Those amongst UMNOputras who are so-called ultra-racist appear to have their ways. The policies of Ketuanan Melayu and discriminatory policies based on bumiputra-non bumiputra dichotomy have “pushed” many of the younger non malay Malaysians to emigrate. Many of those who remain are either disinclined to marry or postponing marriage, and even when if they do, they raise comparatively small families of one two or three children. See NST report 18th March on “Decline in marriages” amongst non muslims –
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Sunday/Frontpage/20070318073118/Article/index_html
This is totally comprehensible. Without cradle to grave state assistance, non malays would concentrate not dilute their resources to emphasis on quality rather than quantity.

In terms of political hegemony, if the plan of the ultra-racist is to marginalize non malays politically, it has been successful because population is translated to votes, a dwindling population amongst non malays means less votes for those organisation and political parties opposing the country’s racial architecture.

Young non malay Malaysians, as most young people, have a lot of things on their minds. They have a future and whole life before them and with the passport of good education, they wish to be immediately planted in first world country, with matured infrastructure, bright lights, amenities, social and medical benefits, efficient public transportation – and most important an opportunity to develop themselves and careers on a leveler playing field that their own country either does not afford or deny them on grounds of race.

That’s the reason for emigration. In part it is herd instinct as many peers are doing so.

In the Age of Globalisation – and we’re only seeing the beginning – there is of course nothing wrong in emigrating for better prospects to better oneself and career. Indeed as the world evolve into a global village, the trend will be everyone (whether Chinese, Indians, Malays Caucasians who are educated and mobile) will be going from here to there, and coming from there to here, depending on where the main lure and opportunities are to develop oneself business or career and to make money for financial security, and also to enhance life’s experience – in that order.

I submit that this should be the main benchmark – of what one should do, whether to stay in Malaysia or venture or emigrate elsewhere.

But don’t use the Ketuanan Melayu and discriminatory policies based on bumiputra-non bumiputra dichotomy as an excuse. It is an aberration that distorts perspectives.

The NEP and other Ketuanan policies actually are not that bad for all non-malays. Everything has its cons and pros.

Thanks to the NEP, many non malays strive harder, score distinctions, learn resilience, master Bahasa, English and Mandarin and become more competitive here and abroad. Many have done very well in spite of these policies, gave the best to their children who being used to the best want the easy one out of being planted immediately in a first world country without having gone through the survival game to learn what takes to be successful in challenging environments.

Sometimes there are so few non Malays in civil service and GLCs is not only because of Bumi policies but it is because Non Malays have shunned the very thought of working there.

In the private sector how many Non Malays who are qualified cannot get jobs? As an employer for many years, I find it is the Malays who are marginalized by government policies lacking in confidence in their English proficiency, and even amongst those who are capable, they suffer the reverse discrimination that they have obtained their qualifications by government tinkering with their marks.

When a vacant post is being advertised, the majority of those who come for interview are Malays followed by Indians with the Chinese being few and most demanding in terms of pay and working prospects.

True the UMNOputras use political influence to procure contracts – and they will always defend the system that gives them the unfair advantage over others – but even they cannot do the job unless they collaborate and share the spoils with non malay entrepreneurs. These non malay entrepreneurs who are “connected” do very well because of the NEP that gives them unfair advantage over other ordinary Malaysians of all races.

Like I said, NEP is useful for beneficiaries to have an unfair advantage.

If there were an opportunity where an UMNOputra and a Non Malay partner have comparative advantage to make money in (say) Vietnam, Papua New Guinea or Saudi Arabia, you will in tandem with Globalisation find them there, the UMNOputra would have forgotten about his entitlement under the NEP because there in these countries the opportunities to make money, notwithstanding the absence of NEP, are even greater than here.

It is true that in western countries the laws protect minorities whereas here they are institutionalized to favour the majority. But many Malaysians have adjusted to this, circumvented and even benefited from such apartheid laws, so to speak.

And as the Chinese saying goes ” the moon overseas is always rounder” or “the neighbours cooking is always tastier” but the reality is different. Racism arising from human tribalism is everywhere posing a challenge to the minority. Sometimes it manifests obviously and other times subtly affecting individuals and the capacity to cope and transcend it differently.

You mean there’s no racism in US or Australia at all camouflaged by politically correct excuses why you can’t get the promotion you deserve? In a matured society everything is DIY – unless you are very rich you either can’t afford or you will have to pay much more for maids, servants, electricians, plumbers etc and good food in a decent restaurant. Not to mention the kinship ties and friendliness of your average Malaysian friends.

The so-called Racism here then should arguably perhaps not be the sole and principal reason for the ‘push’ to emigrate. But if the country offers, for example, no research facilities that (say) Australia offers nor if one has qualified in automobile engineering and other than Proton, there’s no prospect, by all means venture elsewhere – it need not be Australia, it can be Korea or for that matter Italy, if Lamborghini offers a lucrative job.

There are also many who having lived overseas are happy reversing migration to come back to Malaysia where their skills and knowledge help them to prosper more than in (say) Australia.

Many Non malays also emigrate because they are fed up with the endemic corruption here.

Then again many choose to stay here or to return from overseas to do business here precisely because of it. These are the people with connections and contacts with politicians or politically connected within the power structure. They can have access to play a part in the lucrative contracts where their skills can be used by their contacts. If they overstep the boundaries of the law in their quest for profits, they know the payment of a bribe to the proper person in authority will get them out of trouble unlike in other places. Of course one can say that scoundrels will be happy to be here. But the point here is that it takes all kinds and it depends on individual’s circumstances and whether he has comparative advantage in whatever he does.

At the end of the day is where one can have a head start (for many it is still in home country with family and friends network) to develop oneself, one’s business or career and to make money for financial security, and also to enhance life’s experience – in that order. With financial security from such a headstart the entire world is your oyster! Without it, life is a drudgery anywhere. That’s a simple fact of life.

For others who venture to take up the challenges of globalisation, the place of choice need not even be a western society just because many of us have a western frame of reference from western education : it can be country like China, El Salvador or Venezuela. It can also be Malaysia.

From the country’s perspectives, UMNOputras are of course short sighted in the sense that racial quotas are increasingly irrelevant in the Age of Globalisation : if one does not formulate the best policies to retain your homegrown brains and talents, what would you have left? Who can you really marginalize other than your own people whom you claim to represent? The marginalized others who have brains are prepared to go elsewhere and can have their skills developed to their benefit – anywhere and anytime. There’ll come a time, when even UMNOputras will have to look elsewhere for opportunities for what good is the NEP for them if our country is not developed, not competitive and descend into economic backwaters?