How long can the govt continue with its NEP policy? If the government denies the Asli report's verdict that the 30% bumiputera equity ownership has already been exceeded, then it is incumbent upon the government to provide a clear official methodology as to how corporate equity is measured.

Earlier, Asli's Centre for Public Policy Studies headed by Dr Lim Teck Ghee, had made a statement that its findings had established bumiputra equity ownership had exceeded 45%.In order to rebut this finding and to deny further credence to Asli's opinion that 'corporate equity distribution was narrowly based, unrealistic and has resulted in an underestimation of the true volume and value of bumiputera equity', the government must reveal the official methodology to measure corporate equity.

Based on its calculation it must provide clear irrevocable proof that bumiputera equity has regressed to a lowly 18% in 2006. When the Asli's findings were some time ago, many Umno leaders, including the prime minister, called the report 'baseless, inaccurate and irresponsible'. Umno Vice-president Muhyiddin Yassin went even further and called it 'rubbish'.

The NEP in its present form has been abused and has lost its initial noble objectives of helping the poor and the needy. Instead of affirmative action based on poverty, it is exclusively based on a policy of helping just one race irrespective of the wealth of that person.

Hence, we have a situation where a rich bumiputera is entitled to purchase a high-end property at a discount. What kind of logic is this? If he can afford to buy a high-end property, surely he doesn't need a discount.

The NEP must embrace the concept that there are poor Malays, Indians, Chinese, Kadazans etc. If the NEP is to have any meaning, it must help all those in need irrespective of their race and not because they belong to a select community.

If there are any defects in Asli's report, it is its failure to pinpoint the recipient of the 45% of bumiputera equity. The revelation may be academic but the truth is that maybe only 10% of the bumis have benefitted from the 45% corporate equity distributed by virtue of the NEP.

As long as the government refuses to accept this reality, the longer it will take for national reconciliation. The inequitable distribution of wealth can only mean that the poor and the needy will continue to be deprived of government assistance while the rich will continue to benefit from this skewed affirmative action policy.