KUALA LUMPUR: PKR supreme council member Datuk Zaid Ibrahim today accused Umno and right-wing Malay groups like Perkasa of promoting rent-seeking among Malays under guise of defending their rights.
He said Malays with high-level ministerial connections were being accorded allowances, special benefits, as well as positions, ostensibly to allow others access to these connections.
“Actually, what they want to defend is a rent (seeking) system, whereby Umno Bumiputeras can use their influence as leverage to get positions, allowances and shares in a company.
“These kind do not mind protecting the interests of the elite, even though the companies of these elites have resulted in honest Malay businessmen [being] unable to gain a fair playing field. That is the truth of the situation,” said Zaid in a posting on his blog.
He asserted that Malays should be able to work with anyone, as long as they worked hard and took care of their businesses.
“I agree with Ibrahim Ali who has said that there was nothing wrong with him, as Perkasa president, working with a wealthy Chinese businessman like Vincent Tan, or with any businessman to make housing projects or bridges or any other projects in Kelantan.
“Malays should be able to work with whoever that can bring them benefits and profits. The important thing is that they really work hard and are proactive businessmen. What’s important is that Malays should not become ‘sleeping partners’ or an Ali to a Baba. Malays need to know their self-worth,” said Zaid.
He lamented the fact that many Malay leaders who had close ties to the prime minister or other top government officials were only chasing after lucrative positions, such as becoming non-executive directors of companies and failing to do any work.
Malays who constantly lobbied for Bumiputera rights to be protected and preserved also came under his crosshairs, with Zaid pointing out that many of these people themselves were not of pure Malay origin.
“The real sons of the soil of this country, like the Senoi, Negrito, and the proto Malays and also ethnic groups like the Semelai, Jakun, Temuan, Temiar, we never see them sitting in the director’s post in big companies. They have no protection under Article 153.”
He further questioned the sincerity of Ibrahim and Umno leaders in defending their purportedly eroding rights, by reaffirming that the rights of Bumiputeras have never been in danger of being compromised.
“These people should come to their senses. What Ibrahim Ali and Utusan (Malaysia) should be fighting for is so that the NEM (New Economic Model) would be able to curb the phenomenon of the selling of the names of Bumiputeras to certain elite groups or companies.
“As long as these Bumiputeras continue receiving free allowances from these groups, the economy of the Malays will be dominated by a select few. These elites are not just anybody, even the Chinese don’t like them because they take everything,” Zaid continued.
Nevertheless, Zaid remained doubtful of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise to make the NEM work for all Malaysians.
“I think that it is impossible that Najib would clean up this rent system because Umno leaders will then get angry... they will get upset if the NEM is fair and gives equal opportunities to all Malaysians.”
MI
14/03/10
He said Malays with high-level ministerial connections were being accorded allowances, special benefits, as well as positions, ostensibly to allow others access to these connections.
“Actually, what they want to defend is a rent (seeking) system, whereby Umno Bumiputeras can use their influence as leverage to get positions, allowances and shares in a company.
“These kind do not mind protecting the interests of the elite, even though the companies of these elites have resulted in honest Malay businessmen [being] unable to gain a fair playing field. That is the truth of the situation,” said Zaid in a posting on his blog.
He asserted that Malays should be able to work with anyone, as long as they worked hard and took care of their businesses.
“I agree with Ibrahim Ali who has said that there was nothing wrong with him, as Perkasa president, working with a wealthy Chinese businessman like Vincent Tan, or with any businessman to make housing projects or bridges or any other projects in Kelantan.
“Malays should be able to work with whoever that can bring them benefits and profits. The important thing is that they really work hard and are proactive businessmen. What’s important is that Malays should not become ‘sleeping partners’ or an Ali to a Baba. Malays need to know their self-worth,” said Zaid.
He lamented the fact that many Malay leaders who had close ties to the prime minister or other top government officials were only chasing after lucrative positions, such as becoming non-executive directors of companies and failing to do any work.
Malays who constantly lobbied for Bumiputera rights to be protected and preserved also came under his crosshairs, with Zaid pointing out that many of these people themselves were not of pure Malay origin.
“The real sons of the soil of this country, like the Senoi, Negrito, and the proto Malays and also ethnic groups like the Semelai, Jakun, Temuan, Temiar, we never see them sitting in the director’s post in big companies. They have no protection under Article 153.”
He further questioned the sincerity of Ibrahim and Umno leaders in defending their purportedly eroding rights, by reaffirming that the rights of Bumiputeras have never been in danger of being compromised.
“These people should come to their senses. What Ibrahim Ali and Utusan (Malaysia) should be fighting for is so that the NEM (New Economic Model) would be able to curb the phenomenon of the selling of the names of Bumiputeras to certain elite groups or companies.
“As long as these Bumiputeras continue receiving free allowances from these groups, the economy of the Malays will be dominated by a select few. These elites are not just anybody, even the Chinese don’t like them because they take everything,” Zaid continued.
Nevertheless, Zaid remained doubtful of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise to make the NEM work for all Malaysians.
“I think that it is impossible that Najib would clean up this rent system because Umno leaders will then get angry... they will get upset if the NEM is fair and gives equal opportunities to all Malaysians.”
MI
14/03/10
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