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| Malaysia’s Warring Chinese Politicians |
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| Written by Imran Imtiaz Shah Yacob | |
| Wednesday, 09 January 2008 | |
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In the midst of a growing ethnic divide, Chinese politicians battle each other instead of looking for answers
Chua was forced to resign from his position as Minister of Health on Jan. 2 after confessing to being filmed surreptitiously in a 56-minute sexual tryst with his “friend,” an unidentified young woman. In a press conference acknowledging he was the man in the video, he told reporters: “I would like to emphasize that I did not make the tape. Who has done the tape and why is obvious.” He did not name the person or persons he suspected, and so far whoever recorded the action remains undetected. Nonetheless, political analysts believe Chua is pretty sure who made DVD. Two factions, known by the prosaic names Team A and Team B, are jockeying for power within the MCA, which controls the second-largest number of cabinet positions among the ethnic parties that make up the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition. A former psychiatrist, Chua belonged to what is known to insiders as Team A, whose unofficial leader is Ling Liong Sik, the former MCA president and a UK-educated medical doctor. Team B is headed by Chan Kong Choy, a protégé of Lim Ah Lek, a former MCA vice president who has carried on a long-standing feud with Ling. With newer generations of politicians joining in the feud, the squabbling between the two teams and subdivisions of the teams has grown so poisonous, according to sources within the association, that many believe Team B planted as many as four cameras in the room where Chua was having his fun. Others think Chua’s rivals inside Team A may have taped the indiscretions. The fallout is damaging enough that it almost makes the identity of the film-makers irrelevant. The party’s organizational machinery is crucial to the Barisan’s electoral structure because it delivers the Chinese vote – 25 percent of the population and about 60 percent of the country’s economic power. The unease comes at a time when many believe that middle-class ethnic Malays may stray from the United Malays National Organisation, which has led the Barisan since independence, to other parties including Partai Keadilan Rakyat, led by the former deputy premier, Anwar Ibrahim. Few analysts expect the opposition to actually overturn the Barisan stranglehold on power, but some believe they could finally end the dominant two-thirds majority in parliament that allows the Barisan to rule unchecked. This makes it vital for the coalition to hold onto as many Chinese and ethnic-Indian voters as possible. UMNO has always counted on the MCA to keep Chinese voters solidly aligned behind the coalition. That has become steadily more difficult as Malaysia’s ethnic divide has widened in recent years, with ethnic Malays becoming more vocal in their insistence on Malay dominance of the political infrastructure. Most recently, during the annual UMNO general assembly, some youth leaders waved kerises, the ceremonial Malay sword, and threatened to bathe them in Chinese blood if their rights were trampled on. That and a series of religious and ethnic issues have generated anger and anxiety in the Chinese community. In particular, concern is rising among the Chinese electorate over the MCA’s timidity in the face of UMNO rhetoric. In the meantime, the MCA’s factional fighting is distracting Chinese leaders. And it seems likely to continue as the organization recently passed internal guidelines bar is allowing any politician from holding the party presidency for more than nine years, or three consecutive three-year terms. Ong Ka Ting’s presidency ends in 2011 and the field is open, presaging a three-year squabble that could continue to destabilize the organization. Chua’s abrupt fall from national politics – he was replaced in the health minister job by Ong, as well – may be just a small dose of what the future holds for the embattled party. Critics also believe that many MCA leaders are more interested in making money than watching out for their constituencies. The ministries the party holds are considered lucrative for party wheelhorses. One third-generation Malaysian Chinese, who did not want his name used, said, “The MCA are only concerned with business. What have they done for the Chinese community? All the national issues have been handled by UMNO and there is no higher position for Chinese politicians so why bother?” Just how heavily the Barisan has relied on the MCA’s political muscle is exemplified by the elections of 1999, after Anwar was sacked as deputy prime minister by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in a struggle within UMNO itself. Muslim-Malay voters were split, with many voicing support for Partai Keadilan Rakyat. With many ministers in Mahathir’s cabinet nearly losing their constituencies, the fundamentalist Parti Islam se-Malaysia, the Chinese-based Democratic Action Party and Keadilan created a formidable alliance that looked like it might shake the Barisan’s two-thirds grip. The alliance garnered 23.5 percent of the seats in the election, a big win by Malaysian standards, but the Chinese electorate, unnerved by unruly illegal street demonstrations and instability, fell in line behind the MCA. The Chinese, having tipped the scale in favor of the ruling coalition, expected more clout in determining policy, but that did not happen. Today, Anwar says, “Chinese support for the opposition has surged in the last 12 months despite the rhetoric from MCA leaders that they are still popular with the majority. The scandal involving former Health Minister Chua demonstrates both the decadence and lack of moral compass which has routinely been put on display by BN leaders. It also shows the intense infighting and internal chaos that is pulling apart political alliances in the ruling coalition. The MCA is in the midst of an internal crisis and we can anticipate that upcoming elections will result in significant losses for both at the polls.” It could be wishful thinking, as MCA leaders have always believed that the way to secure the interests of the Chinese community is through quiet negotiations with UMNO leaders. That strategy has worked somewhat, with the Chinese community continuing to enjoy significantly greater per capita income than Malays despite the rhetoric of firebrand UMNO politicians. Whether the compact will continue to work in the face of a weakened and squabbling MCA remains to be seen. Comments (30)
  written by Did Badawi know?, January 10, 2008
From Feb 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asi...460797.stm :
A firm controlled by the son of Malaysia's prime minister is being investigated for allegedly supplying Libya's nuclear weapons programme. Police say foreign intelligence warned them that Malaysian centrifuge parts were on a Libyan-bound ship last year.
 written by A M Ubaidah S, January 10, 2008
Liang1a's comments are racist and unhelpful. There is inconsistency in his/her view that Chinese are not squeezed out Malays because Malays are unable, then claiming businesses are being taken over by Malays. Businesses still need to operate, especially professional firms like legal and accounting. It may just be the case that the % Malays that are educated has now just increased to a significantlt higher demographic vs the Chinese, exacerbated by Malays also having 2 times more children than Chinese families since independence.
Singapore has not "..stood up to the Malays fearlessly and thrived and become a world class nation." Singapore is 80% Chinese, with a minority Malay population. To claim that Chinese in Singapore 'stodd up to Malays fearlessly" is to claim the majority Chinese in Singapore have been oppressing Malays. Is this what you are claiming? I think Lee Kuan Yew would be insulted if this is the reason you say Singapore is successfull.
 written by A Smith, January 10, 2008
Liang1a's remarks are apt and accurate. Are statements exposing racism, racist and unhelpful? There are so many written and unwritten 'racial quota' policies implemented by the government to the detriments of other minorities. If the government is not practising racism, tell me what is?
 written by kenu, January 10, 2008
Why can't Malays accept facts and be less defensive
 written by Liang1a, January 10, 2008
AM wrote:
"Singapore has not "..stood up to the Malays fearlessly and thrived and become a world class nation." Singapore is 80% Chinese, with a minority Malay population. To claim that Chinese in Singapore 'stodd up to Malays fearlessly" is to claim the majority Chinese in Singapore have been oppressing Malays. Is this what you are claiming? I think Lee Kuan Yew would be insulted if this is the reason you say Singapore is successfull." ----------------------- A.M. has misunderstood my meaning. I did not mean that the Chinese have stood up to the Malays in Singapore. Indeed the Malays are in such a minority that they pose very little threat to the Chinese. Though historically China itself had repeatedly been invaded and occupied by barbarian tribes that numbered only a few percent of China's population. No, I meant the Singaporean Chinese have stood up to the Malays in Malaysia. Remember that Singapore was part of Malaysia until the Malays engineered a coup to kick out the Singaporeans and did all it can to destroy it. Instead of trembling in fear and kowtowing to the Malaysian Malays, Singapore under Lee KY had thrived and is still thriving in spite of Malaysian Malays' ill will and threats. But Singapore has also paid a stiff price. On a per capita basis Singapore is the nation that spends the most in the world for military second only to Israel. But the Singaporeans are willing to make the sacrifice. And for that sacrifice they have thrived with pride and confidence. Instead it is Malaysia that is stagnating in sleazy corruption with per capita GDP barely 1/5 of the Singaporean. The Singaporeans are treating all races in Singapore equally. The Malaysian Malays are the sleaze thugs that are doing all they can to marginalize the Chinese, the Indians, and everybody else and in the process keep Malaysia backward and the Malays the poorest of all the races. Racial equality in Singapore has made Singapore prosperous. Uncivilized and barbaric racist discrimination and marginalization in Malaysia has made it corrupt and backward and poor. And the Malays are still the poorest. Not because the Chinese exploit them but because they are lazy and uneducated and constrained the most dynamic engine of economic development that is the Chinese. Calling the Malays lazy and uneducated is not racist. It is just facts. The Chinese are better educated despite that they have to go overseas to get higher education. Chinese schools are less funded than Malay schools. Chinese shops have to hire a minimum number of Malays who work the least. It is the Chinese who are generating the most economic activities and taxes.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
People who think the Malays are not marginalizing and squeezing the Chinese should go to the link below to see all the racist marginalization going on.
http://chernjie.blogspot.com/2006/09/malaysian-race-humanity-2006.html (1) Out of all the 5 major banks in Malaysia, only one bank is own by multi-racial, the rest are controlled by Malays. (2) 99% of Petronas (the only one petroleum company) directors are Malays, and the former Prime Minister work as Consultant in Petronas. (3) 3% of Petronas employees are Chinese. (4) 99% of 2000 Petronas gasoline stations are owned by Malays. (5) 100% all contractors working under Petronas projects must be "bumi's status" (Malay). (6) 0% of non-Malays staffs are legally required in Malay's companies. But there must be 30% Malays staffs in Chinese companies. And big companies in Malaysia require a Malays hold as director status with 51% shareholder. Which this mean non-Malays own company needs to give their property to Malays. And non-Malays citizen can't really own their business. (7) 5% of all new intake for government police, nurses, army, is non-Malays. ( 2% is the present Chinese staff in Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), drop from 40% in 1960. (9) 2% is the percentage of non-Malays government servants in Putrajaya (Malaysia main government office). But Malays make up 98%. (10) 7% is the percentage of Chinese government servants in the whole government (in 2004), drop from 30% in 1960. Only 2 position for non-Malays in political status. (11) 95% of government contracts are given to Malays; even it is an open tender. Non-Malays contractors tender the lower price and use better materials can't get the contract that government given. (12) 100% all business licensees are controlled by Malay government e.g. Taxi permits, Approved permits, etc. and all the license are given to government officer families. (13) 80% of the Chinese rice millers in Kedah (north of peninsular Malaysia) had to be sold to Malay and controlled by Bernas (Government Org.) since 1980s. Otherwise, life is make difficult for Chinese rice millers.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
Some more examples of Malay squeezing the Chinese and other non-Malays from the link below:
http://chernjie.blogspot.com/2006/09/malaysian-race-humanity-2006.html (14) 100 big companies set up, owned and managed by Chinese Malaysians were taken over by government, and later managed by Malays since 1970's e.g. UTC, UMBC, MISC, etc. This company now is the sole company. (15) At least 10 Chinese owned bus companies (throughout Malaysia, throughout 40 years) had to be sold to MARA or other Malay transport companies due to rejection by Malay authority to Chinese application for bus routes and rejection for their application for new buses. (16) 2 Chinese taxi drivers were barred from driving in Johor (South of Peninsular Malaysia) Larkin bus station. There are about 30 taxi drivers and 3 are Chinese in October 2004. Spoiling taxi club properties was the reason given. (17) 0 non-Malays are allowed to get shop lots in the new Muar (city in south peninsular Malaysia) bus station (November 2004). (1 8000 billions ringgit is the total amount the government channeled to Malays pockets through ASB, ASN, MARA, privatization of government agencies like Tabung Haji etc, through NEP over 34 years periods. (19) 48 Chinese primary schools closed down since 1968 - 2000 (20) 144 Indian primary schools closed down since 1968 - 2000 (21) 2637 Malay primary schools built since 1968 - 2000 (22) 2.5% is government budget for Chinese primary schools. Indian schools got only 1%, Malay schools got 96.5% (23) while a Chinese parent with RM1000 salary (monthly) cannot get school-text-book-loan, and a Malay parent with RM2000 salary is eligible. (24) 10 all public universities vice chancellors are Malays. And politics in universities are held by Malays. If non-Malays want to form a politics parties, there is no way to get approved. (25) 5% - the government universities lecturers of non-Malay origins had been reduced from about 70% in 1965 to only 5% in 2004 with the reason Malaysia Education Ministry give full support for Malays only. (26) Only 5% is given to non-Malays for government scholarships over 40 years. (27) 0 Chinese or Indians were sent to Japan and Korea under "Look East Policy". (2 128 STPM (High Study / A Level) Chinese top students could not get into the course that they aspired i.e. Medicine and doctors (in 2004). Malays with not qualify result can get into the course. (29) 10% place for non-bumi students for MARA science schools beginning from year 2003, but only 7% are filled. Before that it was 100% Malays. (30) 50 cases whereby Chinese and Indian Malaysians, are beaten up in the National Service program since 2003. (31) 25% is Malaysian Chinese population in 2004, drop from 45% since 1957 because government are not support non-Malays like government support Malays. (32) 7% is the present Malaysian Indians population (2004), a drop from 12% since 1957. (33) 2 millions Chinese Malaysians had emigrated to overseas since 40 years ago due to unfair politics. (34) 0.5 million Indians Malaysians had emigrated to overseas. (35) 3 millions Indonesians had migrated into Malaysia and became Malaysian citizens with bumi's status.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
Some more examples of Malay squeezing the Chinese and other non-Malays from the link below:
http://chernjie.blogspot.com/2006/09/malaysian-race-humanity-2006.html (36) 600000 are the Chinese and Indians Malaysians with "red I/C" (a temporary identity card) and were rejected repeatedly when applying for citizenship for 40 years. Perhaps 60% of them had already passed away due to old age. This shows racism of how easily Indonesians got their citizenships compare with the Chinese and Indians (37) 5% - 15% discount for a Malay to buy a house, regardless whether the Malay is rich or poor (3 2% is what Chinese new villages get compare with 98% of what Malays villages got for rural development budget. (39) 50 road names (at least) had been change from Chinese names to other names. (40) 1 Dewan Gan Boon Leong (in Malacca) was altered to other name (e.g. Dewan Serbaguna or sort) when it was being officially used for a few days. Government tries to shun Chinese names. This racism happened in around year 2000 or sort. (41) 0 temples/churches were built for each housing estate. But every housing estate MUST got at least one mosque/surau built. (42) 3000 mosques/surau were built in all housing estates throughout Malaysia since 1970 with full government support. No temples, no churches are built in housing estates that supported by government. (43) 1 Catholic Church in Shah Alam took 20 years to apply to be constructed. But told by Malay authority that it must look like a factory and can't look like a church. Still not yet approved since 2004. (44) 1 publishing of Bible in Iban language banned (in 2002) (45) 0 of the government TV stations (RTM1,RTM2, TV3) are directors of non-Malays origin. (46) 30 government produced TV dramas and films always showed that the bad guys had Chinese face, and the good guys had Malay face. You can check it out since 1970s. Recent years, this tendency becomes less. (47) 10 times, at least, Malays (especially Umno) had threatened to massacre the Chinese Malaysians using May 13 since 1969. (4 20 constituencies won by DAP would not get funds from the government to develop. Or these Chinese majority constituencies would be the last to be developed (49) 100 constituencies (parliaments and states) had been racist re-delineated so Chinese voters were diluted that Chinese candidates, particularly DAP candidates lost in election since 1970s (50) Only 3 out of 12 human rights items are ratified by Malaysia government since 1960 (51) 0 elimination of, all forms of racial discrimination (UN Human Rights) is not ratified by Malaysia government since 1960s (52) 20 reported cases whereby Malay ambulance attendance treated Chinese patients inhumanely, and Malay government hospital staffs purposely delay attending to Chinese patients in 2003. Unreported cases may be 200 (53) 50 cases each year whereby Chinese, especially Chinese youths being beaten up by Malay youths in public places. We may check at police reports provided the police took the report, otherwise there will be no record (54) 20 cases every year whereby Chinese drivers who accidentally knocked down Malays were seriously assaulted or killed by Malays (55) 12% is what ASB/ASN (Malays Own banks) got per annum while banks fixed deposit is only about 3.5% per annum. (56) The latest news about the police in Malaysia. Believe that the Malaysia police officer have caught a Chinese girl and punish her with naked body nearby the windows that other people (believe that is police officer) can took video recording via mobile phones. This news spread to China, and finally Malaysia government told to public that is Malay girl. After that there's no more news about the case.
 written by Smash Malay Supremacy, January 11, 2008
No point arguing with these UMNO Malay morons anymore. If the Malays think they are forever safe & secured with their managed majority in this tiny little arse hole nation, they must be day dreaming. Malaysian Chinese must act like our Indian brothers~publicise our plights to our brothers in Mainland China so as to arouse them to come to carve out safety enclaves & deploy their soldiers posing as UN peacekeepers to protect us from the threats from these UMNO bastards. This is nothing unusual~this is called naked power politics. NATO had done it in the Balkans before & it has done it again in Kosovo. Australia had done it in East Timor. The same goes for the Turks in Turk-Cypriot.
If some of our fellow Chinese Malaysians are not fully convinced yet of this effect, let me invite all of you to read about utmost strong Mainland Chinese responses to the 1998 Indonesian pogroms even right now in 2008, click on this post & read the readers' comments:http://blog.chinaiiss.org/user_dislog.asp?userid=2192&logid=524. Notice the rising Chinese nationalism & their cravings for revenge against all those "barbarians" (who include Indonesians & Malays)who had done them(or their distant relatives) wrong in the past. They will no longer just send empty protests but will respond in force this time around. Further more, their netizens will no longer allow their govt to stay idle but will agitate for a voilent response like what they did to the American Embassy in the aftermath of NATO bombing of their Belgrade Embassy. Malaysian Chinese must harness this help as a last resort to turning around our ill/pathetic fates in Malaysia.
written by A M Ubaidah S, January 11, 2008
Liang has chosen to espouse a very biased and jingoistic view of Malaysia without starting from the basis of reality. The root article above already indicates that Chinese control 60% of Malaysia's economy whilst being only 25% of the population! The scenario in Malaysia is hence the same (though less dire) as in South Africa, where the majority, indegenous racial group in economically worse of than the minority migrant group - a recipe for de-stabilisation.
Hence, some of the economic incentives mentioned by Liang has to be understood with this context in mind. The Chinese do not have any real right to complain, and whilst the other significant minority, the Indians, may have more legitimate claims, this is also being managed through other affirmative action programs. Some of the info Liang quotes also seem inaccurately designed to prove his case. e.g. on the banks, of Malaysia's 8 remaining anchor banks, 2 are Chinese family controlled, Public Bank, controlled by the Tah family and Hong Leong Bank is controlled by the Quek family. Eon bank is indirectly controlled by another Chinese tycoon, Rin Kin Mei, and Alliance Bank is controlled by Singapore's Temasek group as a main shareholder! All the "Malay controlled" banks are GLCs - Maybank, CIMB, Affin, RHB. Hence, Chinese elements control 50% of Malaysia's local banking institutions, with perhaps ~30% of deposit and lending strength! We of course also have MNC banks like Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered... I would hence be very carefull of taking in Liang's facts at face value in your consideration of Malaysia's pro-Malays and Bumiputra policies. These same policies were adopted by Nelson Mandella to try and resolve South Africa's problems of economic inequality. Finally - a correction in history is warranted - Singapore was EXPELLED from Malaysia in 1965. The reason was because Lee Kuan Yew and his PAP party in their quest for greater power at the national level was whipping up racial issues across the country. Singapore was expelled to save Malaysia from further grief, and the act was undertaken with support from Chinese Malaysian leaders! Singapore's arming itself is more part of the government's propaganda to engender unity. Malaysia, having expelled Singapore, has never seen much interest in re-integration - there is very little value to be gained that Malaysia is not enjoying already. And realistically, Singapore would not like having to enter Malaysia as a state, on par with the existing 13 other states in Malaysia - the only way the Malay rulers would accept Singapore! Note, PAP has a branch in Malaysia - the DAP. Malaysian political parties do not have any interest in the Singaporean political process! Lets have facts people... facts are not racist...
written by A M Ubaidah S, January 11, 2008
Btw, this is important I think due to high regard Chinese hold for education. There is no such thing as a "Malay" school in Malaysia. The Malaysian government builds national schools using the national language as a medium. The national language is Malay - a lingua franca for the country since the 1400's.
There are private Islamic schools, bu as said, they are private. The government does fund the continued existence of Chinese and Tamil medium schools though in the country. Note that this is the only country in SEA with a large migrant population that allows and support minority mother tongue schools. Singapore only has Chinese medium schools besides national schools - no Tamil or Malay medium schools. Malaysia is the only SEA nation where Chinese and other minorities are not forced to integrate - unlike Thailand, the Phillipines and Indonesia where Chinese even have to change their name! Are Malays racist?
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
Malaysia is the only SEA nation where Chinese and other minorities are not forced to integrate - unlike Thailand, the Phillipines and Indonesia where Chinese even have to change their name! Are Malays racist? ================================= Chinese in America don't have to change their names. I've never heard of Chinese having to change their names anywhere other than in SE Asia. Therefore, the fact that the Chinese have to change their names is a violation of their basic human rights. But not forcing the Chinese to change their names is not a sign of equality. No forcing people to change their names is only common civilized behavior. Therefore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Philipines should be condemned for forcing the Chinese to change their names. But no kudos need be given to Canada, America, France, UK, etc. etc. etc. for not forcing the Chinese to change their names. It is preposterous for Malaysia to ask for praises for not forcing the Chinese to change their names. You cannot claim to be a saint for not robbing other people. You cannot say that John robbed Peter, Tom robbed Peter, Paul robber Peter, but since I did not rob Peter, therefore I'm a saint. That is preposterous. You are a crook for robbing others. But you are not necessarily a saint for not robbing others. Furthermore, forcing the Chinese to change their names is only one thing. Forcing the Chinese to pay more for housing is obviously discriminatory. Malays certainly should be branded as racists for committing racist crimes. And the Malays certainly have committed many violantions of human rights of the Chinese as listed in the posts I'd given previously.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
Btw, this is important I think due to high regard Chinese hold for education. There is no such thing as a "Malay" school in Malaysia. The Malaysian government builds national schools using the national language as a medium. The national language is Malay - a lingua franca for the country since the 1400's. ========================= In Singapore there are 4 official languages which are English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. Even in America there are places with large Mexican population where Spanish is used as one of the official languages. Even in San Francisco and other places in California, Chinese is used on official documents in considertion of the Chinese-American citiznes who do not speak or read English. This is impressive and is what a true democracy should be. But Malaysia only has one official language - the Malay. This is an arrogant presumption of the Malay special privileges. The Malays are not the indigenous people of Malaysia. The Malays are not even the original indigenous people of the Malay Peninsula. Therefore, the Malays are acting with presumptious arrogance for forcing other races to speak Malay as the only official language. Furthermore, there are many other indigenous races in Sarawak and Sabah. Why aren't they also official languages of Malaysia? By A. M.'s argument, the Chinese could force everybody else in Malaysia to recognize Mandarin as the national language of Malaysia and then say Mandarin language school are not really Chinese schools but Malaysian schools. This is nothing more than transparent sophistry.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
Singapore only has Chinese medium schools besides national schools - no Tamil or Malay medium schools. =============================== Singapore's national schools use English and not Chinese. Chinese medium schools are all private schools funded by private Chinese people. Singaporean government does not play favorite or give funding to Chinese schools exclusively. That is to say, Chinese are not favored over Malay or Tamil schools. Malays and Tamils are free to build schools that use Malay or Tamil as medium of instruction. The so-called Malaysian national schools are all Malay schools already. So if government fund is used to build Malay schools, it is certainly only fair that the Chinese should receive the same amount of funding for their schools. It is facetious to say that Malaysian natinal schools are not Malay schools. This is only bald-faced lie. ---------------- Below are a couple of quotes about the policy of Singapore government about schools. Mendaki is a project sponsored by Malays in Singapore to help Malay students: http://www.photius.com/countries/singapore/society/singapore_society_the_malays.html Singapore's government insisted that no ethnic group would receive special treatment and that all citizens had equal rights and equal opportunities. Government support for Mendaki took the form of financing the organization through a special voluntary checkoff on the monthly contribution of Muslim workers to the Central Provident Fund, and through unspecified other public donations. In Malaysia, the so-called national schools are already using Malay as the medium of instruction. So it is facetious to argue that there are
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
There is no such thing as a "Malay" school in Malaysia. ========================= A school that uses Malay as the medium of instruction is by definition a Malay school. It is facetious to say that national schools are not Malay schools. Malaysian natinal schools are Malay schools because they use Malay as the medium of instruction and therefore by definition they are Malay schools.
 written by victim, January 11, 2008
May I butt in for a minute? Now, the way I see it:
1. I am there 2. I am here 3. I am everywhere 4. Where r u? 5. Where am I? 6. I am right 7. You are wrong 8. What am I on about? 9. Go to sleep! Moo cows will come home soon! Have some milk! Now, guys, attack me. Your common enemy! - your figment of imagination!
written by Pathetic Race, January 11, 2008
Hey guys, let's look at the Malays' pathetic cultures & traits as blessings in disguise~hopefully their grand old "Tanah Melayu" & "ketuaan Melayu" project will be so mismanaged & bankrupted by their UMNO heroes by 2020 that they will have to literally sell Malaysia cheap. S'pore is so wealthy, sophisticated, militarily advanced etc that it will be a god-given opportunity to either buy or grab a piece of Malaysia which she so deserves. Lee Kuan Yew, for his talents, skills, statemanship etc in creating a 1st world nation among all the hopelessly moron states in her neighbourhood, should definitely deserve a much bigger platform than her current tiny land mass.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
Liang has chosen to espouse a very biased and jingoistic view of Malaysia without starting from the basis of reality. The root article above already indicates that Chinese control 60% of Malaysia's economy whilst being only 25% of the population! The scenario in Malaysia is hence the same (though less dire) as in South Africa, where the majority, indegenous racial group in economically worse of than the minority migrant group - a recipe for de-stabilisation. ====================================== Not everything said by the root article is the absolute truth. Many independent and reliable studies performed by Chinese and non-Chinese have confirmed that the share of Malaysian wealth owned by the Malays have exceeded 40%. An article whose link is given below shows that the share ownership of the Malays in 1996 had already approached 37%. Since then the share of Malay ownership must have increased significantly since the Malaysian policies have accelerated the Malay takeover of Chinese wealth. I include a quote from the article mentioned. The Malay share of wealth in 2007 must have exceeded 50%. Non-Malaysian, Indians, and other non-Malays also own a significant amount of Malaysian shares and wealth. Therefore, it is more than likely that the share of Chinese wealth in Malaysia is now less than 40%. While the Chinese own more than their proportion of wealth of Malaysia, yet the Chinese also work much harder in an increasingly narrower field of opportunities, and more than deserve their share of the wealth. ----------------------------- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_New_Economic_Policy#Results "Official Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange figures from 1998 were even more optimistic, indicating Bumiputra share ownership stood at 28.6% in 1990 and 36.7% in 1996.[7][9]"
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
The scenario in Malaysia is hence the same (though less dire) as in South Africa, where the majority, indegenous racial group in economically worse of than the minority migrant group - a recipe for de-stabilisation. ------------------------------------------ The reality is that the Chinese have been in Malaysia since the Tang Dynasty some 1,500 years ago at a time when the Malays themselves were settling in having migrated from Sumatra. If the Chinese are "migrants" then the Malays themselves are also "migrants." I point out again that the orang asli are the original indigenous people who had preceded the Malays by tens of thousands of years in arriving in Malay Peninsula. If any kind of comparison is to be made between Malaysia and South Africa then it must be pointed out that the NEP is equivalent to apartheid. That is to say, the NEP is the racist and discriminatory policy that victimizes the Chinese and other non-Malays in Malaysia just as apartheid policy had discriminated and victimized the blacks in S. Africa. The Chinese have not exploited the Malays. The wealth of Malaysia have always been created by the Chinese. The Malays were poor because they stayed in their jungle villages and drank coconut wine and slept all day and never did a day of honest work while the Chinese worked themselves to the bone figuratively and literally. Then the Malays just crawled out of their jungle villages and started robbing the Chinese demanding that they be as rich as the Chinese for no reason other than being Malays. Just think about it. The Malays have admitted that they had no wealth in 1960. Now they have half of Malaysia's wealth. So where did the Malays got their wealth from? Especially since they have admitted that they had no business ability, had no accountants, had no engineers, had no doctors, had no lawyers. And without being able to do anything, they still now have accumulated half of Malaysia's wealth. So where did they get their wealth from? Obviously by robbing the Chinese.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
A.M. wrote:
Some of the info Liang quotes also seem inaccurately designed to prove his case. e.g. on the banks, of Malaysia's 8 remaining anchor banks, 2 are Chinese family controlled, Public Bank, controlled by the Tah family and Hong Leong Bank is controlled by the Quek family. Eon bank is indirectly controlled by another Chinese tycoon, Rin Kin Mei, and Alliance Bank is controlled by Singapore's Temasek group as a main shareholder! All the "Malay controlled" banks are GLCs - Maybank, CIMB, Affin, RHB. Hence, Chinese elements control 50% of Malaysia's local banking institutions, with perhaps ~30% of deposit and lending strength! We of course also have MNC banks like Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered... ====================== I’m talking about banks owned by Chinese in Malaysia. Singapore Chinese are not Malaysian Chinese. Standard Chartered was at one time significantly influenced if not controlled by a Chinese in Hong Kong, but it obviously was never owned by Chinese-Malaysians. Therefore, by the same token, even if Singapore’s Temasek Group owns Alliance Bank, it is still not owned by Chinese-Malaysians. In other words, even if a Malaysian bank is owned by Chinese outside of Malaysia, they are not owned by Chinese-Malaysians. Therefore, I’d said that Chinese-Malaysians “own” only 2 banks in Malaysia and I was right. Eon Bank being “indirectly controlled” is not the same as being “directly owned” by Chinese. And the Chinese-Malaysians only own 2 banks in Malaysia now after having owned many banks in Malaysia in the past. And the reason for that is that the Chinese were forced to sell their banks to the Malays at steep loses. The significance of what you said is that “Chinese elements … with perhaps ~30% of deposit and lending strength.” If the Chinese only have 30% of deposit and lending strength then they obviously have been much reduced. And therein lies the major point of what every Chinese have been condemning the Malays and the NEP for. The truth is that the Chinese own only 2 banks in Malaysia and their deposits have been reduced to only 30% of the total deposits in Malaysia. A.M.’s statement that the Chinese “control” 50% of Malaysia’s local banking is obviously subjective and baseless and false.
written by Liang1a, January 11, 2008
An interesting book that touches on the changing ownership of Malaysian banks from the Chinese to the Malays is “The Monetary and Banking Development of Singapore and Malaysia” by Lee Sheng-Yi (Third Edition). I give a quote from the book at the link given below. It is self-evident from this quote that the Malays have robbed the Chinese of their banks. Lee has highlighted the squeezing down of the Chinese managers to the mid-level from the upper level by commenting that it is for the sake of “racial harmony.” But any Chinese would know that this is just Malays robbing the Chinese at gun point by constantly threatening to massacre the Chinese as in the May 13 massacre when thousands of defenseless Chinese were killed by Malays thugs.
A.M. has admitted that Malayan Banking and United Malayan Banking are now owned by the Malays. But from Lee’s book it is obvious that they were originally started by Chinese entrepreneurs with Chinese capital and management. That is to say, these banks were owned by Chinese. It is clear the Malays had robbed the Chinese of their banks. ============================================= http://books.google.com/books?id=EseeooTl6egC&pg=PA272&lpg=PA272&dq=malaysian bank chinese ownership&source=web&ots=KK8boxEYi2&sig=qQe6i0udWD1-KSpQJ0tMnk48Tn0#PPA273,M1 “An interesting feature in domestic banks should be noted. In the early phase of economic development, Chinese ownership and management in domestic banks was dominant, much more so than now. Since the second half of the 1960s, many Chinese directors and top managers were replaced by Bumiputras, notably in Bank Bumiputra, Malayan Banking, and United Malayan Banking. Malayan Banking and United Malayan Banking were started by Chinese entrepreneurs with Chinese capital, and management. With the increase of government shares, the Chinese ownership and control have gradually receded into the background and the banks are now predominantly staffed by Bumiputra executives. Bank Bumiputra was established as late as 1966, but it has grown very rapidly under the support of the government. Today, it is the biggest domestic bank in Malaysia. In its early years, most of the directors and managers were Chinese. There is now a so-called “sandwich problem”, I.e., the upper level of directors and top executives is predominantly served by the Malay, and so is the bottom level of clerical staff. In between the Chinese serve as the lower level executives. This “sandwich” position of bank officers may be considered as cooperation among the Chinese and Malay for the progress of the banking system in Malaysia, if one adopts an optimistic view for the sake of racial harmony for national unity and economic development.”
written by Liang1a, January 12, 2008
Actually the problem of the replacement of the Chinese managers by Malays in banks are much more severe now than in the time when the book was published. There are practically no Chinese in the Malay controlled banks in any position whatsoever. And even in the Chinese owned and controlled banks, there must be at least 1/3 Malays.
 written by DIASPORA, January 12, 2008
This may really not be possible. It must be shadow play master minded by the Chinese to hoodwink the Malays and Indians in Malaysia. The Chinese have already shifted most of their wealth out of Malaysia including most members of their families. What the Malays now have are only the crumbs left behind by the Chinese. The World trade is controlled in the East by the Chinese. Now they control the Middle east and Africa.
By Chinese - it means the Chinese Daispora which has one of the most powerful economic and financial prowess in the world that the combined effort of the Diasopora could bring Malaysia to its knees and become equivalent in economic terms to Bangladesh. The Malays would be living in an Alice in Wonderland mood if they do not catch up in work ethics and business acumen as fast as the Chinese do. It is just plain UGLY to ask for 30% Equity in Chinese owned family firms and private Sector firms. They even go to the extent of asking 30% stake in ice wter stalls. Have the Malays no pride or dignity that they stoop to such low levels to make public their weaknesses already exponded by other leading books. Until the Malays stand up and do their own work and set up their own commercial networks all over the world and do business exactly how others dio business - they are stuil going to go around BEGGING for equity in other peoples properties without shame or guilt until the grave. The Chinese cleverly have a number of political parties in the so called BARISAN Government. Hence each party claims posts and positions and looks after the Chinese interests most able and surreptitously. It is evident to one with a little more intellect that the Chinese Parties help each other whether they put up a show of being in the Opposition or the Barisan. So do not pity or worry about the Chinese. They can well look after themselves even in the worst of storms. The Leaders of the Chinese Daiaspora meet every year in Beijing. What for. Think and then act on whatever you are planning to act on.
written by A M Ubaidah S, January 14, 2008
Thank you Liang for responding to my postings so aggressively... if anything, the manner and content of your subsequent posts have at least exposed a penchant for the sensational at the expense of reality.
Just for example... rolling out the common anti-Malay complaint that 'Malays are not-indegenous to Malaysia' is funny in that the first Malay Kingdoms of record in Malaysia existed in 1 BC (Gangga Negara / Langkasuka), indicating a simple presence well before the period. The 2nd longest surviving monarchy in the world is one of the Malay Sultanates of Malaysia - the Kedah Sultanate which began ~1000 AD as a successor to Langkasuka. This is backed by literature - "Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa" - which you can get copies of in SOAS's if not Oxbridge's Malay studies libraries I believe. No one denies the presence of Chinese in Malaysia from centuries ago. If anything, the Indians have a stronger claim of presence - trade with Indian Kingdoms facilitated the growth of Gangga Negara et al and it was actually destroyed by one such Kingdom. However, presence does not entail claim of a nation. Claim of a nation comes from settling roots and building a society and civilisation in a region. Otherwise, you probably would find most of Europe screaming murder at each other to this day... the French, Germans, English, etc. all have no claim to being 'indegenous' then by your definition. You may find their constitutions then distressing... Similarly, Malay is the medium of education in National Schools in Malaysia because it is the 1st Language, with English the 2nd Language in Malaysia's constitution. This was agreed to by all Malaysians, including minorities, during the drafting of the constitution. Malays may have had weight of numbers in this decision, that's democracy, but also weight of precedent. I suppose you are just as upset that Malay is the medium of education at National schools in Indonesia, and Thai is the medium in Thailand, and Tagalog in Philippines, and ... You even contradict yourself on the banks debate Liang. Chinese control 4 of the 8 anchor banks in Malaysia. That is fact. That is 50% of local banks, 30% of deposit and lending power when accounting for MNCs and relative size between banks (which mind you does not mean % of depositors - there is a difference as those reading with knowledge of finance will tell you). You quoted a piece before that said Chinese control only 1 bank, then said you said Chinese control 2 banks. Facts should not be just made to fit your arguments Liang. They should stand as facts... Anyway, this has been a very rewarding debate for me, and I hope enlightens more people as to the difference between the reality of Malaysia vs the propaganda...
 written by TheWrathOfGrapes, January 15, 2008
/// Note, PAP has a branch in Malaysia - the DAP. Malaysian political parties do not have any interest in the Singaporean political process! ///
Lets have facts people... facts are not racist... /// Yes, let's have facts. You should get yours right first. There is a Singapore brancho of UMNO - SMNO - at the junction of Still Road and Changi Road. Also, Dr M used to take pot shots at Singapore's treatment of Malays, forgetting that he treated the Chinese and Indians in Malaysia worse. You want facts? Google for the number of times that Malaysia interferred with Singapore's affairs over the decades and vice versa. The facts will speak very loudy. P/S - DAP has severed all ties with PAP, but SMNO is still in cahoots with UMNO.
written by A M Ubaidah S, January 17, 2008
Wrath of Grapes. You mean the SMNO as in this one?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore_Malay_National_Organisation I am actually working in Singapore, so yes I am aware of this former branch of UMNO still existing in Singapore. However, there no link I am aware of between this organisation an UMNO that is active and current. The DAP however has continued a warm and cordial relationship with the PAP. When you say Malaysia is 'interefering' with Singapore affairs, do you mean on Malaysia wanting to re-negotiate the water supply agreement, or want equitable valuation of Malaysian GLC land in Singapore, or the legal contest for claims over an island? These are all Malaysian affairs. These are just a small part of the myriad affairs of Malaysia in any case. Singapore is too small for Malaysia to bother with otherwise...
written by TheWrathOfGrapes, January 18, 2008
Ubaidah,
How sneaky of you. DAP/PAP and UMNO/SMNO had exactly the same relationships and same origins, yet you chose to highlight one and not the other. Show me one instance in recent memories that DAP is still linked to the PAP. Is being warm and cordial a sin? OTOH, UMNO was openly rooting for SMNO during the past elections in Singapore. Inteferring as in Malaysian politicos telling Singapore how to treat her Malay citizens. Many such instances. You like to talk facts, but when facts are inconvenient to you, you just ignore them.
 written by phil, February 01, 2008
I don't know too much about your affairs in Malysia, but Malaysia is really famous internationally for his policy sth. like 'sons of soil' policy.
I just find it's weird, for a country should protect the equal rights of the minorities, but not these of the majority, of course, esp. for some spcial cultural protection, like Quebec of Canada. but in job opportunities, education, or sth. else of this ordre, the policy should be made to favor the minorities. the Malay guy argued here that the majority is democracy. it seems that u know little about it.if u work in singapore, ask your company manager what their company law provides to protect the rights of the minority.sometimes, u can say the quality of a constitution is judged by its provisions protecting the minorities.
written by phil, February 01, 2008
the comparison between malaysia and south africa made par a.m. is really ridiculous. just like Liang pointed, the chinese in malay have never exploited or slaved the malays, and this is, of course, not ture in south africa. the french people in canada speak haut et fort for their independance in Quebec, but finally have to submit before the rules of democracy, for english people have never slaved or exploited the french people.
but this time, the situation is different. chinese people face a people who easily go to extreme. I have two chinese malaysian friends, one i have met in the south of france, who told me her grand father had been poisoned by a local people in malaysia. the other one i met in canada, who tried to explain some malays are nice and polite, because they say hello to his carribean husband. the stories from the aged people in montreal chinese hospital are totally different. whatever, atrocities and cruelties committed by local people to the chinese communities in south asia have been always the hot topics in chinese websites throughout the world. evidently, the mere protests of the chinese gouvt have always been the sources of criticism of chinese people. as they say, chinese gouvt is not strong enough to handle it. chinese confucian culture can explain some part of this. people usually think if i am kind to u, i expect the same treatment from u. and also we usually choose to be patient and endure the difficult situations, even extreme ones. this doesn't work. China should be strong enough like USA to protect the people sharing the same roots, of course, we will never use this power to squeeze other peoples like malays. forget to tell, i am a chinese from xi'an, mainland.
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Quiet negotiation has never worked. The Chinese just got squeezed out more and more from everything. The reason why the Chinese weren't squeezed out even more is simply due to the inability of the Malays to take over the jobs of the Chinese. Wherever the Malays could replace the Chinese they have done so. Even in the banking and law firms the Malays are now putting the squeeze on the Chinese. The last I heard is that the Malayan Banking is requiring any law firm applying for loans from it to have at least 1/3 of Malays partners in the law firm. The Malays have mostly taken over the Chinese banks. There are probably only 2 Chinese owned banks left in Malaysia. There are virtually no Chinese in important government departments or police or military. MCA is not the Malaysian Chinese Association. It is Marginalize the Chinese Association. It is nothing more than a mouthpiece for the Malays. A bunch of cowards who sold out their own Chinese brothers for their own selfish immoral gains.
Singapore had stood up to the Malays fearlessly and thrived and become a world class nation. The so-called Chinese leaders in Malaysia simply led the Chinese into second class status where the Malays with lower education, lower income and cruder sophistication dare to kick the Chinese around with contempt.