Racism of the UMNO's: deficit of oxytocin?

Moral Economics" contains the meaning of values and how it influences human morality and impacts the development of economies. It also explains how moral values is based on the workings of neuroactive hormone oxytocin acting on various parts of the brain to create the feeling of empathy, trust and trustworthiness leading finally to greater cooperation among strangers to allow the faster growth and development of economies.

This got me thinking about UMNO, their racism, the scarcity of successful UMNO cronies businessmen and the dearth of large scale successful Malay businesses. UMNO don't seem to be able to trust anybody, especially the non-Malays and especially the Chinese, to cooperate with them. UMNO is deliberately creating suspicions and hatred among the races of Malaysia ultimately with the aim of getting rid of all facilities that non-Malays have in Malaysia.

The Chinese and the Indians have been largely racially cleansed from Malaysia. The Indians saw their population reduced from some 15% in 1960's to some 7% today. The Chinese saw their population reduced from more than 35% in 1960's to some 25% today. In Sabah the Chinese population has been reduced from more than 30% in 1963 to less than 10% today. The Kadazan, Dushun, and Murut population has been reduced from some 40% in 1963 to less than 20% today due to the large influx of Muslims from Indonesia and the Philippines.

But since cooperation with non-kins are the hallmark of modern civilization and is absolutely necessary for the "specialization of labor and the generation of surplus in societies", it is clear why Malaysia is not developing as fast as Singapore and other advanced societies.

UMNO simply cannot trust others and cooperate with the Chinese and the Indians and the other non-Malays. Therefore, there is no large scale "specialization of labor." And without the "specialization of labor," surpluses cannot be accumulated in Malaysia. And without surpluses, there is no funds to develop technological advances. And without technological advances, there is no increases in the living standard for the people of Malaysia - especially for the common Malay.

But in the neighboring Singapore, there is no discrimination based on race. All are encouraged to work as hard as they can on equal conditions. Therefore, all races are working closely together regardless of race. This means all races can benefit from the specialization of labor regardless of race which then leads to abundant surpluses to fuel technological advances resulting in the high increases in the standard of living. This shows the differences between Singapore and Malaysia where racism is stagnating the economy of Malaysia while the racial equality in Singapore is fueling rapid economic advances.

UMNO should do some serious thinking and ask themselves whether they want to be ruled by the racist dogma of UMNO that seeks to rank the Malays as the superior master race. The Malays should understand that ultimately the dogma of Malay supremacy will only stagnate the Malaysian economy which will keep the common Malays poor.

Currently, Malaysian per capita GDP is only 1/6 of Singapore. And even this low level of per caapita GDP is obtained only because Malaysia is producing some 500 million barrels of oil a year which accounts for some 10% to 30% of Malaysia's GDP depending on how the Malaysian GDP is calculated. Obviously without the oil Malaysian economy would collapse as the oil not only directly contribute a significant part of its GDP but the multiplier effect from the oil incomes magnifies its contribution to the economy by two to three times. From this, it is safe to say that without the oil - which comes mostly from Sabah and Sarawak - Malaysian economy and especially the Malayan economy will quickly sink down to the level of Indonesia.

I don't know why UMNO is so racist. Maybe it is because UMNO has a lower level of oxytocin. Or maybe it is just a cultural phenomenon that the UMNO politicians use racism as a means to scare up support for their rule. But it is obvious that without trust and cooperation among the races, the economy of Malaysia will continue to stagnate.

The effect of oxytocin and other neuroactive hormones that generate a sense of guilt against advantageous iniquity or the unwarranted superiority of the Malays would ultimately make many Malays feel stricken by their conscience. Or they could finally understand that the racist hatred propaganda produced by UMNO is ultimately not true and counterproductive in advancing he standard of living of the common Malays. And hopefully they will understand that trust and cooperation based on equality and justice is what's best in the interest of the common Malays themselves.