The Brahmin Bumiputera vs the Pariah Bumiputera

Let me begin with a story. I invite you to spot the difference between a Brahmin Bumiputera and a Pariah Bumiputera.

Sometime ago, Halim Saad of Renong fame, got a contract to lay submarine cables. These are communication cables made from fiber optics. They were to be supplied by a local company. Call it Xco Sdn. Bhd. That wouldn't be hard to identify, because the supply of optical cables was and is monopolized by only one company.

The contract to install the submerged cables was quite lucrative. The person associated with the supply of optic cables wanted a piece of the action. It's a natural extension of our business, he declares. So he went over to randy Halim Saad and made an offer the latter couldn't refuse.

Halim Saad had to relent because Mr. Xco was exceedingly well connected. It was said, light could travel through the cable he had, faster than the best optic cables produced by Corning. Mr. Xco then was also developing one pristine Island off the coast of Sabah into a diver's haven.

He went to Halim Saad because Mr. Xco knows Halim Saad can understand where he is coming from. He comes from a world, where you get things by being who you are, by being from this genetic pool. Halim Saad can relate to these things- for he can relate to anyone being a member of MC-gay-gay whose membership entitles the members to get things as of right. He comes from a world where rules apply only to common folks and he, being of a special breed is excluded from mundane rules. He comes from a world where all the good things in life are meant only for the likes of him such as the phallic pleasures of driving in Porsche Cayennes or straddling in palatial mansions in Lorong Tun Ismail, somewhere in the pristine enclaves of KL, away from Proletarian Chow Kit. Halim Saad knows and understands all these.

In order to lay down the cables, Mr. Xco and his people bought and operated a cable laying vessel. She was christened SOB- not Son of A Bitch but Spirit of Borneo. So, she was put to use to lay down the cables with workers on board.

One day, an engineer who was doing consulting work inspected the vessel. To his horror, he found all the ship's certificates had expired. Anyone who operates or owns any type of ocean going vessel, will know that a ship must be certified seaworthy of ocean going. There are a number of certificates which any ship must pass upon inspection. The bloody SOB had nothing passed. It was unfit and not safe to operate with.

The engineer knew who owns the ship. What can he do? He can't complain to Halim Saad or the local authorities. What he did, was to complain to the union of ship workers which made such as ruckus that the SOB was taken out of service.

No sooner was it taken out; SOB was back in operations within the next 2 days. The leader of the shipping workers union called his engineer friend to ask whether he knows who the owner is. The engineer replied he didn't.

Who is Mr. Xco?

Mr. Xco illustrates how a special Bumiputera operates.

We shall not mention names. He is a typical Brahmin Bumiputera. The rest of the Bumiputera are the Pariah Bumiputeras. Hence, when we talk about Bumiputera, we must be clear as to which type of Bumiputera are we talking about? Some bumipteras are more equal than others.

How do you differentiate between the Brahmin Bumiputera and the Pariah Bumiputera?

First the Brahmin Bumiputera operates on the basis of his inherited stature. He advances in life on account of who he is. If he is from a distinguished genetic pool, what he wants he gets as of birthright.

Sociologists call this method of classifying people, as the ascriptive norm. You are placed on the hierarchy on the basis of who you are. Your being is more important to define your status- bloodline, old boy network, belonging to a particular grouping such as ANSARA or MCOBA etc.

The Brahmin Bumiputera is the naturally favored choice in anything. Because they are assumed to get things done by virtue of being who they are. In business he gets what he wants. In politics he expects to be given position. Political office, government position-all these are his exclusive province.

Rules apply only to plebeians and peasants. They don't apply to special Bumiputeras. Hence when we speak of Bumiputera special privileges, we actually mean, privileges for some special Bumiputeras.

The Pariah Bumiputera on the other hand has to qualify his way at every inch. He must qualify himself with superior education, superior talent and even superior morals. He must operate on the basis of what he can do society. He, the pariah Bumiputera operates on achieved norms- that is, he will judged in accordance to what he can do.

When it comes to rules and regulations, they apply more to the pariah Bumiputera than the Brahmin Bumiputera. Universal rules apply to common people, particular rules to special people.

Take one simple example. The behavior of people in relation to traffic lights. Everyone knows, the rule is, you never cross red lights. The universal rule is, if the lights are red, you must never cross it even when there is no traffic. But some people do cross red lights reasoning that they are no people. If caught, the people who flouted the rules are often excused because they are my brothers, relatives, members of my fraternity.

The above is a simple example of a Universalist or rule-based culture and a discretionary or particularist culture. In a rule-based culture, the approach is roughly: "What is good and right can be defined and ALWAYS applies."  In particularist cultures, far greater attention is given to the obligations of relationships and unique circumstances.  

Take the case of trying to cross the street at the red light that we gave above.   In a rule-based society, you will still be frowned at even if there is no traffic.  It tends to imply equality in the sense that all persons, or citizens, falling under the rule should be treated the same.  But in societies like like ours for example, where particularist judgements focus on the exceptional nature of circumstances, it is likely to be OK with one if it is his/her brothers or friends that violate the traffic rule. 

Thus for example, Dato Mohamad Abdul Aziz is likely to apply strict moral and whatever measures of censure on ordinary individuals but will likely excuse Bung Mokhtar. The Bung Mokhtars of this world are not just "citizens", but their "friends" or "brothers".  This difference probably explains why there have been difficulties in implementing a judicial system that is credible in our country.

In morals, the pariah Bumiputera has to be whiter than white. The Brahmin Bumiputera is not censurable by any measures of moral sanctions. Accordingly the Brahmin Bumiputera is  genetically immune to moral and religious censures. It is therefore all right for him to commit religious and moral transgressions. That is all part of his genetic immunity.

The pariah Bumiputera faces the terrible wrath of the moral gendarmerie and religious carabinieri. Woe betides if he is seen partaking in intoxicants or found in the company of intoxicated company. He or she can get caned. But the Brahmin Bumiputera even if he opens establishments selling liquor and other intoxicants or even owns a substantial share in a brewing company is spared the punishments or moral censure of any kind.

In treating others, Brahmin Bumiputeras and pariah Bumiputeras operate differently. The Brahmin Bumiputera acts as though he owns other people. Hence, the private space of others belongs to him and he may enter and goes as he pleases. Sociologists call this method of treating others as a social practise in diffuse culture. He is the master and lord over all others. It's the replay of the feudal chieftain bossing over the serfs. The boss-subordinate relationship usually does not stop only in the office or in the boss-worker relationship as contractually defined. The boss is likely to have a say in other aspects of his/her employee's personal life.   The boss owns everything.

What a modern and democratic society wants is specific work culture, where an individual's life space is free from the encroachment of others. This is also an element of genuine freedom- i.e. to be from the control of others. In such a society, the leader would segregate out the task relationship he/she has with a subordinate, and insulates this "work relationship" from other dealings.  Therefore, the leader's authority only reaches where his/her work relationship with the subordinate is defined, and each area in which the two persons encounter each other is considered apart from the other.  Work and life are sharply separated in specific-oriented cultures.

Non Bumiputera Malaysians I encounter do not fear the ordinary Bumiputera and can understand and accept Bumputraism. By that we mean, the adoption of policies designed to correct the imbalances and historical accidents in which the majority of Malay Malaysians find themselves in. Except, they expect it as mandatory, that the polices so designed work in such a way as to encourage the ordinary Bumiputera 'stepping out' from self imposed and imagined limitations.

What they fear most are the special Bumiputeras or the Brahmin Bumiputeras. Because these people expect to be given what everyone aspires and wants in life as a matter of birthright.