Sedition Act replacements will worsen racial disparity, Dr M says

By admin-s Last updated Jun 12, 2014

(MMO) – Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad doused Putrajaya’s Sedition Act replacement Bills in cold water today, predicting that instead of achieving equality, the new legislation would only maintain existing injustices and disparities among races here.

The former prime minister said the proposed laws ― National Harmony Bill, National Unity Bill and National Unity and Integration Commission Bill ― will spell the end of the New Economic Policy (NEP), an economic model mooted in 1971 to close the socio-economic gap between the largely-urban Chinese and the rural Malays as well as other indigenous Bumiputera.

While he said it may seem fair to promote equality among the races, doing so within Malaysia’s racial makeup would only result in the country’s existing rich getting richer, while the poor continue to languish in poverty.

“Malaysia is a multi-racial, multi-cultural country,” Dr Mahathir said in his latest blog posting.

“In Malaysia, we maintain our racial origins, language, culture, our schools, even our universities. Following that, we live in different areas, practice different lifestyles and our activities differ too.

“In our respective businesses, each have our own networks based on race, language and culture,” he explained.

Among the races, Dr Mahathir said the Chinese are the most successful of all ethnic groups here, followed by the Indians who are just ahead of the Malays.

This disparity, he said, renders it difficult to force harmony and unity among the races through such laws.

The NEP was mooted for this very purpose ― to close the gap between the poor, rural Malays and other Bumiputera groups, and the other races ― Dr Mahathir pointed out.

“If the National Harmony Bill is passed, then the NEP cannot be carried out any longer. This means the country will practice meritocracy ― those with merit and high capabilities will get it all.

“Scholarships, university placements, contracts, job opportunities and many other things will be awarded based on merit,” he said said.

“Of course this is fair. But there is a high likelihood that the poor, those whose poor backgrounds do not accord them the opportunity to live in a better environment for study; who lack the opportunity to go to established private schools; who lack good food; good health… this is the group that would not fulfil the necessary requirements or possess the necessary merit to get anything.

“Perhaps they may not even be called in for interviews. And because of this merit system, the poor (Bumiputera) will stay poor and the rich will become richer,” he added.