New deal for all Malaysians

MOST Malaysians, especially the bumiputra, would have welcomed Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement during an interview with Channel News Asia recently that “affirmative action is still needed to bridge the gap and avoid conflict between the bumiputra and other races”.

This policy has been adopted in our socio-economic planning and implementation since the New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced in 1970.

Over time, affirmative action has significantly reduced the risks of conflicts that can be caused by socio-economic and wealth disparities. Today, the gap between the bumiputra and Chinese and many others has been largely narrowed.

The greater challenge now is addressing the growing gap in incomes and standards of living and quality of life between rich and poor Malaysians of all races, and also between and within ethnic groups. There are very poor Malays, Chinese, Indians and other minority groups all over Malaysia.

As it’s a national issue now, many Malaysians regardless of race are appealing to the Prime Minister and his able Cabinet and the wise Council of Eminent Persons (CEP) to review and revise the NEP to adapt to the current socio-economic and political realities after their most impressive and welcomed victory at the 14th General Election.

Currently, the economic disparities or socio-economic gaps are based more on income disparities rather than race differences. Since we are blessed with a new government after 61 years under the previous one, this is the era of a New Malaysia or Malaysia Baharu. Therefore, we will need to express the political tsunami and see change in more practical socioeconomic terms for a better future.

Hence, the new government will need to adopt more socio-economic policies that are income-based and related to fulfilling the basic needs and human rights of all Malaysians. Our new policies need to be founded on our sincere conscience and religious values of fairness and fraternity for all Malaysians.

We can no longer afford to be exclusive; we have to be inclusive in all our policies and implementation so that all Malaysians and not just some exclusive groups will benefit from our future national development. We must do this or we will revert to past policies and practices which were rejected by the voters!

Indeed, the government of the New Malaysia could devise and introduce a New Malaysia Economic Policy (NMEP) that would contribute to more genuine and sustainable national unity.

The previous NEP had, unfortunately and regretfully, caused much national division, disparities and disunity not only between our races but also within the bumiputra/Malay and other races and minority groups all over the country.

While we would follow the advice of the Prime Minister to accept that affirmative action is still needed in Malaysia, we fervently hope that our new government would now ensure that all deserving Malaysians regardless of race be treated to a new policy of affirmative action.

To reiterate, this new affirmative action should be meant for all deserving Malaysians based on basic needs and not race.

Most Malay/bumiputra as well as poor non-Malays would benefit from a new and revised NEP, which is more crucial now to promote greater national unity and a more peaceful, prosperous, progressive and happier nation.

We pray that the Almighty will bless and guide the new government leaders to be fair to all Malaysians, especially the poor and underprivileged ones.

TAN SRI RAMON NAVARATNAM Chairman Asli Center of Public Policy Studies