In
this topic, we are going to discuss the formal constraint for the change of the
government institutions which is a policy of special right for Malay and Bumiputera
in economic policy. The government aims for Malay to have at least 30% economic
equity. This is one of the aspiration to uplift the Malay social status because
of hundreds years of colonization. The intention is to provide the stability to
the country. To ensure society lives in the harmony, the policy embedded in the
constitution and gradually in custom, tradition and norm of Malaysia. The
question is, does the Malay privilege policy will be changed? What is the
factor that might change this?
To answer this
question, we have to look back in history rather the policy of protecting Malay
are getting enlarge or become smaller. History will let us know about how much right of Malay has been reduced, or
in other words evolves. From the beginning, even thought the Malay privilege was
in the constitutions, Tunku Abdul Rahman administration does not really stress
on how Malay should be aided. The economic approach is much more liberal and
open. However, after the 13th May 1969 tragedy, the affirmative
policy for a Malay to strengthen the economy
emphasized, with the intention to reduce the social class and the gap between
rich and poor. The colonization promotes the economic identity based on races
and that’s why the policy has to be specific to the Malay. New Economic Policy
(NEP),National Development Policy, New Economic Model and other policy
introduced. This is all done under the name of stability.
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| Dato Seri Hishamuddin,Future Prime Minister,Graduated From LSE. He is one of the stronghold in protecting Malay Privilege.-Illustration Purpose Only- |
Let’s fast
forward. Roughly, under Prime Minister Najib administration, the service and
economic benefit were given to all Malaysian without prejudice. The economic
policy under his currently rarely mentions on “Malay” compared to his
predecessor. The term Malay in political rhetoric was replaced with 1Malaysia
aspired to give benefit to all Malaysian.
Does this the attempt for the institution to evolve?
Of course to
change Malay Privilege is a very complicated process. This is because by doing it,
will cause the change of informal rules and the question of effectiveness of
enforcement will come into play. Politician and legislator might change the
rule on the paper, but informally, the people that running the policy are the “old
Institutions” that take more than that to be changed. It is even harder to
change informal constraints of changing policy ,such as customs, traditions
because it has embodied in institutions.
Another question
to focus is in term of the necessity of change. Is there a strong need to change
and does the components that support the change sufficient for the change. The necessity of change will depend on the
divergence of society that wanted to change the policy. If the divergence is
strong enough the policy will evolve.
For me, it is
impossible to lift the Malay privilege formally. I can assure that the Malay
right will not be lifted. However, I know that It WILL EVOLVE .It might change
incrementally with the support by all organizations (politic ,education, NGO, business
and other) when the Malaysian people itself feel that the policy affect the
stability of this country. It will change itself when the days people saying
that the races and religion are No. 2. Individual freedom, equality and
solidarity are at priority. Today, what embedded in society is that, the policy
was made to fix the social status and class of Malay and Bumiputera. Even
thought the Barisan Nasional government might change one day, in my opinion,
the institutions will not change and hard to change.
To change this
policy, all institutions (government, society, religion, academics, etc..) must converge and believe that this change
are for the stability. The winner will
be the idea, that, which is going to provide betterment for the people.
History proves
that custom, codes of ethical and norm will evolve. We seems example, today on
how trade grows without highlights what religion, race, belief of the
producers. In the medieval ages, the trades accounted this entire factor. The
origin, custom, skin color and mission are converging into the similarity of background
and ethnicity. However, in a few hundred years later, this nature has evolved.
The trade institutions converge on finding one thing, which is to maximize
profit and efficiency of production. The backgrounds become less important in
this global world. The trade Institutions changes and evolve its policy. For
all you know, Government is an Institution. It will evolve just like the trade.
