Rights and equal opportunities of the minorities

The minorities surreptitiously and systematically denied equal rights and equal opportunities by the majority

By Naragan N.

Which other country in the world does the majority community surreptitiously and systematically deny equal rights and equal opportunities to its disadvantaged minorities other than Malaysia? Can you name one?

Let me clarify how this works in reality with three reports from yesterdays’s Utusan Malaysia (3rd Oct 2009). These 3 reports are from the IPTA/IPTS special supplement of the paper. It is only from reports in the Malay Media that a glimpse of such total usurpation by the majority of the resources of the nation is obtained. The other media do not feature any of this. This is the design. This is part of the scheme of surreptition.

The first report is about the UMNO government’s plan to produce 100,000 PhDs by 2024. Mara has a post graduate school called IPSis (Institut Pengajian Siswazah) which has been in operation since 1997. They are targeting to have 20,000 students in their various Post Graduate programs by 2024. Given an average stay of 4 years for each Graduate student, that will be an output of some 5,000 per year. Whether it is realized or not is really a different question.

My purpose is really to show the embedded injustice in all these government programs. The Institute Dean says one of the factors contributing to the low participation in their Graduate Programs is the fees. So they are considering a scheme of assistanceship programs for the better students of RM 1,300 for a Masters student per month and RM1,800 for a PhD student. That is really good. But here is the catch. This is a 100pct bumiputra participation program and zero non-bumi participation. Not only are places provided but also facilitation. This is something one never hears of in any of the programs involving non-Bumis. 

The second article is about Kolej Teknologi Timur in Sepang,which has graduated its 4th batch of students on what is called the Kursus Intensif Timur Tengah (Middle East Intensive Course). This is a 3 month program preparing MARA sponsored students selected to do medicine in the Alexandria University in Cairo. They are all SPM level candidates. The point about this program is it is a 100pct Bumiputra participation program. This is only for one course and for one Middle East University.

This is a preparatory program. Not only do the participants get to do Medicine on Scholarship, the students are also put through preparatory programs to reduce the fallout rate. This is a good approach. But the point I want to make about this report is this. Not only does this program systematically exclude the minorities of the country, it also shows in contrast, the care that is generally not shown if this were a program for the non bumis. And if it were failing, it would just be allowed to fail; no remedial measures or prerequisite or preparatory measures would be planned or done. A failure is a failure, sorry, just try harder next time please. No remedial or preparatory or facilitating programs for you.

The third report is about Kolej Risda in Alor Gajah in Melaka – RISDA run private college, developing middle level management, technical and operative level manpower for the Agro Industry. It runs various Diploma level programs. Some of the key ones are Diploma in Agriculture with UPM, Diploma in Plantation management with MARA, a pre-Diploma in Science program as a feeder program to the Diploma programs and Diploma in Landscape Management. There are other several Diploma programs offered with UPM. All of this for the Middle Management and Middle level Technical personnel. Then there are programs such as Certificate as a Plantation Conductor and a Certificate as a Palm Oil Mill Operator.

All the students of the college will be assisted to get funding from the National Higher Education Fund and scholarships are provided to second generation small holders. Needless to say, the majority if not 100 pct will be Bumiputra participation. The point is that there are so many skills training programs in the country like this one, but which are systematically and surreptitiously denied to the non-Bumiputra. So many non-bumiputra youths could be kept away from the clutches of crime, if they had opportunities like this available to them, opportunities for self employment, for hope and maybe for upward mobility. But no, this is systematically denied.

Malaysia is the only country in the world where the majority community grabs all the resources of the country to itself to the detriment and neglect of significant minority groups in the country. What I have shown here is from news reports on one day and in a couple of educational programs pertaining to a couple of Institutions in the country. Multiply that several thousand times over the various fields of life beyond education and the scale of this usurpation will become clearer.

The many problems we see in the minority community which are often attributed to some self induced causes (meaning it is intrinsic and endemic to them) can really be shown to be only secondary if opportunities such as these are opened up to the youth from the minority community. They will have hope return to their lives and along with it opportunities for upward mobility in the system. The many issues and problems we see today will be pre-empted. We are not asking for more than what should be our share, we are only asking for our share  and nobody really should have a problem with that. 

The Federal Constitution which is the Supreme document governing the country of Malaysia never said to totally exclude non Malays from all the education programs of the Government like what is happening in our country – what the Federal Constitution says is that:

Article number: 8

(1) All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law.

(2) Except as expressly authorized by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.

Article number: 12

(1) Without prejudice to the generality of Article 8, there shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the grounds only of religion, race, descent or place of birth –

(a) in the administration of any educational institution maintained by a public authority, and, in particular, the admission of pupils or students or the payment of fees; or

(b) in providing out of the funds of a public authority financial aid for the maintenance or education of pupils or students in any educational institution (whether or not maintained by a public authority and whether within or outside the Federation).

Article number: 153

(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, but subject to the provisions of Article 40 and of this Article, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special provision of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of positions in the public service (other than the public service ofa State) and of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government and,when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.