Around the world affirmative action policies are based on redressing historical and ongoing discrimination. There is nothing that says the ethnic majority always holds economic power. If a minority group holds disproportionate power and discriminates against the majority, then affirmative action is called for.
If I may infer , Sir @
Developereo , I would like to say that the British may be at fault for cultivating a wrong and erroneous assumption that Malays are 'lazy', are 'not as aggressive' in terms of economics and finance, and 'needed' British protectionism , almost anti-Sangley laws to prevent the domination of the indigenous inhabitants, the Malays. What I notice is that most of the European imperials in Asia and Southeast Asia implemented anti-Sangley laws. I think in the Philippines, the Spanish had also implemented laws to bar and prevent the Chinese immigrants from acquiring land, even preventing the Chinese to marry with the local people.
In my opinion, it was this culture of espousing Malay 'inferiority' and their tendency to be 'taken advantaged of' was the very etiology of this current Bumiputra System. Bumiputra, if we analyze its use in context to the social structure is to put the Malays in upper or equal bearing in comparison to the Malaysian Chinese or Malaysian Indians. As if the Malays have some kind of educational or intellectual deficiency. In fact this affirmative action in favor of the Malays in Malaysia ingrains in the minds of not only the Chinese, Indians, but even the Malays that there is some kind of intellectual depravity on part of the Malays, which I think is unfounded. So thus, this affirmative action should be removed.
If we examine Indonesia, the majority of the population belongs to the Javanese and Sundanese ethnic group, but there are no preferential laws that favors Javanese or Sundanese groups, rather, Indonesia espouses an inclusive culture of the national body. Either one is Javanese, Sundanese, Malay, Madurese, Batak, Minang Kabau, Betawi, Tionghoa, Balinese, Banjarese or Papuan, they are all Indonesian. I think this is what the government in Malaysia need to consider if they want to address the ethnic sensitivities in their nation. Because I can tell you, from scholarly journals and reports, the Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indians (about 35% of the population) feel that they are second class citizens.
Your idea will not work in Indonesia, Indonesia comprises of so many ethnics and races each of them feeling they are must be better than any other ethnic. In paper the idea of Bhineka Tunggal Ika aka diverse in Unity is sound like a dreams and very nice in which we had dreamed to create a Nation in the land of so many ethnics and all of them have their own cultures and civilization, but it was so hard to reach them. In the past we are using a lot of military intervention, concession, diplomatic and political approach to reach what we have achieved today. Actually, we had fighting against so many rebellions in our so many provinces and Islands. The last largest rebellion happened not too far away, in Aceh circa 2003-2006, and till today we are facing small scale insurgencies in Papua. But yet Indonesia can hold herself together, building, rising yet suffering all together, if not for Indonesian principles to giving the equal rights and responsibilities for all of our ethnics and peoples regardless his/her races. Some minor problems is happened but we can corrected and fixing it with each passing times. There is no need for any special and privileged rights for any ethnics in Indonesia, the last time we do it we are facing the hard times and we don't want to repeat the same mistakes we did in the past.
You know this is very interesting because both Indonesia and the Philippines are examples of how there is a policy of inclusion. In regards to Jakarta, the Assimilation policy as touted BY Suharto is what helped bridge the gap of the ethnic divide, and tho it may have been sensitive in the beginning, in the current era, it seems to have worked. Indonesia, as a Republican Democracy, is an example of how a nation can be 1) multicultural, 2) integrated), 3) muslim majority can be a successful Republic and Democracy. The Philippines, too, has a policy of inclusion amongst the ethnic groups that make up its Republic, as well as takes into consideration of the many muslims that inhabit the country.
(I don't like to touch Islam because this is a touchy subject, I do avoid it. This about the government effort to improve racial ties during Prime Minister Badawi racial integration)
I do feel Islam is partly(before you start flaming) a reason, I can give example in an open house celebration or wedding, as a Chinese we can go to an Indian house and Muslim house celebration. But a muslim won't come or eat our food despite being halal, they are disgusted by our cooking utensil and sin to observe the wedding ceremony/celebration. A Chinese can go with Indian for drinking night and talk cock sing song.
You know assimilation would be weird in Malaysia. First of all, we will be adopting Arab names instead of Malay name. Which is weird, since they are mostly arab muslim names. I haven't seen a genuine malay name for a long time. Chinese with muslim name but not muslim. What about minorities in Sabah, and Sarawak. I can guarantee they will vote for succession because of that special clause sign during the union. Why, because it will look as a attempt to convert them into Islam and Malaysia turning into Islamic state.
I can tell you some funny thing about Malaysia, the Natives living on the jungle in peninsular Malaysia are not considered Bumiputera despite living there for god knows how long unless they converted to muslim. Some did, some did not, some got trick into it after accepting aid (lesser known stuff usually not reported). Even Thais I know of, in state bordering Thailand, are not bumiputera. According to them they been living there for generations before the Malays came, and stole their land after independent. Luckily Sabah and Sarawak includes all native minorities.
Then there always the politics in democratic society. There will be a sink in racial ties during election period. For some reason, the government allows its party ranks to use racial card while the opposition cannot(opposition goes to jail ONLY). The government spew racist venom onto Malay to win election. I rather stop having democracy if it is for the sake of racial relations.
Kuala Lumpur needs to abide by its policy and declaration. From my reviews of scholarly journals and peer-reviewed political articles on Bumpitura, this new economic policy which was promulgated in 1971 was intended to last only 20 years. It was supposed to be terminated in 1991. I find it almost ludicrous that Kuala Lumpur has reneged on the termination of the Bumiputra Policy in 1991. I still do not understand the reason why they are still continuing this affirmative action plan to this very day , in 2014.
For me, there should be no racial preferential treatment amongst citizens. Malaysian is Malaysian, who cares if a Malaysian is ethnically Desi (South Asian) or ethnically Han (Chinese). They're still Malaysian. They should abrogate this policy that keeps almost 10 million Malaysians (of Chinese, Indian and racially mixed stock) practically as second class citizens with second class rights.
