schools, equip them with marketable skills, give them their freedom to practice their trade, and most of all be less paternalistic towards them. On second thought, we could also usefully apply those lessons to Malays.
July 10th, 2005 at 8:11 pm
Dear Bakri,
Welcome to Malaysia, the new land of the Moguls, shahibs, and the downtrodden rakyat (the rest of us, men and women in the street, for which the Indians have a more denigrating word). This is very much a class based society. The middle class is no longer upward mobile, unless its members have some means to secure the support of powerful patrons.
It is a good that you have the guts to highlight the motives of the Indian political leaders and their elites (lawyers, doctors, engineers,academics and businessmen) in seeking the NEP type assistance. It would not work.The Indian in the estates and in the urban centers will remain marginalised due to the pre-occupation of their leaders in pursuing their personal interests at the expense of that of their community. They prefer to “suck up” to UMNO. In their own community, they are the “tuans”.It is not easy to be a Dato Dr.Menon of Bangsar who can afford more than a glass of top Q whiskey (Johnny Walker Black label) while enjoying French cuisine.
Today, we have become a society which thrives on connections, and rent seeking opportunities for selected groups. The rest are left on their own, and most unfortunately, they succumb to criminality, gangsterism and drugs. You do not need sociologists sand social researchers to tell us why we have this malaise. Prof.Ungku Aziz used to talk about neglect, and he is still spot on today.
I do not want to sound pessimistic. But I am as I cannot not see any change in the system towards greater equity and social justice in the foreseeable future. People who benefit from the current system of feudalism, patronage and special interests cannot be expected to reform it. What is the incentive for making the change?
While you talk about the Indian community, you must not forget that the Chinese community too suffers from the consequences of a politics sponsored system. A cynic would say, both the Indian and Chinese leaders and their supporters have become “Malaynised” in this sense.
Regards
July 11th, 2005 at 5:07 am
Dear Dr. Bakri,
The issues you and Din Merican brought up in your pieces are relevant and timely since the 9th Malaysian Plan will be tabled in Parliament soon. An Indian NEP may not help, it is true. But what about an Indian programme like the one Singapore introduced to assist both the Malay and Indian communities? It works on a matching grant basis, and is a community based assistance deal.
I feel that the Indian community needs some urgent help from the state. Our problems are serious and they will affect the stability of our nation. The question is what form this assistance will take. It is also important that such a programme is subject to good corporate governance.
I have always felt that incentives work, and only a community that demonstrates its willingness to help itself should receive state support. In this way, there will be no spoon feeding business, and no room for hanky panky, or honky dory stuff like Maika Holdings.
Dato Samy Vellu and his cohorts like the imaginary Dato Dr. Menon of Bangsar, who are very entrenched in MIC and too self-absorbed with money, will not do much, while the other Indian parties are too weak to matter. The DAP itself is a Chinese Party, despite its claims to be non-communal. Our best hope is an enlightened leadership in UMNO which can create national programmes that will embrace the Indian community on an incentive based system.
Thanks.
July 11th, 2005 at 7:26 pm
Dear Dr. Bakri,
Greetings from Berlin. It is summer. Why am I in Berlin? I think, I have better chance of a good life here in Germany by working hard. As a professional engineer, I could not get anywhere in Malaysia.
Mr. Nagalingam is right when he suggested an incentive based system to help the Indian community. But I disagree with his idea that the Indians should depend on “an enlightened leadership in UMNO” to provide the help. I admit that a supportive UMNO will be useful.
It is a shame if the Indian community has to depend on the generosity and “big heartedness” of UMNO, the largest and most successful political party in Malaysia. The Indians are a proud and stoic people. Furthermore, in life and as in everything else, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Assistance from UMNO can only come at a price. It may mean that MIC cannot, but “toe the line”.
Today, MIC is an autocracy dominated and controlled by one man, the Indian “Superman” called Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu. He and his close associates have such a stranglehold on the party that he will remain in power until he dies. There is no way for any challenger to survive. Don’t even talk about the chance of winning, and change. It is the status quo ad infinitum although time, circumstances, and everything else have changed. MIC is likely to be like a fossil, if it continues at this rate.
Samy Vellu uses fear and intimidation including money to stay in power. That is smart politics, but it is not going to do any good to the Indian community. The MIC President is so well connected and powerful under Mahathir that he was once given a “certificate of fitness” by the ACA (!) for not being corrupt after the activities in Maika Holdings were investigated. You may recall that Maika was created in the first pace to tap the meagre savings of the Indian community.
The Telecoms share scandal, still very fresh in my mind, was brushed aside when the Lord Protector Mahathir was in power, and, I think, Samy Vellu is forever indebted to the man. That is also politics. Under Badawi, the MIC President is more powerful because our new PM is not a shaker and mover, or boat rocker. Badawi respects the choice of the Indian people. So if it is Samy Vellu, Badawi will accommodate it. I can understand that. He cannot interfere in the internal affairs of another component party in the Barisan Nasional.
Yes, Mr Nagalingam is spot on when he said that good corporate governance is a precondition for any programme involving state funds for an Indian “Marshall Plan”. But it is, in my view, vital that we have good, capable, and honest leaders in MIC.
The Indian community deserves state help because we have stood loyally behind the Government since the days of the great Tunku Abdul Rahman. But we must also show that we can help oursleves. There should not be handouts. In stead, concrete programmes formulated by the Indians themselves for the economic and social uplightment of their community should in place to justify state assistance.
I long for the return of the days of Tun Sambanthan and Tan Sri Manickavasagam. They were leaders with high integrity and genuine commitiment to the welfare of the Indian community in our country. That can only happen again when MIC is truly democratic. It must not be a party of shahibs and brahmins heeded by an Indian Sultan.
So Dato. Dr. Menon of Bangsar, your fictional character, must slow down on his whiskey, and control his intake of rich food. It is time for him to devote his intellectual power and professional skills to help his own people. Don’t be a “kacang lupakan kulit” type.
Regards.
July 11th, 2005 at 9:36 pm
Dear Dr. Bakri,
One cannot help but be very cynical these days about Malaysian politicians and the politics they play. MIC is the embodiment of what is wrong with the system. It is a self-iinterest and money-centred buddy-buddy system par excellence. MIC is blatant, arrogant, defiant, undemocratic, and very reflective of the Indian superman who leads it.
We talk about democracy. But democracy is not just about going to the polls to vote in a Government, or to elect party officials. It is not only a process, but also a mind-set. In Malaysia, whether it is UMNO, MIC or MCA is the delegates, not members, who elect their leaders. The membership has practically no say, that is, they are disenfranchised in fact. This is not democracy. Because it is not democratic, abuses and money politics are common. The mind-set must change too.
So it is no surprise, as Anton in Berlin says, that one man in MIC with a well-fed bunch of close associates, advisors, and cronies can dominate the party machinery and determine the outcome, always in their favour. If we want to change that, party polls must be open to all eligible members; it must transparent; it must be free and fair, and it must be clean. Right now, the party electoral system cannot satisfy these preconditions.
In this context, I welcome the decision of Dato Chua Jui Meng to challenge Dato Seri Ong Kah Teng for the MCA Presidency at August 2005 Party convention. He has produced an interesting and path breaking party election manifesto outling his plans for a 21st Century MCA. I recommend that we all study this manifesto seriously (see http://www.chuajuiming.com). I hope he will see to it that the election system for his party is more participative and democratic. But first, he must be the new MCA President.
The odds of Dato Chua winning the Presidency are stacked against him because only MCA Central Party delegates can vote. As most political observers know, Ong Kah Teng controls the majority of the delegates; they are his men and are obligated to him,including the one time Team B stalwart, Dato Seri Chan Kong Choy. There is no democracy in MCA.
At least, we can say that there is a going to be contests for all the MCA party posts this time. For that, I congratulate Dato Chua for his courage and convictions. He wants to revive the MCA, and make it relevant for the Chinese community. He deserves a shot at the Presidency.
The MIC General Assembly is already over and our strongman, Dato Seri S. Samy Vellu is well entrenched and very secure indeed. So Anton, you are correct to say that MIC is going to be a fossil unless someone in the party hierarchy decides to challenge him in the next round. It takes courage, conviction and strength of character for such man to challenge and replace the incumbent MIC President.
With regard to UMNO, its Constitution has to be amended. It was designed to perpetuate Mahathir’s rule. Now that he has “retired”(?), UMNO Party elders led by Tun Ghaffar Baba (the great man of the people and son of Malacca) have asked Badawi to make UMNO more democratic. I believe Badawi will make an attempt to change the way UMNO operates, but please did not expect anything dramatic from him. We can only hope that it is not a moribund attempt as I believe a more democratic UMNO is a boon to our country. After all, it is the torch bearer and undisputed leader of the Barisan Nasional. UMNO must lead by example.
As for the plight of the Indians, the less MIC is involved the better it will probably be. Indian community leaders and intellectuals via their NGOs should present a consensus based and realistic programme for the socio-economic advancement of the Indian community for consideration of the Government. I am in favour of a more incentive based approach than the NEP type. Dr. Bakri, your article set me thinking and for that I am most grateful.
Thanks.
July 12th, 2005 at 10:03 pm
Dear Dr. Bakri, Din Merican and my fellow Indian brothers,
Uplifting the economic and social status of the Indian community, which had contributed a lot to Malaysian development, involves an act of true statesmanship on the part of the Badawi Administration. I think it is a tall order to expect much from Badawi, this intellectually shallow UMNO leader.
Remember, he was a chosen by Mahathir not for the sake of our country, but for his own interest. Mahathir was like Nehru who was succeeded by a seat warmer, Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Mahathir is interested in ensuring that his immediate successor does not outperform him. He wants to preserve his 23-year legacy. His choice of Badawi is an apt one. Remember, Mahathir eliminated Musa Hitam, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah and Anwar Ibrahim. He also sidelined Tun Ghaffar Baba.
Just look at the accomplishments of the new man so far. Zilt/Zero. Badawi is long on talk, but very, very short on action. He is actually clueless. He is a plain nice guy, almost a political simpleton if I may be permitted to say so.
Leadership is not about being a populist; it is about taking tough and prompt decisions, charting the country through the present difficult times with clear vision and commitment, and making sure that the economy (remember the economy, stupid!) creates jobs and attracts new investments. Unfortunately, Badawi has neglected the economy. Yet he claims Malaysia is doing okay. Ignorance is bliss indeed.
I also doubt whether UMNO delegates to the General Assembly in July, 2005 have the courage to speak their minds. But there is one thing I am sure of at this coming Assembly: more pantuns and jokes led by the champion joker, the arrogant Acehnese MP from Yan, Kedah, Dato Badruddin. This will, of course, please Badawi who has shown himself to be just another “Sultan”. He is now allowing people to kiss his hand. Hishamuddin Tun Hussein Onn just did that, in case you didn’t notice.
There will, of course, be some strange announcements about more money being will be available for projects. That is just politics to appease the suffering Class F Bumi contractors. Even then, nothing will come out of that because the Civil Service is inept, complacent and corrupt. Badawi failed to make top level changes in the Civil Service when he took office. He allowed that to happen by attrition. By a process of attrition, our economy will sink.
If Badawi cannot keep his own house (UMNO) in order and control his Cabinet colleagues like Rafidah Aziz, he cannot be expected to do anything to assist the Indian community. If you have high expectations of the 9th Malaysian Plan in terms of specific programmes and separate funding for the Indian community, you are going to be bitterly disappointed.
Good luck to Samy Vellu and his MIC. Rest assured, he and his cronies would not care. They are all like Dr. Bakri’s fictional character, Dato Dr. Menon of Bangsar.
Thanks.
July 12th, 2005 at 11:47 pm
Hey my Indian brothers,
The Indians in Malaysia should be like the members of the Chinese diaspora than the Malays. By working together and improving your “guanxi” (social capital and networks), you can rise up, be economically strong, and upstage the Malays who are dependent on giveaways from the state.
You don’t need the state. Your mission should be to make the state dependent on your wealth and your intellectual capital. In that way, the state cannot ignore your views. You must use your capital wisely. You can attract people like Ananda Krishnan, and other capitalists in Malaysia, entrepreneurs from India, and overseas Indians (that is the diaspora for you) to invest in your projects.
So stop forming cliques and classes. If the need for survival cannot unite you, tell me what can. As far as I know, the Indian community is full of doctors, lawyers, economists, academics, and engineers. That is your true capital. You are, in fact, a society of professionals (the Brahmin class). But your problem is that those who consider themselves Brahmins look down on the poor struggling but diligent Indian rubber tappers, oil palm harvesters and weeders, and the road pavers.
It is this “Brahmin vs the downcast mind-set” that is the main obstacle to your unity, cohesiveness and progress. I have avoided mentioning Indian politicians. They can be controlled because they depend on the support of the Brahmins. If the Brahmins decide that they want to change the character and profile of MIC they can do it almost overnight. Just throw Samy Vellu and his cronies out of office by means of party constitutional processes.
Right now, I cannot foresee that this is going to happen. Unless the nexus between the Brahmins and the Indian politicians is broken, and you operate as a cohesive group, the economic and social advancement of the Indian community will always be retarded.
Thanks.
July 13th, 2005 at 7:17 pm
Dear Dr. Bakri,
I have read your book “The Malay Dilemma Revisited”. In your book, you talked about the “ills” of Malaysia, including the “Sultan Syndrome”, rampant corruption and other abuses of power. I agree, we have serious problems that will impede our progress towards being a developed nation. Like you, I believe that a society cannot change, unless it decides it wants to do so.
The UMNO Malays in the top party echelon prefer the status quo. It requires no effort to be in a rentier class. Just be an important UMNO party member, use your hegemonic political power to legalise everything you want to do, and then utilise the state coffers.That is what UMNO has actually done. Now we have abuses of power.
The latest example is the case of former Chief Minister, Osu, who turned out to be a pathological gambler. It is amazing that UMNO allowed such a person to be in a position of high public trust, and gave him access to the enormous forest and other resources of Sabah.
Osu should have been investigated by the Anti-Corruption Agency. In stead, because he is an UMNO senior party official, he gets away with losing his post of Party Divisional Chief. All this clean Prime Minister can do is to express disappointment. This is a typical reaction of a “Sultan”.
The Malay rentier class, as you know from your extensive research for your book, are those who are in positions of power and influence, their sons and daughters, and their cronies who extract economic rents. They are different from the average Malays in the kampongs and in the neglected towns throughout Malaysia.The average Malays have to depend on subsidies.
The average Malays still do not have access to good schools, clean water and medical facilities, and are usually undernourished. The rentier, on the other hand, can send his kids to international schools, and boarding schools abroad and give them the best opportunities.
Of course, the crumbs from the NEP reaches the average Malays during election time, but that does not mean the NEP benefits them. The Chinese and Indian cronies of UMNO leaders are better treated and have, in fact, prospered under the NEP. The former strongman, Mahathir, made sure of that. The average Indian in the estates and the average Chinese in the New Villages share the same fate as his Malay counterpart.
We must do something radical to ensure that the benefits of economic growth are more equitably distributed. In stead of a separate NEP or “Marshall Plan” for each community, we should be thinking of an overall national programme for the economic and social upliftment of Malaysians who need state assistance.
Such a programme must be incentive based and administered in a transparent manner. We should make poverty eradication a top priority in our national agenda, not the creation of a Bumiputra Industrial and Commercial Community (BICC). After 30 years of the NEP, Malaysia already has a BICC.
To implement such a national programme, we need honest and competent Government. But I do not expect Badawi’s Government to be any different from that of his predecessor. In fact, Badawi is hiding behind his now legendary rhetoric and this is more sinister in my view.
Thanks.
July 14th, 2005 at 9:47 pm
Dear All,
I am enjoying this exchange of views about the Indian community. Thank you, Dr. Bakri, for this initiative.
Let us hope Dr. Bakri’s initiative will form the basis of discussion and rational debate by those of us who are directly concerned about the plight of our less fortunate Indian brothers and sisters. It is they,and not their leaders in MIC and the Brahmins, who deserve a better deal from their community, the Government and the country.
Some of the ideas and suggestions you have are useful. Din Merican, for example, was talking about the class and patronage system. It is too entrenched, I agree, and before anything meaningful can be done, the system must be reformed. Will the Prime Minister do it? To be honest, I am not sure what he will do. He appears to be someone who will not take on entrenched interests.
I, however, note your critical comments on our new Prime Minister. He has been office for less than 2 years. You cannot expect him to undo the follies and mistakes of the 23-year old Mahathirian “dictatorship”. But at least, we have to compliment him for allowing the Government media to bring out in the wrongdoings of politicians and to expose the corrupt. Unfortunately, he had raised our expectations, and cannot match his rhetoric with more solid action. That is a real problem for him.
We all know, for example, that the Police Force is utterly corrupt, almost beyond redemption. Badawi must remove the top cops who are the main beneficiaries. Has he done it? He is probably afraid to take on vested interests and put his political career at risk.
What has been done after the Royal Commission on the Police Force released its report amidst the glare and glitter of media publicity? What happended to the top cop who amassed a huge fortune while in office? The last time I heard about it was to read in the media that he had no case to answer!! Why?
The public too must no longer tolerate corruption, and act through civil society activities to expose the corrupt, and provide the evidence for the authorities to prosecute and convict those who are proven guilty. The enforcement machinery, in turn, must respond and protect those who volunteer information. Finally, there must be political will.
Singapore and Hongkong have dealt a decisive blow to this scourge. Their citizens now hold people in positions of trust and power to high standards of ethics and public accountability. China and Vietnam treat corruption as a capital offence. Sweden is at the apex of the Transparency International Index of the least corrupt nations. Why can’t we do it?
I understand that our Prime Minister has many challenges, but what I cannot tolerate his rather glib and laid back bureaucratic approach to solving urgent and deeply embedded problems. Badawi must be honest first with himself, and then with us who elected the BN under his leadership and gave him a resounding mandate in the 2004 General Elections.
He should not behave like any ordinary politician who makes pledges and promises without any intention of ever fulfilling with them. He must lead by example with a clear agenda and with plans and programmes in place to execute them. I am afraid he has yet to do that.
I, therefore, have to concede to you all that we cannot expect very much from Badawi. He does not have what it takes to change national direction. The job is too much for him.He is, in fact, overwhelmed by a whole gamut of problems and challenges. He does not know where to begin except to use his rhetorical skills to make all of us feel good. It is foolhardy for him to think that he can continue to dupe us with his “feel good” exhortations.
As far as the Indian community, I feel we have to help ourselves. Mr Alley Ong’s ideas merit our consideration. The road towards economic and social upligftment of the Indian community is paved with many trials and tribulations. The process involves the cooperation of the Indians themselvesand the Government and other members of our plural society can only play a supportive role. Most of all, programmes must be subject to high standards of corporate governance.
Thanks.
July 15th, 2005 at 2:54 am
Guys and a Lady,
I long for some real good news out of Malaysia.
The Arabs who are supposed to come in droves to “Malaysia Truly Asia” to escape the hot and punishing summer at home have not appeared. Our stock market is directionless, and the economy is at the pit stop. The taxi fare is 30% higher. What is happening?
The Governor, Bank Negara is too academic, and the Minister of Finance No. 2 is helping his cronies. The Minister of Finance who is also the Prime Minster is still praying for divine inspiration. The Minister of Trade and Industry is too pre-occupied with her own interests. So who is really in charge of the economy?
Don’t talk about helping the Indian community if our economic house is not in order.
Thanks.
July 15th, 2005 at 5:27 am
That is right, Mr. Ghouse.
Whose in charge, if the Prime Minister does not have an interest in economics affairs? No one, is that not obvious to all of us, except those who want to ampu him!
I would say to the Prime Minister, it is the ECONOMY, BODOH!!. I wish also to remind him that I voted for him because I had hoped that he would protect our jobs and take good care of the economy. I certainly did not vote him so that he can travel around the world inspecting Guards of Honour and preaching to other leaders on Islam Hadhari. He is wasting public money.
If the Badawi experience is any lesson to us, it has to be that we should never trust a sweet talker like him. What a mess. No wonder, Mr. Ghouse you are complaining. How can we help our Indian friends when we oursleves are suffering Badawiaitis!!
Thanks.
July 16th, 2005 at 7:20 pm
Dr. Bakri yang mulia,
Betul kata Teoh dan Pak Ghouse.
Tiada siapa pun dalam Kerajaan kita yang serius tentang arah tuju dan keadaan ekonomi kita kini. Dato Mustapha dan MTEN (Majlis Tindakan Ekonomic Negera) masih tidor. Tok Pa sendiri lembab.
Bukan macam ketika Dr. Mahathir jadi PM. Dr. Mahathir ada Daim. Mereka berdua berani ambil tindakan. Kalau Lebai Badawi jadi PM masa Krisis Ekonomi 1997-1998, negara kita tentu sudah menghadapi “social unrest”.
Saya tak yakin terhadap Nor Mohamed, Menteri Kewangan Kedua. Jangan lupa dia habis rizab Bank Negara apabila dia main judi dengan sterling (duit British) dalam 1992-1993. Nasib baik, dia dibela oleh Dr. Mahathir. Gabenor Bank Negara, buat apa? Dia bukan macam Tun Ismail Ali and Tan Sri Aziz Taha. Mereka berdua berani dan tegas.
Lebai Badawi hanya tahu ratit saja. Dia banyak cakap kosong. Kalau kita tidak fokus dan bertindak dengan segera, sakit lah kita semua nanti dalam 2006 and 2007. Jangan turut IMF. Kerajaan kena belanja secara pruden. Bawa balik duit Petronas yang disimpan di luar negara dan gunakan duit itu dan wang KWSP (jual bon Kerajaan) untuk pembangunan.
Doa saja, tak cukup, Lebai Badawi. Sedar lah.
Di Majlis Perhimpunan UMNO minggu depan, nasib orang Melayu saja yang akan dibincang. Hal kaum India tidak penting bagi perwakilan UMNO. Jadi orang India mesti membela nasib sendiri. Jangan harap pertolongan UMNO.
Terima Kasih.
July 16th, 2005 at 9:37 pm
Dear Bakri,
I have been reading various comments from Malaysians on your “Indian” piece. Some of them are from those living abroad. For example, engineer Anton Sockalingam lives in Berlin. Germany.
The responses have been very good and you can expect more. Let us hope those “fat cats” in MIC will react to your article. Otherwise, they show to all od us that they are not interested in the fate of their less fortunate kind.
I am pleased first of all because your web blog is providing space for our concerned country men and women to share their ideas. I find their comments mature and responsible, although I detect growing concern about Badawi’s leadership and his lack of policy direction and actions on the Malaysian economy. Secondly, your web blog is reaching Malaysians overseas who have ideas and suggestions which transcend ethnicity, and other readers around the world.
As you know, everything we do in Malaysia is crafted and caged in terms of race, religion, cutlure, and class. We do not seem to be able to look at national issues and concerns without these distortions. We are not able to rise about parochial matters. Surely, our minds cannot be that small and petty.
The ideas and suggestions here merit serious consideration by politicians, academics and policy advisors. This is because they are written by ordinary Malaysians who have a genuine interest in the future of our country.
Since your audience are international, I would like to make a modest attempt to translate Asnil Ahmad’s comments:
“What Teoh and Mr. Ghouse (Pak is used for some one who is elder) said are true.
No one in our Government is serious about the direction and the present state of our economy. Dato Mustapha and the National Economic Action Council (this is called NEAC/MTEN, which is chaired by the Prime Minister himself) are still asleep (in denial?). Tok Pa (a local Kelantanese name for Dato Mustapha) is himself soft (meaning weak or indecisive).
Unlike the time when Dr. Mahathir was the Prime Minister. Dr Mahathir had Daim (Dain Zainuddin was then Minister of Finance and Executive Director of NEAC/MTEN). Both of them took decisive action. If Badawi (Lebai is used to refer to someone who has religious education) were the Prime Minister during the Economic Crisis, 1997-1998, our country would have certainly experienced social unrest.
I have no confidence in Nor Mohamed, Second Finance Minister. Do not forget he lost Bank Negara reserves when he gambled on sterling in 1992-1993. Fortunately, he was protected by Dr. Mahathir. What is the Bank Negara (Central Bank) Governor doing? She is not like the previous Governors, Tun Ismail Ali and Tan Sri Aziz Taha. They both were brave and decisive.
Lebai Badawi only knows how recite prayers. He only engages in “empty” talk. If we do not focus and act with urgency, we will suffer come 2006 and 2007. Do not follow the IMF. The Government must spend prudently. Bring back Petronas funds which are kept overseas, and use it and savings from the Employees Provident Fund (sell Government bonds) for development.
Prayers are not enough Lebai Badawi. Please realise this.
The forthcoming UMNO General Assembly next week will discuss the destiny and fate of the Malays. The issues affecting the Indian community are not important to these UMNO delegates. So the Indians must champion their own future. Don’t expect help from UMNO.
Thank you”.
Would you be responding to these comments in a composite piece later when you are able to find free time from your medical commitments?
Regards.
July 17th, 2005 at 7:43 pm
Mr Zimmermann,
Your comments are irrelevant to the issues we are discussing here.
Please find another website where your online casino comment can be posted. Thank you.
September 25th, 2005 at 9:34 pm
Keadilan sesuatu yang sangat berat untuk dipertimbangkan. Kita tidak dapat memuaskan semua kehendak pada masa yang sama. Nasib kaum india di negara ini tidak banyak bezanya dari dulu hingga sekarang berbanding dengan mereka yang menetap di bandar. Mereka yang menetap di ladang-ladang masih jauh ketinggalan dalam mengecapi perubahan dan taraf hidup mereka. Orang-orang India yang telah maju dan menetap di bandar-bandar besar telah mula mementingkan diri sendiri dan mengabaikan keperluan orang india yang jauh ketinggalan dalam pembangunan negara. Ini adalah disebabkan masing-masing tidak bersungguh-sungguh untuk membantu masyarakat india itu sendiri. Kita kekurangan semangat sayangkan bangsa kita! Kita kekurangan sikap memajukan bangsa kita sendiri. Itu adalah hakikat yang sukar diterima tetapi ada kebenaran disebaliknya. Kita perlu sedar kebenaran ini. Mengapakah bangsa India hingga kini kebanyakkan mereka masih menjadi “Kuli”? Kita bukannya bangsa malas tetapi lihatlah sendiri siapakah yang berkerja keras di ladang-ladang getah, kelapa sawit, membina jalan raya dan sebagainya. Adakah kita tidak berkerja keras? Masalah kita tidak mendapat gaji yang setimpal dengan usaha kita kerana kita kekurangan ilmu pergetahuan. Mengapa kita tidak menjalinkan hubungan dengan syarikat-syarikat luarnegara yang besar dalam pelaburan dan memberi peluang perkerjaan kepada anak-anak kita yang sedia berkerja? Kebanyakkan daripada bangsa kita berpengetahuan, dan mengapa pengetahuan ini tidak
digunakan dalam pembangunan bangsa kita? Kita harus bersungguh-sungguh dan ikhlas dalam membangunkan bangsa kita tanpa menyalahkan orang lain kerana “Bersatu Kita Teguh, Bercerai Kita Roboh”! Kita harus bersama daripada bersendiri bagi kemajuan bangsa kita bersama. Ambil yang Jernih dan Buang yang Keruh!!! Hentikan membuat ulasan dan kritikan tetapi fikiran yang terbaik bagi Kemajuan bangsa kita!!!! Anniyan….
February 10th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Good writing. Do you have an RSS feed where can I suscribe? I tried using bloglines but couldn’t.
February 13th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
Very true. You always seem to get your facts right.
Avax
April 8th, 2006 at 2:38 am
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June 20th, 2006 at 3:03 am
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