Problems rooted to lack of meritocracy
Anita GuptaPublished: Mar 19, 2001 8:24 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
An educated 'K' has hit the nail on the head ([#1]The 'price' to be paid for a low-cost house[/#], March 16). I believe most Indian professionals in Malaysia (teachers, lawyers, accountants, doctors, IT personnel) have at one time or another actively contemplated migration to a more welcoming environment (Singapore, Australia, Canada or the US). These are the fortunate ones.
The less fortunate - the poor and the marginalised - live lives of quiet desperation. The less principled turn to crime, alcoholism and drugs. And strangely, the mainstream Indian political parties - the Malaysian Indian Congress, Indian Progressive Front and People's Progressive Party - seem to have no clue on what to do about it all. Or, maybe, they have gotten used to a political environment where Umno calls the shots and everyone else tags along for the ride.
An article by a Malaysian journalist, G Purushotman, who works for the Today newspaper in Singapore has summarised the key issues well. His article "Racial chaos? No!" in the issue of March 16 contains many thought-provoking points that the mainstream media in Malaysia have seemingly seen fit not to bring up.
I quote some of his statements:
"More than 30 years of what is perceived as cradle-to-grave affirmative action policies for Muslim-Malays have only served to promote, at best, cynicism, tolerance, and even pity for them among educated Indians and Chinese. Not racial hatred."
"University and college entry requirements are lower for Malays than for non-Malays. And passing grades for Malays are generally believed to be lower, although this is not a stated policy. Hence, non-Malay Malaysians and employers make cynical jokes and are suspicious of Malay graduates whom they consider to be of a lower standard."
"Also, Indians who make up about 10 per cent of the country, are supposed to be allocated 10 per cent of local university seats. But head counts done by organisations have shown Indian seat allocations to be about six per cent."
"The more affluent and business-oriented Chinese community, which makes up some 30 per cent of the country, either send their children overseas or to local private colleges with twinning programmes. The Chinese have long stopped depending on anything that smacks of the government, save perhaps for when they tender for government projects."
"In employment, the civil service is almost entirely staffed by the lesser-qualified Malays. Again, this has badly affected the Indians who used to be well represented in the service. It is issues like these that have caused pent-up frustrations to rise to the fore and promote the 'time-bomb' theory."
"Who is the real culprit responsible for the violence? It is neither the Malays nor the Indians but the lack of meritocracy throughout the social system and racially divisive policies."
"Failure to openly discuss issues of concern to minorities and a lack of avenues that promote racial integration add to the problem."
"With foreign direct investment at almost a standstill and major airlines pulling out of the country, the last thing Malaysia needs is for the world to reinforce its belief in the racial time-bomb theory."
Strong stuff, all this. And in most cases, spot-on. I wait with bated breath for the counter-blast from Umno Youth and the mainstream Malaysian media. No doubt, they will portray this as yet another case of the Singapore media meddling in Malaysia's internal affairs.
The less fortunate - the poor and the marginalised - live lives of quiet desperation. The less principled turn to crime, alcoholism and drugs. And strangely, the mainstream Indian political parties - the Malaysian Indian Congress, Indian Progressive Front and People's Progressive Party - seem to have no clue on what to do about it all. Or, maybe, they have gotten used to a political environment where Umno calls the shots and everyone else tags along for the ride.
An article by a Malaysian journalist, G Purushotman, who works for the Today newspaper in Singapore has summarised the key issues well. His article "Racial chaos? No!" in the issue of March 16 contains many thought-provoking points that the mainstream media in Malaysia have seemingly seen fit not to bring up.
I quote some of his statements:
"More than 30 years of what is perceived as cradle-to-grave affirmative action policies for Muslim-Malays have only served to promote, at best, cynicism, tolerance, and even pity for them among educated Indians and Chinese. Not racial hatred."
"University and college entry requirements are lower for Malays than for non-Malays. And passing grades for Malays are generally believed to be lower, although this is not a stated policy. Hence, non-Malay Malaysians and employers make cynical jokes and are suspicious of Malay graduates whom they consider to be of a lower standard."
"Also, Indians who make up about 10 per cent of the country, are supposed to be allocated 10 per cent of local university seats. But head counts done by organisations have shown Indian seat allocations to be about six per cent."
"The more affluent and business-oriented Chinese community, which makes up some 30 per cent of the country, either send their children overseas or to local private colleges with twinning programmes. The Chinese have long stopped depending on anything that smacks of the government, save perhaps for when they tender for government projects."
"In employment, the civil service is almost entirely staffed by the lesser-qualified Malays. Again, this has badly affected the Indians who used to be well represented in the service. It is issues like these that have caused pent-up frustrations to rise to the fore and promote the 'time-bomb' theory."
"Who is the real culprit responsible for the violence? It is neither the Malays nor the Indians but the lack of meritocracy throughout the social system and racially divisive policies."
"Failure to openly discuss issues of concern to minorities and a lack of avenues that promote racial integration add to the problem."
"With foreign direct investment at almost a standstill and major airlines pulling out of the country, the last thing Malaysia needs is for the world to reinforce its belief in the racial time-bomb theory."
Strong stuff, all this. And in most cases, spot-on. I wait with bated breath for the counter-blast from Umno Youth and the mainstream Malaysian media. No doubt, they will portray this as yet another case of the Singapore media meddling in Malaysia's internal affairs.
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