Indian Discontent in Malaysia

Ray · 11-27-2007, 00:08 AM

Quote:

Indian Discontent in Malaysia

Zafar Anjum

26 November 2007

The country’s “third race” airs its grievances

The harsh reaction by Kuala Lumpur’s police Sunday to a protest organized by the Hindu Action Force, a pressure group established to further the cause of Malaysia’s 2 million Indians, turns the spotlight on the country’s third largest ethnic group and the problems it has faced for decades.

Tensions have been inflamed recently with the accelerated destruction of Hindu temples by the government. Although many have been built without permits on government land, they have been in place for decades. Three have been bulldozed this year to make way for road construction and a housing development and another three are due for demolition over the next few months.

The Kuala Lumpur police set up road blocks for three days in advance of the demonstration and charged the group’s leaders with sedition. As they had on Nov. 10 against the pressure group Bersih calling for election reform, the police confronted an estimated 10,000 Indian demonstrators with water cannon and tear gas. Some police were armed with submachine guns, weapons they rarely carry openly, as helicopters hovered overhead.

This demonstration was notably more aggressive than the Nov. 10 one, which was multiracial and led not only by Bersih, a good-government organization, but three opposition parties. Defying an order that the protest was illegal, the protesters Sunday, many of them swinging motorcycle helmets as weapons, threw cans and bottles. Disobeying an order to disperse, they gathered outside the city’s gleaming Petronas Towers, with police chasing them down side streets. Scores also gathered at the huge, Batu Caves north of Kuala Lumpur, which is filled with Hindu statues and other objects of worship.

The Hindu Action Force, three of whose leaders were arrested Friday and charged with sedition in advance of the protests, sought to present a petition to the British High Commission asking Queen Elizabeth to appoint a Queen’s Counsel to represent the Indian community. Hundreds of police from Malaysia’s Federal Reserve Unit and the General Operations Force were stationed in the vicinity of the British High Commission in an effort to thwart their progress. In August, the group filed a US$4 trillion class-action suit against the British government in London, asking compensation for being brought to the rubber plantations.

At issue in the protest is the odd niche that Indians, some 7 to 8 percent of the population, occupy in Malaysian society. Brought to what was then British Malaya to work in rubber plantations, they occupy the bottom rung of modern society at the same time their numbers are over-represented in medicine, the law, civil service, the police and information technology. Ananda Krishnan (worth $4.6 billion in Forbes' list of Malaysian billionaires), of Sri Lankan descent, is the second richest tycoon in Malaysia. He owns pay TV operator Astro All Asia Networks and telecom major Maxis, among other businesses. Tony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia, is one of Malaysia's most successful entrepreneurs. Born in Kuala Lumpur of Indian descent, Fernandes revolutionized budget air travel in Asia and has been called the "Asian Branson."

The Indians’ presence in Malaysia, however, is much more complicated than that. Migration started in the second half of the 19th century when the British brought Tamils and Telugus from the south of India as indentured laborers, primarily to work on rubber plantations, rail lines and the ports. A second wave, mostly from Northern India, came to man the police force and become civil servants. That included Tamils from Sri Lanka and Indians from Kerala – including the father of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who has always been somewhat coy about his Indian roots. Yet a third stream came as traders, Anjum writes.

Yet another wave of Indian migration arrived starting in the 1970s, according to Anjum. In particular, as Mahathir pushed the dream of Malaysia as an IT hub, they were sought after to develop the country’s information technology base, with Malaysia formally signing a Memorandum of Understanding with India for manpower recruitment on a contract basis in 2007. Today, Malaysia’s overseas Indian population is the largest outside the United States.

But outside the legions of professionals, the rubber and palm oil plantations of Malaysia’s interior are still home to some of the poorest residents of the country, their health stunted by malnutrition and their lives marked by lack of upward mobility. In 2000, Time Magazine reported that Indians had the lowest share of the nation's corporate wealth: 1.5%, compared to 19.4% for Malays and 38.5% for Chinese. The highest rate of suicide of any community is among Indians. Gangsterism and violent crime is largely associated with Indians. Some 15% of the Indians in the capital are squatters.”

While some blame Malaysia’s racial policies as the barrier to Indian social wellbeing, with Malays betting on the country’s affirmative action policy and the Chinese being formidable in commerce and business, others blame the Indians themselves. The Malaysian Indian Congress, the ethnic-based party that represents the Indian minority in the ruling coalition, is widely looked upon as ineffective if not corrupt.

Race is the big divide in Malaysia. During his 20 years as prime minister, Mahathir sought to uplift Malays, guaranteeing them a large share of business opportunities. The Chinese, the biggest minority, were supposed to lose their disproportionate share of the country's economy. But the real losers were Indians. Due to their colonial legacy, they are generally seen as providers of cheap labor in plantations and construction sites, their political and social mobility has been thwarted.

Amarjit Kaur, professor of Economic History, at the University of New England in Australia, attributes this partly to caste distinctions. She writes in The Encyclopedia of Indian Diaspora: "The underperformance of the Indian working class may be attributed to the fact that Indian workers were drawn from the less favored caste groups. Thus they continue to be weighed down by the low self-esteem that usually characterizes members of groups belonging to the lower castes and is worsened by lack of the interaction between the well-off and the less well-off Indians.... The marginalization of working-class Indians is reflected in their poor performance in business, equity ownership and employment in professional sectors and the civil service. The disadvantaged position of the majority in the Indian community has contributed to a sense of dispossession and disadvantage among many Indians in Malaysia."

Sarala Sukumaran, 40, a Malaysian Indian entrepreneur who runs an IT firm, says: ""I know many Indian families who want to get out of Malaysia. There are two main reasons behind the backwardness of Indians. One is that we are a minority here, and two, the politicians who represent us do not promote our cause."

Sukumaran is a third generation Malaysian Indian. Her grandparents came to Malaysia in the 1930s to work in the plantations in Penang.

“I feel that we are not aggressive enough as a community in terms of unleashing our entrepreneurial potential. That's why our evolution has been very slow. Comparatively, look at the Tamils from Sri Lanka,” she said. “They have a more close-knit community feeling, they help uplift each other and they are certainly doing much better than the Indians."

After the racial riots of May 1969, Malaysian leaders emphasized the establishment of a united nation and a national culture transcending ethnic identities. The dominant culture in this set-up is Malay with some elements from other cultures supporting it.

Even some new Indians, want to get out. "Being non-bumiputras in Malaysia, we can never settle down here," says Nishant Upadhyay, 30, an instructional designer. "We know that getting a permanent residency is next to impossible so we are looking at opportunities in countries like Singapore and Australia where we can easily settle down and start a family."

Many Indian IT professionals have still not gotten over the mistreatment of 300 Indian citizens in March 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, which was widely reported in the Indian press. Security agencies reportedly interrogated them rudely in a search for illegal immigrants, but all the Indians possessed valid residency documents. Subsequently Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, then the deputy prime minister, apologized for the incident.

But there are frequent reports of abuse of Indian workers and Bumiputra politics disadvantage Indians in education and work opportunities. Local university seats and scholarships are awarded under a racial quota system, and even after getting a degree, many say that discrimination is commonplace. Indian doctors, for instance, complain that they are often excluded from lists of approved doctors whom civil servants or company employees can patronize.

The conversion of rubber plantations to housing estates and golf courses also has displaced plantation workers who have drifted to urban centers. As a result, urban Indian ghettos have emerged and crime has escalated.

Many Indians blame government policies for their backwardness, a charge rejected by mainstream politicians. Says Malaysian politician Shahrir Abdul Samad: "The Indian community problems are more than just equity. Most of their problems are social problems, such as gangsterism. I admit Indians are among the poorest in this country, but their participation and achievements in many other fields are amazing."

Indian Malaysians discover themselves in a bind. Most have resigned themselves to their plight while discontent simmers within the community. But how long can Malaysia afford to allow 8 percent of its population to feel alienated?

Asia Sentinel - Indian Discontent in Malaysia

Any comments?

However, I find it amusing that the caste system is being blamed. It is the all encompassing panacea to brush reality under the carpet!

If all are "low caste", then where is the divide?

HKDan · 11-27-2007, 01:01 AM

Fascinating article sir,

I had no idea that Mahatir Mohammed was of Indian descent. I had previously just assumed that he was Malay. Do you have any more info on this?

LongshotSNN · 11-27-2007, 01:38 AM

I think it used to be taboo to say it out loud in public, but it was an open secret of sorts that Dr. M was a "mamak", or had Muslim-Indian "blood" in his heritage. In spite of his being the political leader of the Malay UMNO and by extension, the chief executive. So yeah, he's part-Indian.

That said, there have been already 2 major demonstrations. Brig. Ray posted the BERSIH street demonstrations about 2 weeks ago and then this. If BERSIH, which was an Opposition-supported call for electoral reform, was led by the Islamic party (PAS) and participated by a huge amount of Malays, and HINDRAF is for the Indian Hindus, then when is it the Malaysian Chinese's turn?

The last one is a rhetorical question. Chinese, or at least those in M'sia and S'pore seldom have this stomach to stage demonstrations.

Ray · 11-27-2007, 04:47 AM

The Chinese don't have to take to the street.

They control the economy.

And at will, they can become Datuks.

Too much of backchat from the Malay Moslems, and they will topple the govt! No demonstrations required!

Malays dislike the Chinese more than they dislike Indians, but they can do fanny adams about it!

LongshotSNN · 11-27-2007, 07:00 AM

You over-estimate the grip over the Malaysian economy by the ethnic Chinese. Sure, they supposedly control the economy. For now. Even though there was a recent study by a Malaysian think-tank which discussed that the original target of achieving at least 30% control of the national economy for the bumiputeras had been achieved. Of course, the head had to then resigned after admitting that perhaps there were errors in the research.

Even so, the government's taking steps to reduce the hold by lower- and middle class Chinese have on the local economy.

As for becoming Datuks, there's a local joke about throwing a stone at a random person and he'll almost certainly be a Datuk

Backchat? Those tycoons are practically the lapdogs of the UMNO-puteras, getting their contracts through bribes and promised kick-backs. While the economy prospers, they're like the best of friends although there's always the hold they have on each other. Control? more like a pact with the devil.

People like them and their political masters can always get out of the country when the house of cards finally falls. It's the middle-class and the lower income non-Malays who'll be condemned to suffer along with the Malays who voted in their "saviours" to begin with.

Speaking of which, there are some good pictures of the HINDRAF protest and the police reprisal if you head to Screenshots

Jay · 11-27-2007, 21:17 PM

YouTube - Ethnic Indians protest in Malaysia

I'm glad that the Malaysian Indians finally had the guts to come out and protest out loud. The ruling asswipes ignored their silent cries for so long.

This political discontent will quickly loose steam and credibility if the govt starts painting them as religious zealots which they already have.

This blog by an ethnic Indian says it all,

Quote:

For all my life, I have referred to myself as Malaysian. When asked for the “race” field, I usually just leave it blank. On 29 September 2007, I registered to be a voter, and for the first time, I was really required to either place “Cina atau India” in the field (Chinese or Indian). This was a request by the worker at POS Malaysia, because apparently, my identity card (IC) lacks such information. I looked stumped for a while, and said, “Indian”.

Today, on Sunday, 25 November 2007, I can proudly say, that I will no longer be referring to myself as Malaysian - I will be now referring to myself as a Malaysian Indian. The idea of Bangsa Malaysia is a farce, and I’m tempted to rip out the Visit Malaysia 2007 sticker from my laptop, which suggests that we’re “Celebrating 50 years of nationhood”. Malaysia, might be Truly Asia, but there’s just a cauldron, brewing hate, in where the contents aren’t happy with the cooks.
Colin Charles Agenda » Blog Archive » Ethnic Indians go to the street in Malaysia, for the HINDRAF gathering

Quote:

TODAY OUR VOICE HAD BEEN FOUND AND THERE IS NO WAY WE ARE GOING TO LET IT FADE AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hindraf, proud day for Malaysian Indians | The Danesh Project

Jay · 11-27-2007, 22:55 PM

In response to what it termed "[t]he veiled threat of violence ... made explicit during last year's UMNO conference," The Economist criticised the social contract, calling it "absurd and unjust to tell the children of families that have lived in Malaysia for generations that, in effect, they are lucky not to be deported and will have to put up with second-class treatment for the rest of their lives, in the name of 'racial harmony'," and called policies based on the social contract "official racism".[12]

Social contract (Malaysia) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Samudra · 11-28-2007, 09:27 AM

The madness reaches Malaysia now!

Quote:

“But let’s go beyond cultural stereotyping and name-calling. In recent times, there have been several instances of “body-snatching”: the corpses of Hindu men have been taken away from their families by authorities and their last rites performed according to Muslim tradition. Countless temples have been demolished, and idols smashed – oftentimes in the middle of prayer sessions – and devotees have been attacked. It’s not just about reclaiming squatter land, as the authorities claim; it’s to say: the ways of your people are not welcome in this land.

It’s apartheid, says poet who fled Malaysia

Ray · 11-29-2007, 14:55 PM

Quote:

Malaysia's Biggest Liability Is Racial Discord: Andy Mukherjee

By Andy Mukherjee

Nov. 29 (Bloomberg) -- For a country that abhors public protests and suppresses them with strict rules against illegal assembly, Malaysia has had two big demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur just this month.

With elections expected to be held next year, a certain rise in political temperature isn't surprising.

However, two large street rallies within a month may also be a sign that the 50-year-old code defining the rules of engagement between the state and the three main ethnic groups -- the ``social contract'' of Malaysia -- is fraying.

The biggest source of discontent is race, a four-letter word in a country where three-fifths of the 27 million people are Malays, about a quarter of the population is Chinese and 10 percent is Indian.

Many in the minority Chinese and Indian communities are disenchanted with economic policies that favor the Malays.

And while privileges granted to the Malay Bumiputeras -- or ``sons of the soil'' -- can't be taken away abruptly, the case for separating entitlements from racial identity is building.

There are, of course, limits to how far Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi may be prepared to go and how soon.

To the extent affirmative-action policies make Malaysia unattractive to foreign investors, Abdullah has already shown a willingness to respond. The government has said that companies setting up tourism or logistics businesses in the Iskandar Development Region of Johor won't need to comply with a rule requiring foreign companies to have at least 30 percent ethnic Malay ownership.

Investments, Trade

This is a welcome step because Malaysia received just $6 billion of foreign direct investment last year. Thailand got $10 billion and India received $17 billion.

Ending preferential treatment for Malays in lucrative government contracts is going to be more problematic.

Free-trade talks with the U.S. and Australia have been delayed and the ones with New Zealand have had to be suspended primarily because Malaysia's policy of discouraging non-Malays -- including foreigners -- from bidding on government tenders is unacceptable to these countries.

The same issue might also jeopardize a free-trade deal between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- of which Malaysia is a member -- and the European Union.

1969 Riots

The Federation of Malaya's 1957 constitution, which was drafted as the British were leaving, recognized that the indigenous Malay community needed special help, including quotas in government jobs, business permits and university places, to improve their abject economic standing.

The acceptance of this arrangement by the minority Chinese and Indian communities -- ``foreigners'' in the land of the ethnic Malay Muslims -- was seen as the basis of their citizenship and participation in a grand political coalition that has ruled Malaysia uninterrupted since independence.

Following bloody race riots in 1969, the New Economic Policy of 1970 made it an avowed goal of state policy to lift the share of corporate ownership for the Bumiputeras to 30 percent, from just 2 percent.

There was an uproar last year when a Malaysian economist argued in a study that the goal may already have been more than met and it was time to dismantle economic policies based on race.

`Sacred' Arrangement?

The political rhetoric is still staunchly against any such dilution of affirmative action. At his party's annual congress this month, Abdullah described Malay interests and the social contract between communities as ``sacred.''

However, the economic reality is different.

Malaysia's annual per-capita income has jumped an impressive 26-fold in the past 50 years to 20,900 ringgit ($6,200). But the decades of sustained, rapid growth in prosperity are now history.

The rise of China and India is forcing Malaysia to discover new sources of competitiveness; in such an environment, the policy of race-based discrimination is increasingly untenable.

The area where Malaysia has paid the heaviest price is education. In the 1980s, government policy reduced national schools to ``Malay enclaves,'' in the words of University of Sydney political scientist Lily Zubaidah Rahim; as a result, the Chinese opted out in large numbers.

Thus, the ideal place to integrate the races became the starting point of segregation.

While ethnic quotas in higher education were removed in 2002, university entrance norms for non-Malays are still significantly tougher. Talent that Malaysia badly needs to build a knowledge-driven economy is forced to migrate.

Renegotiating the Contract

The Nov. 10 protests called for an improvement in the electoral process so that the next polls are free and fair; the second rally, however, had an overt racial tone.

The Hindu Rights Action Force, which organized the demonstration, is suing the British government for not protecting the rights of the minority Indian community at the time of independence. The colonial rulers had brought in Indians as indentured labor to work on rubber plantations.

The real purpose of the protesters is, of course, to draw attention to the unfairness of the 1957 constitutional arrangement and to show that the Malays aren't the only underclass in Malaysia.

The Tamil-speaking Malaysians, not counting the very wealthy businessmen such as pay-TV and telecommunications czar T. Ananda Krishnan, remain rather poor as a community.

A renegotiation of the Malaysian social contract so that entitlements are realigned with real economic needs will be a slow, challenging process, though nothing short of it can really heal the wounds festering for half a century.

(Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer of this column: Andy Mukherjee in Singapore at amukherjee@bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: November 28, 2007 17:41 EST
Bloomberg.com: Opinion

What's your take?

stupid · 11-29-2007, 20:44 PM

ray sir, cool blue avtar.

wkllaw · 11-29-2007, 21:27 PM

I welcome any Chinese person who leaves that country and that entire region to places like Singapore, China, Canada and other countries. Many Chinese people have been unfairly discriminated against, hated and received unfair treatment.

If the Malaysians dislike the Chinese so much, then why don't the chinese take all the business and take their skills to other countries that want skilled talent.

Zeng · 11-29-2007, 23:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wkllaw

I welcome any Chinese person who leaves that country and that entire region to places like Singapore, China, Canada and other countries. Many Chinese people have been unfairly discriminated against, hated and received unfair treatment.

If the Malaysians dislike the Chinese so much, then why don't the chinese take all the business and take their skills to other countries that want skilled talent.

There are two types of Chinese there. The rich ones have real estates there and they are the upper class there. They don't need to live there. They just make money there.

There are also poor Chinese there. They just don't have a way to leave there. Today, China is still not strong enough to accept them back to China.

The only option is trying to become stronger and trying to establish better relation with different group of people pursuing for a reasonable right.

Ray · 11-30-2007, 00:25 AM

Why should the Chinese who have contributed so much for Malaysia and still continue to engine its economy inspite of unfavourable conditions, not being Bhumiputras, quit Malaysia?

The Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore are unique in their own way since they have adopted Malaysian ways.

I met some and they are different in their ways than, should I say, the Indian Chinese!

One of my son in law's relative is a Chinese Malaysian, while another is an Indonesian Moslem Malaysian. Should they quit Malaysia and leave everything that they and their ancestors have built up in Malaysia. Are they in anyway not as Malaysian as the Moslem Malay Bhumiputras?

amiosman · 11-30-2007, 02:08 AM

Hi all,

As a Malay Malaysian I do not pretend to understand what other races have gone thru for the past 4 decades. I wouldn't know how it feels like to be a Malaysian but at the same time feel like a foreigner in your own country.

Lets face it, if we really are striving for the Malaysian Malaysia concept why do we still need to fill in official forms stating our race. Racism in Malaysia is alive and well.

Going thru school I had many Indian & Chinese friends and almost all deserving of a seat in the local universities but thru the government's bumiputra policies I got my degree when a lot of my more deserving non-malay friends found it difficult to further their studies. If you weren't rich you're basically screwed. These policies, be they right or wrong at the time, are probably not working now.

I'm not proud to say this & I may be said to be a traitor to my race but all these years of preferential treatment is bringing about malaise and a false sense of security of the malays. We have not competed on a level playing field and have become uncompetitive, unmotivated & totally dependent on government assistance. I feel I cannot learn from malays but hv to turn to others.

Maybe a new plan is needed to address the plights of the minority & to wean the dependancy of the 'masters', rapidly. Cold turkey or not it better start now. Policies made 40 years ago cannot be perpetual.

A justifiable roar from the Indian & Chinese community. A whimper of admmission from me.

Ray · 11-30-2007, 02:24 AM

amiosman,

Your post humbled me!

11-29-2007, 21:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
wkllaw Contributor Join Date: 03-07-07 Location: New York City or Hainan, China Posts: 579 Country:	I welcome any Chinese person who leaves that country and that entire region to places like Singapore, China, Canada and other countries. Many Chinese people have been unfairly discriminated against, hated and received unfair treatment. If the Malaysians dislike the Chinese so much, then why don't the chinese take all the business and take their skills to other countries that want skilled talent. __________________ Those who can't change become extinct.

11-30-2007, 00:25 AM	#13 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 26,149 Country:	Why should the Chinese who have contributed so much for Malaysia and still continue to engine its economy inspite of unfavourable conditions, not being Bhumiputras, quit Malaysia? The Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore are unique in their own way since they have adopted Malaysian ways. I met some and they are different in their ways than, should I say, the Indian Chinese! One of my son in law's relative is a Chinese Malaysian, while another is an Indonesian Moslem Malaysian. Should they quit Malaysia and leave everything that they and their ancestors have built up in Malaysia. Are they in anyway not as Malaysian as the Moslem Malay Bhumiputras? Last edited by Ray : 11-30-2007 at 00:29 AM.

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11-27-2007, 01:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
HKDan Contributor Join Date: 05-23-06 Location: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou, wherever the wife drags me Posts: 406 Country:	Fascinating article sir, I had no idea that Mahatir Mohammed was of Indian descent. I had previously just assumed that he was Malay. Do you have any more info on this?

11-27-2007, 01:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
LongshotSNN Regular Join Date: 11-16-05 Posts: 141	I think it used to be taboo to say it out loud in public, but it was an open secret of sorts that Dr. M was a "mamak", or had Muslim-Indian "blood" in his heritage. In spite of his being the political leader of the Malay UMNO and by extension, the chief executive. So yeah, he's part-Indian. That said, there have been already 2 major demonstrations. Brig. Ray posted the BERSIH street demonstrations about 2 weeks ago and then this. If BERSIH, which was an Opposition-supported call for electoral reform, was led by the Islamic party (PAS) and participated by a huge amount of Malays, and HINDRAF is for the Indian Hindus, then when is it the Malaysian Chinese's turn? The last one is a rhetorical question. Chinese, or at least those in M'sia and S'pore seldom have this stomach to stage demonstrations.

11-27-2007, 04:47 AM	#4 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 26,149 Country:	The Chinese don't have to take to the street. They control the economy. And at will, they can become Datuks. Too much of backchat from the Malay Moslems, and they will topple the govt! No demonstrations required! Malays dislike the Chinese more than they dislike Indians, but they can do fanny adams about it!

11-27-2007, 07:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
LongshotSNN Regular Join Date: 11-16-05 Posts: 141	You over-estimate the grip over the Malaysian economy by the ethnic Chinese. Sure, they supposedly control the economy. For now. Even though there was a recent study by a Malaysian think-tank which discussed that the original target of achieving at least 30% control of the national economy for the bumiputeras had been achieved. Of course, the head had to then resigned after admitting that perhaps there were errors in the research. Even so, the government's taking steps to reduce the hold by lower- and middle class Chinese have on the local economy. As for becoming Datuks, there's a local joke about throwing a stone at a random person and he'll almost certainly be a Datuk Backchat? Those tycoons are practically the lapdogs of the UMNO-puteras, getting their contracts through bribes and promised kick-backs. While the economy prospers, they're like the best of friends although there's always the hold they have on each other. Control? more like a pact with the devil. People like them and their political masters can always get out of the country when the house of cards finally falls. It's the middle-class and the lower income non-Malays who'll be condemned to suffer along with the Malays who voted in their "saviours" to begin with. Speaking of which, there are some good pictures of the HINDRAF protest and the police reprisal if you head to Screenshots

11-27-2007, 22:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jay Tamizhanban *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 08-06-03 Location: Edison, NJ Posts: 6,191 Country:	In response to what it termed "[t]he veiled threat of violence ... made explicit during last year's UMNO conference," The Economist criticised the social contract, calling it "absurd and unjust to tell the children of families that have lived in Malaysia for generations that, in effect, they are lucky not to be deported and will have to put up with second-class treatment for the rest of their lives, in the name of 'racial harmony'," and called policies based on the social contract "official racism".[12] Social contract (Malaysia) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

11-29-2007, 20:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
stupid Regular Join Date: 05-02-06 Posts: 69 Country:	ray sir, cool blue avtar.

11-30-2007, 02:08 AM	#14 (permalink)
amiosman New Member Join Date: 11-25-07 Posts: 7 Country:	Hi all, As a Malay Malaysian I do not pretend to understand what other races have gone thru for the past 4 decades. I wouldn't know how it feels like to be a Malaysian but at the same time feel like a foreigner in your own country. Lets face it, if we really are striving for the Malaysian Malaysia concept why do we still need to fill in official forms stating our race. Racism in Malaysia is alive and well. Going thru school I had many Indian & Chinese friends and almost all deserving of a seat in the local universities but thru the government's bumiputra policies I got my degree when a lot of my more deserving non-malay friends found it difficult to further their studies. If you weren't rich you're basically screwed. These policies, be they right or wrong at the time, are probably not working now. I'm not proud to say this & I may be said to be a traitor to my race but all these years of preferential treatment is bringing about malaise and a false sense of security of the malays. We have not competed on a level playing field and have become uncompetitive, unmotivated & totally dependent on government assistance. I feel I cannot learn from malays but hv to turn to others. Maybe a new plan is needed to address the plights of the minority & to wean the dependancy of the 'masters', rapidly. Cold turkey or not it better start now. Policies made 40 years ago cannot be perpetual. A justifiable roar from the Indian & Chinese community. A whimper of admmission from me.

11-30-2007, 02:24 AM	#15 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 26,149 Country:	amiosman, Your post humbled me!

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