The 50th Malaysia Day had been the most troubling Malaysian anniversary since it was declared a public holiday four years ago, for only two days earlier, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had virtually renounced his reformist credentials as Prime Minister for all Malaysians as well as the torch-bearer for national transformation, whether governmental, political or economic.
Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said Najib’s announcement of the RM31 billion Bumiputra Economic Enforcement Plan two days before Malaysia Day was “a very lucky day” and “the most-awaited event”, and it is understandable why Muhyiddin was so elated, for it marked the triumph of his “Malay first, Malaysian second” stand and the ignominous trouncing of Najib’s 1Malaysia policy in less than four years.
It was in March 2010 that I challenged Muhyiddin and all the Cabinet Ministers at the time whether they fully supported Najib’s 1Malaysia Policy, reminding them that the goal of 1Malaysia as spelt out by the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap was “to make Malaysia ….a greater nation: a nation where, it is hoped, every Malaysian perceives himself or herself as Malaysian first, and by race, religion, geographical region or socio-economic background second and where the principles of 1Malaysia are woven into the economic, political and social fabric of society”.
I had specifically asked Muhyiddin and all the Cabinet Ministers whether they were prepared to declare that they were “Malaysian first” and their race second.
There was total silence from all the Cabinet Ministers at the time after Muhyiddin had declared that he was “Malay first” and then only a Malaysian.
It is pathetic that in the past four years, there was only one UMNO Minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, who dared to publicly declare that he is Malaysian first and Malay second.
Even Najib himself had never ever declared that he is “Malaysian first, Malay second” despite his proclamation of the 1Malaysia signature policy in the past four years.
In fact, in July 2011, Najib dodged the question when asked at the Malaysian Students Leaders’ Summit whether he was prepared to state that he was Malaysian first and what he thought of Muhyiddin’s infamous remark of being “Malay first and Malaysian next”.
Najib did not answer the question, saying: “I don’t want to respond in a way that will divide me from my deputy. 1Malaysia is our guiding philosophy. It does not matter what you say, just as long as you follow (the 1Malaysia concept).”
The Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Plan is Najib’s double-barrelled repudiation of his two most important policy formulations after becoming Prime Minister in April 2009 – the New Economic Model (NEM) which promised a needs-and-merit based transformation of the affirmative programme to uplift the quality of life of the low-income 40% of the households, regardless of ethnic groups, and the 1Malaysia Policy based on the concept of fairness to all where no group would be marginalised and support and opportunities are provided on the basis of need and merit.
The Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Plan is a sad commentary on the dismal failures of Najib’s 1Malaysia Policy predicated on the basis that the principles of 1Malaysia with Malaysians regarding themselves first as Malaysians and by race, religion, region or socio-economic status second are woven into all aspects of Malaysian nation-building policies as well as in the economic, political and social fabric of society.
The Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Plan must be faulted on two grounds: the marginalisation of the non-Malays in Malaysia and the continued hegemony of Umno-putras to be the main beneficiaries of the RM31 billion Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Plan as during the years of New Economic Policy (NEP) creating fortunes and wealth for the UMNO few in the name of the upliftment and advancement of the bumiputra many but who remain in poor in the low-income 40% of Malaysian households.
You can say he backtrack, going back to old habits, repeating failed policy etc. etc..Its not going to really change that many votes.
The truth is what he is doing is WASTING MONEY – he is the prodigal son his father said he was – ultimately a failure – except WE PAY FOR HIS FAILURE. He is wasting money and time because all it does is slow down the things that need to be done, that has to be done sooner or later – things he never could do..
4 years from now, removed subsiidies and rising taxes will have been spent or will be spent to win the election for UMNO. We get lower tax home pay to pay for more expensive things and with more debts to pay – with lesser prospects.
What else does the Bumis want ?
BEEP ! Kaching !
another case of Janji dicapati
AND they won’t get where they promise they will get to.. Worst still, the longer they delay doing what must be done – force those that already can stand on their feet to compete instead of coddling them, the worst it will be when the crunch comes, when it gets tough as it will ALWAYS happen sooner or later..
Malay Chamber of Commerce: set up a bank for bumis.
ha, ha……deja vu.
they had a bank bumiputra, remember ?
ha, ha….it was the laughing stock of the world.
why another bank ?
The Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Plan is Najib’s TREBLE-barrelled repudiation of the New Economic Model, 1Malaysia policy and his promise of post-GE13 reconciliation. How can there be post-GE13 reconciliation when Najib said the Bumiputera Economic Empowerment Plan is aimed to THANK the Malay supporters?
Mr Lim,
The only bumiputeras who will be “empowered” by Najib’s plan are the UMNO/BN cronies.
These already wealthy cronies represent a mere fraction of the bumiputeras, and will simply get wealthier.
The other bumiputeras, Malays, Ibans, Bidayuh, etc, who desperately need the economic leg-up, will remain as they are – poor.
So much so for empowering bumiputeras.
Malay rights group Perkasa wants the government to pump in RM1.4 trillion to Bumiputeras so that it achieves a Gross National Income (GNI) of RM900 billion by 2020.
Right now, the GNI of Bumiputeras is RM56 million. So to achieve RM900 billion by 2020, the government must provide funds worth RM1.4 trillion to Bumiputeras,” said Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali at a press conference here.
When asked about the feasibility of his demands given the country’s mounting debts, Ibrahim said this should not be a problem. The first thing the government must do is make the rakyat happy…..
Debts should not be a problem if we have good governance. In any case, God will help us. We are capable of doing this,” added Ibrahim…..
Now, those pakcik and makcik who voted for UMNO should ask IbrahimsonofAli how much of this 1.4 trillion would actually goes to them.
Bumiputera economic policy will make Malays lazy, says Zaid.
And… flabby minds.
And…. uncompetitive spirit.
And …. dependency-syndrome.
And…. couldn’t-care-less attitude.
And… Malay Dilemma.
And… Deja vu’.
And….ad infinitum.
And … PM Najib… you are a Malay…. you are welcome to be lazy, flabby, dependent, couldn’t-care-less and become Malays’ worst problem in history.
Go ahead.
The non-Malays ill only get more competitive and become world-beaters… (that would happen naturally) and UMNO Malays can only scream and shout mindlessly when that happens. Of course, umno-style would then be ‘ask for 30% handicap in every d##n thing’.
Can you not understand why UITM is 700th or worse in the world? No competition.
of course the retarded muyiddin and the dependent retarded cronies are elated. Free money is coming their way.
surely we and many more have no respect whatsoever for these money-sucking-gnat b@stards.
Allocation to empower the malays.
95% for umnoputras.
5% in the form of microloans to the rest of the malays.
Yeah. Perfect. Everyone would be happy.
Endless Possibilities.
Unlimited Stupidity.
Africans were blighted until today by the very same thing – handouts.
And umno is determined to create a dependency mentality amongst the malays.
Good luck to the malays.
Ha ha ha, ajib’s 1Malaysia is now shortened to 1Malay?
The Malay Chamber of Commerce wants a Bank only for Bumiputra?
Do you know why they want a Bank only for Bumiputra?
Ha ha ha ha ha, your guess is as good as mine!
This is just the start of stashing up dirty fund to finance the next phase of obliterating the opposition forces by hook or by crook.