Leadership and Malay self respect
By Sakmongkol AK47
I am trying to rationalize some people’s fixation with the NEP. I am certain that Ibrahim Ali isn’t that stupid to know that the NEP has officially ended in 1990. Yet he and many others still speak of the NEP even though, the NEP is officially dead. It is no more.
They may be talking not about NEP but of and about NEPish policies. The policy is understood to be a collection of policy tools to jumpstart Malay participation and involvement in the economy. That agenda to them, has no time limit.
I am therefore inclined to think that for some Malays, the NEP represents something much more. I am thinking, what Malays feel is no longer just about getting 30% share in listed companies or that Malays control 30% of certain industries. I think, Malays expect much more than just digits and numbers.
I think the fixation with the NEP is the idea behind the NEP. What could be the idea?
The NEP is a symbol of Malay power. it’s a symbol of Malay self respect. The NEP represents the Malay amour propre ( amoor proper) hence when Malays demand 30% of this and that, those are symbols of Malay self respect. Take that away from a Malay- he flies off the handle.
Today what they see is that this self respect is being denuded with wanton contempt. They see their self respect being ridiculed. Malays can accept that as Malaysian citizens we are all equal, but we are first among equals. Whether Malaysians think this is unjustifiably so, is immaterial. The Malay public thinks so and expect the world of others to adjust to it. I am merely stating it as it is.
When Malays demand this, it’s not irrational. It’s totally in tune with eastern filial piety to be respectful the elders, the learned, powerful. It certainly is not childlike for the Malays to demand this. They can justify this on grounds of historical and cultural bond with this country which prevail over the like claims of other Malaysians.
