From: hykok@nyx.cs.du.edu (Herbie Husker)
Subject: Re: Malaysia's racial policies
Organization: University of Denver, Dept. of Math & Comp. Sci.
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 92 17:59:48 GMT

azran@leland.Stanford.EDU (Azran Osman Rani) writes:


>There have been a lot of sentiments presented on this issue here on the
>net. Almost everyone seems to voice disappointment with the government
>of Malaysia's racial policies and how they are discriminated and
>treated like 2nd class citizens.

Agree.

[Stuff deleted]

>No one seems to be addressing why the gov't has these policies. Only
>that it does not favor them. 
>These are only my opinions but it is not a simple matter of reducing
>poverty. i.e. to provide assistance according to level of wealth/poverty
>regardless of race. It is about race. Ethnic distributions of the economy.
>The socio-economic restructurization that the gov't is doing is probably
>done under the assumption that a multi-racial country like malaysia needs
>to have racially-proportionate representation in all socio-economic fields,
>to avoid a monopoly of a certain sector of the economy by a certain race,
>in order for the so called 'national harmony' to establish. This was the
>first objective of the NEP. Elimination of poverty was the second.

This is the lamest escuse I'd ever heard.  Why help the people who don't
help themself.  Ethic distribution is certainly most welcome, but if I am
the manager, I'll hire the most qualified person to do the job, not because
he is a bumiputra and I have to hire him/her because the government presssure
me to do so.  However, I will never deprive non-bumis of a job if he/she is
well qualified.  Giving them some assistance should be OK as long as it is
not too much.  NEP fail because the people doesn't want to help themself.
Here's my 0.02 cents question.  Why throw money away when we can use it for
a better cause?

>essentially, it is about numbers. THis is perhaps clearly reflected in local
>university admissions (the quota thingy). Currently, there are 
>disproportionate numbers of ethic representation in fields like engineering,
>medicine, law, etc. Since more malay engineers and doctors are needed
>to balance the 'numbers', more spaces are allocated for malays in these
>fields. Similarly, more spaces are allocated for say, Chinese in the
>Arts. This does not mean that any malay off the street can qualify for
>the spaces. Neither do these policies put a restriction on Chinese wanting
>to study fields like engineering if they don't make the quota in local
>U's. There are always other ways besides local universities. Nothing is
>forbidden. I am not interested in discussing this further.

Yes there are ways besides the local university, but who is going to pay for
the expense.  We all know getting into the local university saves us money.
Going oversea to get a degree is certainly much, much more expensive unless
you have someone to support you financially.  If the govenment can support
the bumiputras, why not the non-bumiputras as well?

>You might ask, why is it so important that there be proportionate ethnic
>representation in all fields. Well, from what you know of the people
>of Malaysia, imagine what the society would be if a doctors, engineers
>and accountants were predominantly chinese and history teachers
>and were predominantly Malay. Think national harmony can be established
>in such a society? The founders of the country did not need to imagine
>such a scenario because it was reality during the birth of the nation
>and obviously it did not promote national unity. 
>Yes, perhaps these policies sacrifice quality but national unity comes
>with a price and it is all a matter of priorities. Yours is probably
>not the same as the govt, perhaps?

Some time ago, I hear that someone is suing a doctor in Malaysia because he
uses a pen/pencil to inspect her.  This is certainly a no-no especially if
he want to venture to this profession.  I would never to to a doctor like 
this because I doubt if he will ever give me the correct medicine.  I do not
querry his qualification but merely his attitute towards his patient.  If this
has anything to do with his religion, then he might as well change his 
profession.  I rest my case.

>If one were genuinely interested in the issue, one would take the
>initiative to learn more about why such policies were formulated. 

>'Nuff said from me. I will not entertain any response on this matter if
>it is the usual, unproductive, emotional mumbo-jumbo. 

Same here.

>Azran Osman-Rani
>Stanford University.