When Did NEP Became Non-racial?

NEP is a non-racial issue? What utter non-sense is this?

Since NEP was implemented, it has always been a racial issue, in fact, it is the biggest racial issue that is causing the growing rift in our society. It is also the root cause of the division of our nation along racial lines even after half a decade of achieving independence. Not only did NEP fail in its objective, it cultivated generations of people who live on hand-outs by the government instead of earning through hard work.

What are the various excuses of justifying the rebirth of NEP?

• Malays are not competing on a level playing field. If you look at education and the issue of strengthening national schools, there is nothing racial about it.
• agenda - covering ownership of land, housing, business premises and intellectual property - is aimed at increasing bumiputera share ownership of 30 percent by 2020
• NEP must be clearly revived and outlined in detail under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP), so that its implementation and target of achieving the Malay Agenda could be monitored and its success assessed from time to time

Throughout all the justifications made at the annual gathering in UMNO building, we see nothing but the same old chant of the "Malay Agenda". As I recalled, the NEP is supposed to benefit all bumiputras including the bumiputras in Sabah and Sarawak, not to mention the poor orang asli (who are the real bumiputras of the land).

If this is not racial, then what is?

UMNO Youth has transformed the original aim of NEP to help all bumiputras in the country to only help the Malays (namely selected UMNO members only). Furthermore, they have the nerve of saying that this is not a racial issue.

On one hand, Najib is asking the Malays to be "glocal" and stop depending on their crutches on his opening speech for UMNO Youth meeting. On the other hand, the UMNO Youth leaders are urging the government to provide more wheel chairs to the Malays so that they can grab hold of 30% of everything (if they had not already done so).

Looking at these scenarios, I sincerely pity the Malays in terms of their future prospect in view of AFTA and globalization. From what I can see, the current leadership understands the need of forgoing the subsidise mentality in order to bring the already lagging Malays to greater heights. However, the younger minds are thinking otherwise. Maybe is a good thing that those aged leaders continue to hold on to their post in the government, or else, we will have a bunch of idiots rising up to the helm with nothing but a crave for wealth and power through discriminatory policies.

I am also particularly disappointed in various speeches and interviews given by the Youth chief. He said "there was a small group of narrow-minded people who opposed the wing’s aspiration to put forward the Malay agenda" and "It was not we who are narrow-minded but these small groups of people who have such a mindset". He also pointed out the failure of his own ministry in the government when he complained about students who are currently studying in schools that do not have water and electricity supply for not able to compete with students from Smart schools, with the best teachers and facilities.

I would like to ask Hishammuddin, who are the ones that came out with the idea of Smart school in the first place? Why are funds not provided for supplying water and electricity supply to all schools? Why is there discrimination between schools that are situated in urban areas and those which are not? Isn't it in line with our country's education philosophy to provide equal education to everyone? Why the bias to city schools? Is this part of NEP as well? I think his grandfather must be turning in his grave after all his hard work of uniting every race under the same roof.

With regards to the hotly debated AP system, some delegate suggested giving 25 APs to each of the division leaders in UMNO. Such arrogance I must say! When did AP became UMNO property? The AP system is part of the government which is formed by everyone in the country. Although its aim was to help the Malays to enter the automotive industry, there is still more than half of the country's Malays which is not part of UMNO who are honest individual like you and me, working their ass off to make a living in our country.

On one hand, the government is hitting hard at those so-called rent seekers who tend to sell off their AP to get fast profit. On another hand, idiots are calling to distribute the APs in small quantities to a larger group of beneficiaries. Where is the logic in that? How many people you do think can come up with a show room for foreign and luxury cars? How many people do you think have the capital to secure franchise agreements with foreign car manufacturers like Honda, Toyota, Kia etc.? By giving the suggested 25 APs to a particular person (read UMNO member), the government is encouraging the AP receiver to sell their AP to companies who own the franchise agreement. Isn't that rent-seeking in its purest form?

Speaking about crossing ranks, what about Hishammuddin's brave act of belittling other BN leaders such as Ong Ka Ting and Lim Keng Yaik? He should be reminded that he is a Youth wing chief, and not a party chief like Abdullah. Who does he think he is when he say he is prepared to meet Ong Ka Ting to discuss about the NEP? Isn't that up to the UMNO chief to discuss with the MCA chief? Isn't Hishammuddin crossing ranks in this instance? He should be discussing the matter with Ong Tee Kiat and other youth chief instead before he even make public his views on reviving NEP. Isn't that the spirit of Barisan Nasional? Or the spirit doesn't apply to UMNO as they have a bigger representation in the BN fold?

Such a sad week indeed for Malaysians !!