By Shannon Teoh
The Malaysian Insider
Oct 18, 2011
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s call for meritocracy over the weekend meant finding the best Malays in the country but not abolishing pro-Bumiputera policies despite liberalising the economy, says Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.
The prime minister was reported to have said that affirmative action under the New Economic Policy (NEP) is “here to stay” by a pro-Umno blogger who attended a closed-door session with the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) Junior Science College alumni.
Mukhriz, who is the alumni president, confirmed the blog report with The Malaysian Insider, saying yesterday that Najib’s message was “that we are getting rid of rent-seekers and helping Malays become more competitive instead.”
The report quoted Najib as saying that the NEP would not be abolished but that meritocracy would be implemented among Malays to find “the best amongst Malays.”
“We no longer want to see Malay businessmen sell away assets, especially when they face a major crisis. We have seen this before.
“If I wanted to be popular, then I would pander to the economic rent-seekers,” he was quoted as saying by a blog.
The Umno president was reported as explaining that government-linked companies (GLCs) prioritised doing business with Malay companies because “when they go outside, their new markets ask them ‘did your government buy your product?’”
He said last month there was a need to eventually do away with Bumiputera quotas but said the government must continue to support the community’s best talent to ensure a more competitive business environment.
Although Najib quickly insisted he had no intention to abolish quotas immediately, he has continued to stress that Malays should no longer “hide” behind government protection.
He told Malay economic NGOs last month that his New Economic Model (NEM) promotes affirmative action based more on meritocracy, saying “we must promote the right Bumiputera.”
Najib has moved to liberalise the economy since taking office in April 2009, most recently removing Bumiputera equity requirements for 17 services subsectors.
But analysts have said that his plans are being threatened by Malay hardliners who have forced Putrajaya to revise pre-qualification criteria for the RM50 billion Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) mega project and sale conditions of billion-ringgit prime land by UDA Holdings — a government agency tasked with boosting Bumiputera participation in the urban economy.
Najib, who is expected to call for a general election soon, has also intervened personally in the so-called Bumiputera Agenda, carving out for them RM8 billion or 43 per cent of civil engineering work for the MRT.
#1 by monsterball on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 10:44 am
aiya…you keep reading the flip flopping…you are wasting your quality time.
#2 by Loh on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 10:44 am
Is Najib PM for Malays?
Is Zambry, MB of Perak Malay?
Is Mamakthir Malay?
It is this type of Malay who wants the distinction of races in the country so that the could manipulate the real Malays.
Najib said in the last UMNO GA that an UMNO member who has unknown ethnic origin was Malay. So Malay is not a race. It is an association to act through the tyranny of democracy. They are needed to vote their members in and with number they can bully the rest. NEP is not about helping Malays. It entrenches tyranny of democracy.
#3 by Jong on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 11:07 am
Did Mukhriz mention “rent-seekers”?
Finally, umno has learnt to use the word ‘rent-seekers’? So they knew it all along esp since that Mamakthief’s days. Thought it has never been in their vocab?
#4 by undertaker888 on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 11:12 am
Ho hum. Another wishful thinking for Malaysian. Again, another race based policies. The poor Chinese and Indians,etc no need help meh?
Don’t get fool by him. After erection, all is conveniently forgotten.
#5 by Godfather on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 12:01 pm
Ah, so now we have some clarity from UMNO. The only difference between NEP and NEM is that NEM now has meritocracy for the NEP recipients. For over 30 years, there was no meritocracy amongst the bumiputras so a lot of goodies went to the Chinese through Ali-Baba schemes.
I wonder if the so-called “advisors” to the NEM know about all these.
#6 by dagen on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 2:06 pm
Yeah Yeah. Its that thing again. In different words now. But the meaning is no different. “Eventually”. Yes. Eventually umnoputras will have to come out from hiding behind the umno gobermen. Again, eventually umnoputras will have accept meritocracy. And and quotas too will become a thing of the past, eventually.
WTF!
#7 by cinaindiamelayubersatu on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 3:11 pm
tongkat ali minuman super
tongkat NEP polisi power
minuman super harus diamalkan
polisi power haruskah diamalkan ?
#8 by Bigjoe on Tuesday, 18 October 2011 - 5:49 pm
BUT THAT is PRECISELY THE PROBLEM. He think he is so smart to think he can engineer meritocracy within the Malays community. IF that worked, then protectionism would also work. Its precisely such pretense in intellectualism that is just making prolonging the failing policies. It does not work that way.
The Malays do not have enough depth or breadth for a competitive economy to be grow a competitive one out of it. ITS the same reason why protectionism does not work. Furthermore the same group of elite cronies are ahead of those who are not and hence the same group of people end up benefiting. It does nothing for the community,
#9 by hiro on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 - 12:09 am
Wow, he’s certainly reinventing the wheel. I thought that was what NEP was doing, picking the best from the Bumis.
By Mukhriz’s own admission, what the government has been doing is to pick cronies instead of the best. Certainly, Malaysians are entitled to ask – if that’s the case, why should we vote UMNO in the coming elections?
Even assuming what he says now constitute a positive step forward, it’s too little and too late. What’s the point of competing amongst the village folks, when the rest of Malaysians are forced to compete against the global folks? And then you expect both villagers and globetrotters to share the same income range? The very notion of competing within Bumis is as proposterous as the idea of in-breeding promoting a superior race. Only the reverse will be true.
#10 by Not spoon fed on Wednesday, 19 October 2011 - 9:27 am
This is just a SWEET TALK to give a good impression to non Malay and non Bumi.
Removing the corruption of BN especially UMNO is more urgent. Removing ISA and OSA and be transparent are more urgent. Why?
This is because, we could see good governing and transparency (so less corruption).
Where is open tender and catching big fishes who are corrupted like Taib?
Where is Malaysians’ money RM888 billion taken out during Mahathir’s time? http://iff-update.gfip.org/
Reformation on Polis, Anti Corruption, Judiciary Independence, public administration, etc., are more urgent because these involves excercising the correct wisdom and unfairness in mind.
They, UMNO, would TALK for decades to do it without results. Just like Mahathir’s time, a lot of mega projects (to make certain people rich), privatisation (to make certain companies rich) and a lot of SWEET TALK.
To make this “fair” and start “meritocracy”:
1. you would have to start immediately merit intake for universities so that the Malay could see they have to study hard now!
2. you would have to start immediately merit intake of public administration for jobs to revamp the racial base administration which is inefficient.
3. you would have to start freedom of information to publicise classified documents like IPPs, etc.