By Ramon Navaratnam
Prime Minister Najib Razak is right in wanting to “uplift the Bumiputras to a respected level in society”. In fact a great deal has already been achieved by the government over the years, especially since 1970.
He also emphasised this important government commitment at the opening of the Bumiputera Education Tour (JPB) 2017 at the Bera district council field recently.
His noble goal is “to help students from low income families and rural areas to enter higher education institutions.
But the public, especially the non-Bumis, will ask the vital question: “Will the JPB programme include bright but poor and urban non-Bumiputera students as well or will it be exclusively for the Bumiputeras?”
If the JPB programme is to apply exclusively to Bumiputera students, then we are planting the seeds for disunity and a failed state.
I agree with the prime minister’s claim that Malaysia is not a failed state…as of now. But we can easily become a failing and even a failed state, if our public policies continue to be race- and religious-based and not income- and needs-based.
So it is essential that our prime minister and government fully clarify this sensitive issue to all Malaysians, particularly at this time with the next general election possibly coming sooner than later.
The prime minister’s efforts are laudable when he says that that the government “strives to ensure that no student is deprived of the opportunity to further his or her studies due to poverty”.
But we all know of many really poor and bright Malaysian youth and especially non-Malays and non-Bumiputeras who are deeply frustrated because they have been excluded from educational opportunities.
Instead, many non-Bumiputeras have not been included under government policies to help the poor, regardless of race.
After all, that was the original intention of the New Economic Policy as I remember it from 1970.
We have become unnecessarily exclusive for the Malays and Bumiputeras and have sadly marginalised many poor but bright non-Malays over the years.
I must stress that this exclusive policy will further undermine our strained national unity and national wellbeing, peace and prosperity.
From now and onto the new National Transformation 2050 (TN50) vision which the prime minister has unveiled, we must become more inclusive and less exclusive.
Therefore, please Mr Prime Minister lead us once again, like our beloved founding fathers did, along the path of national unity and inclusiveness.
Please pursue income- and need-based policies rather than race- and religious-based concerns and issues, that will slowly but surely ruin our beloved country.
We have to be more inclusive to ensure greater progress, peace and sustainability in the future.
That should be your grand legacy, Mr Prime Minister, like that of our illustrious prime minister and your late dear father, Tun Abdul Razak.
It is a great challenge but it can be achieved under the national cry, Malaysia Boleh!
Ramon Navaratnam is the Chairman, Asli Centre for Public Policy Studies
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