Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Not sweating over the stress

This is the last two paragraphs taken from an article published by Newsweek International (July 3-10, 2006 issue)

SIGNS OF STRESS
By Joe Cochrane and Lorien Holland

For starters, UMNO counts the Malay business owners to whom it grants sweetheart contracts as its bedrock supporters. That means political patronage is entrenched and calls for greater support for Malays have strong voter appeal. Even today, some UMNO politicians argue that new economic sectors such as biotechnology should be declared Malay only. Others point out that Malays remain the country's poorest ethnic group. "The fear is that when we declare ourselves a developed country by 2020, the Malays will not be part of that," says Khairy Jamaluddin, a senior member of UMNO's youth wing and the prime minister's son-in-law. "We see [the NEP] as a last chance to get there."

That may be wishful thinking. Chinese and Indian professionals have been emigrating to Singapore, Australia and elsewhere to escape discrimination or dead-end careers. Government officials say they're concerned about losing talent, but that maintaining an economic advantage for Malays is more important. "It's policies like NEP that have been able to preserve the peace," says Khairy. Or, some would say, disturb it.
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Tell you what I think.

You can keep the flawed NEP until 2040 and even then, the Malays will still be struggling to keep up with the developed status of Malaysia, IF Malaysia has truly reached the developed state status by then, in the REAL sense of the word, not some self-proclaimed kind of announcement ala Selangor Maju.

If that's what you think is best for the Malays, so be it.

In the meantime, the non-Malay professionals are not going to sweat over such stuff anymore - because they will be busy carrying on with their lives elsewhere, where they are appreciated and where the goalposts are guaranteed to stay put in one place.

We've lived with all kinds of stress in this country, we've survived and somehow adapted to the kind of dirty rules in this unfair game. Hey - no sweat! All the stress just makes us tougher and better prepared for the real jungle out there. We'll always survive by remaining fit and running with the pack. And don't worry. We'll be fine so long as we stay united.

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7 Comments:

Blogger Helen said...

I know I will never understand the logic of Mr KJ. I never made it to Oxford. ;-(

28/6/06 11:33  
Blogger Arena Green said...

Me too, *sniff* *sniff*.

28/6/06 11:57  
Blogger H J Angus said...

They say the higher you go up the mountain, the better the view.

Similarly in Malaysia, the higher up the political ladder, the more wealth you realise is within your grasp.

All of them are really grasping truck loads ala Matrade and then telling the rak'yat to change lifestyle.

28/6/06 13:49  
Blogger Arena Green said...

Greed is the true champion of the people's plight, right HJ?

28/6/06 14:32  
Blogger Maverick SM said...

The rule of law never departs - those who needed clutches must remain lame. At the same time, the economic journey is not dictated by rules and laws that cause injustice; for natural justice will take it's own course and seek it's way to prosperity. Indonesia is a great example; Philippine is another.

Commerce know no colour and race. It seeks those who strive for it and it prosper those who seeks efficacies and dilligence. Rent-seeking is the obsolete philosophy to make gains in the world og globalisation and liberalisation. Those who could not follow the new economics will be left behind.

28/6/06 22:36  
Blogger chong y l said...

hi folks:

we must salute anak m for being such a gutsy lad'!

I wouldn't have mindd if only these uMNOputras did not perpetuate MYTHS to continue with the NEP...the so called 30% targeted share ownership for Bumis were long ago acheived -- it's just being "hidden" under proxies, ali babas who 'sold' teheir easily gotten gold and HELD IN (UMNO) TRUSTS, with the last word having at least two divergent meanings.

I once shed tears for NegaraKU, but now ican only say more prayers.
I Hope a leader like Anwar Ibrahim who paid a "heavy" price can no rise to the occasion to make a difference. Saudra/i, pray with Desi? Amen/Amin.

I;ve NEVER grudged Malays who are less welloff and I'll support any Gomen helping them -- ON NEEDS BASIS> NOT ON RACE.
When you implement AID PROGRAMMES ON NEEDS BASIS, you can those who ruly need the aid, above race, color and creed.
Malay, Chines, Indian, Kadazan, Murut, Iban etc, ALL ARE MALAYSIANS. Period.

Khairy J, do you hear that?

30/6/06 01:32  
Blogger Arena Green said...

Yes Desi - people in politics had so often lost their "humane and compassionate" reasoning in exchange for more gravy and extra toppings.

Honestly, why else would they fight tooth & nail to get on the high chair and hang on to the seat for dear life?

To me, it matters not whether Dick or Harry gets the pie. I just hope that whoever it is would not be an all consuming greedy prick.

Btw, it's the weekend. Have a light & easy one Desi and, to all of us here ... cheers!

30/6/06 07:55  

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