Losing by default

Now that I have written several articles in Bahasa Melayu, l shall revert to English. The central theme of my articles is that if there is anyone to be blamed for the confusion about how UMNO should treat Perkasa, it's the UMNO president.

UMNO has forfeited its role as spokesman of Malay leadership by default. First because the UMNO president is giving out ambivalent messages. He hasn't given unqualified and absolute support to his foot soldiers. He is asking his people to distance themselves from Perkasa but undercuts this call by saying we are not at war with Perkasa. And what does distancing mean exactly? It's not a question of at war or at odds. It's a case of stating clearly that UMNO doesn't share the same ideals of Perkasa.

It's a case of saying that UMNO has a better program and agenda than Perkasa will ever have. Right now, UMNO hasn't done that beyond discussing whatever programs which seem never to have been finalized yet in labs conducted by consulting companies.

Otherwise we are better off by shutting up. The core element of Perkasa's struggle is the retention of NEP and of Malay rights. It is to this element that UMNO leaders must argue. Unfortunately they don't have the grey matter to argue against the idea.

Malays in general are not averse to reason and sensibility. It is a mark of mental and cerebral deficiency if you resort to name calling as a means to counter Ibrahim Ali's Perkasa.

How would you argue against NEP? Start by asking what has NEP turned into at the hands of achievement- challenged UMNO leaders?

1. It stands for social immobility.
   
2. It stands for getting on in life by way of cutting corners, working less and wanting a free lunch.
   
3. It stands for a system that does not match rewards with ability and hard work..
   
4. It stands for a system that makes putting in less effort but getting more benefits, respectable.
   

But before that we have to state the following. If whatever privileges are already enshrined in our constitution- to wit article 153, then why do we need organizations like Perkasa to add validity to this article? It suggests that we are not confident of our own constitution. Or Perkasa can clearly see that there is no longer UMNO in the future. If there is no UMNO then, the constitution can be changed. By the way article 153 provides for the Agung to ensure a few things pertaining to Malay privileges are protected.

To me then, it's not article 153 that we should focus our attention to. It's the paramouncy of the institution of the Agong. If that is the case, vest in him paramount authority as the final arbiter and veto power to ensure not only Malay privileges but to include other things as well- how and why PETRONAS money is applied or that the Agung has the final authority to endorse plans to spend extraordinary amount of public funds.

Two, Malays will forever be the majority group in this country. I find it impossible for Malays to forsake what are important to them regardless of whatever party they belonged to.

So where is the steam that pushes Perkasa? Ini pun orang UMNO tak boleh debat.

This is the way we should argue why NEP must be abolished. It's not the Malays will drop off dead if the NEP is abolished. I have long held the view that rights are what we fought for and earned and not gotten gratuitously. This is what the NEP is instilling- that rights are a given because they are so. Also because its written in our constitution.

The validity of NEP doesn't depend on article 153. That article provides for powers to be exercised by the Agung in matters concerning government positions, scholarships etc. even then, such powers are to be exercised with circumspect- the most important qualification being, in so far as they do not injure the legitimate rights of other Malaysian races.

I want to tell our Malaysian Chinese brothers, they are not the only ones pissed off with the NEP. The majority of Malays are equally angered. Because the NEP has turned out to actually be, a fight to control the turf by competing Malay elites, the superbumis, the puteras in the bumi. The majority are treated as cannon fodder by these people in working out a solution with the elites of other Malaysians.

How many percent of the Malay population benefited from the RM 54 billion offer to take up offers in listed companies? We know so many cashed out that the value held by bumiputeras is now only RM 2 billion. I have written sometime ago, let the government list out those who have cashed out and permanently bar them from even applying for new shares.

So I come to my first contention that NEP far from empowering the majority of Malays represent a hurdle for social mobility. So when the majority is denied access to wealth creating resources, this breeds enmity and social tensions. The social mobility which the NEP sought to do, was enjoyed by the privileged few. How many can play golf with the PM and brokered RM 200k for the PM? not everyone can become Low Taek Jho and redirect RM 5 billion to become 1Malaysia Development Fund and in the process, earned RM 700k? not many people can equal an ex sprint queen who arranges the hubby to become the umbrella contractor controlling so many JKR projects or become one of the partners selling train coaches to the Malaysian government?

Because the mobility meant for Malays are differentiated. For some, the privileged, the well connected, it's a program that allows cutting corners. Pink forms here and there, easy financing, sometimes free shares because of who they are. For the majority, the mobility has to be earned the hard way- work hard, toil the land, study harder.

The NEP represents unequal outcome through unequal opportunities. What we wanted were equal opportunities resulting naturally in unequal outcomes.

How can I be persuaded that NEP is good for the Malays?