It is not irrelevant that the Chinese,.Indians, Penans, Ibans, Dayaks, Kadazans or Orang Asli are being marginalised. Bumiputera privileges was founded on the premise that bumiputreas needed help in catching up with the non-bumiputeras. As the Asli support suggests, much has been achieved with the NEP and it is possible that the Malays are far better off than the government figure would have us believe.

The inclusion of GLCs (government linked companies) as belonging to the bumiputeras is interesting. I suppose if all the directors, executives, employees of such GLCs are bumiputeras and all contracts given out by such GLCs are given to bumiputeras and if the bulk of the profits of these companies are used for bumiputeras then these GLCs should be treated as bumiputera-owned.

The civil service and the armed forces and the educational establishment are predominantly Malay and these jobs come with gratuity, pensions, medical benefits, subsidised housing and car loans. The Malays also have a substantial presence in the private sector - in oil and gas, in banking, in insurance and in transport to name a few areas. And eight to nine million Malays have investments in Amanah Saham from which they get substantial dividends.

It is clear that the Malays have more than achieved their 30% but the distribution of that equity amongst the Malays is a problem. However, that is not a reason to continue discriminating against the non-Malays. A new NEP should be formulated for the poor of the country irregardless of race. But this would require Umno to change and it would also require our leaders to reduce the wealth they are distributing to themselves.

Will this be done or will the people have to bring in the opposition as the government for the changes to be made?