YOURSAY 'It’s the political system that has caused such behaviour.'

Mahathir defends 'lazy Malays' remark

J Ng: Mahathir is not wrong in his analysis. But the root causes of the problems have nothing to do with race. What he has cleverly refused to point out are the reasons for such attitude among the Malays.

It is purely the political system that caused such behaviour. And in this, Mahathir and Umno are the main culprits in its creation.

The affirmative policies of NEP are right in creating opportunities for the Malays. But once given, those that remain complacent must be 'punished'.

But such action has never been taken in order to protect Umno. This further deteriorated the race’s drive to compete. The propaganda on Malay supremacy became another false fallback in their mindset.

This ended up making the government the biggest employer for this group of people. Their weaknesses are never corrected.

Characters and attitudes are moulded not by race, but by needs and environmental situations. We cannot blame laziness and complacency if situations allow it to happen.

Hplooi: If his premise is correct, then the correct response is to nurture an atmosphere of competition, which will wean the Malays away from 'malaise', not institute more affirmative action.

In truth, no race is intrinsically stupid, lazy or challenged. All races, genetically, have the God-given gift of attaining their full capacity in rational exercise of freewill.

This includes being industrious, smart, moral etc. It is the "conditions" which can make a person or a whole society more corrupt or less moral. Therefore to profile racially is despicable.

Example: during the late 1970s up to 1980s, some of the most "creatively" corrupt civil servants in Malaysia were (in my experience) the Chinese. Being in the building industry, I used to expound on my experience of a Malay-dominated local authority (northern state), which was in fact less corrupt than a less Malay dominated local authority (my personal experience in the 80s).

So racial profiling, especially the silent type amongst non-Malays, is wrong. Unfortunately the current system encourages racial profiling on both sides of the political divide.

Amah: Mahathir is correct. Perkasa and Isma are too lazy to protest or make a police report on this. Even the Ridhuan who wants to be more Malay than a Malay, is also too lazy to comment.

Gen2indian: When abject mediocrity is encouraged, why would anyone "learn properly" in university? In the grand social engineering scheme devised by one man, non-deserving students were admitted into university, did courses they had no aptitude for, spoonfed in class (and exams) and then shoved into the real world.

The result, as we all know, is quantity but no quality. As for your workers stealing from you, who set a fine example for others to follow? Go read about former PM Hussein Onn on how he treated friends who wanted favours.

LIEW LEAN KUT: So 70 percent of university students are women. It is so because women are smarter than men. There are people who say PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail cannot be the Selangor MB because she is a woman. In my mind, she is much better than many men.

Victor Johan: Mahathir only made a generalised statement. He was referring to the Umnoputeras, those affiliated rent seekers and not those who form the majority, which includes hardworking traders in the market place and vegetable farmers and workers who work to take home 'halal' earnings.

Many junior cops and the Rela 'volunteers' on the street made vast additional incomes by preying on illegal immigrants and wrongdoers, while the several senior ones made monthly earnings from operations of drugs and dens.

The larger society suffers in quiet desperation, with some only whispering their sufferings. Some of these are easily satisfied with alms and BR1Ms.

But we also have those righteous ones who participate in the reformation of the nation.

Anticonmen: The mighty Roman Empire fell because the leaders became corrupt, selfish, greedy, crazy and lazy. The mighty Nazi empire fell because the leaders became evil, selfish, greedy and crazy.

The mighty Japanese empire fell because the leaders became too selfish, greedy, cruel and crazy.

Apa Nama: Mahathir is trying to divert everyone's attention. His real point is not that Malays are lazy, dishonest etc. He is trying to boost the non-Malays supports towards BN. His message is a double-edged sword.

He could be seen as directing his salvo towards Malays but the real issue is to create a tension between Malays and non-Malays.

During his 22 years in charge, Mahathir was known to always create some tension among the races to keep him in power. He liked to use this cheap method. Hello, Mahathir, this will not work anymore.

OH YA?: Why did he not single out those in the ruling elite who are rent seekers and stealing from the State coffers in the name of NEP? Those taking from his coffers, though not right, were merely recycling to keep the economy going.

Open minded: On the other hand, he may have ulterior motives for saying it. He is as crafty as a fox. Why the deafening silence from his followers and the bashed community?

Gunner: Everyone knows what would have happened if 'Malays are lazy' remark was uttered by DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang or opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. I dare not elaborate.

Wg321:  Mahathir is qualified to be charged under the Sedition Act for insulting the Malay race. How come Isma, Perkasa, etc dare not make police reports against him?

Well, Mahathir is not that easy to bully.

Where is the Malay NGO whose leader always wears a security guard uniform with decorations all over his chest while appearing on KiniTV making police reports after police reports against anyone who perceived to be insulting "the Malay race, Islam and the sultans"?

Why is he afraid of Mahathir? Why no police report from him? I like to see his comical face while appearing on KiniTV.

Man on the Street: When there was an outcry and outburst from the public of the state of injustice in society and communities, the Umno-led government were using the ISA and Sedition Act to silence the people.

Now, the greatest man in Umno itself has started his outcry on the sorry state of his own community and race. The voice of the people since the time of Roman Empire should be heeded from the beginning. Otherwise, in a matter of time, the arrogant ruling party will fall.

Onyourtoes: Coming from the former PM who ruled this country for 22 years, I am actually quite disappointed with his analyses of the Malays. How can he say Malays are lazy?

Based on what, genetically, culturally or religious influence? It is a generalisation that was made with no scientific basis. Then he said Malays cannot be trusted with money and again this is based on his personal experience and observation at the roti shop where he interacted with a few Malays, Chinese and Myanmarese.

I thought his experience as the PM would have given him much better insight than the roti shop. Mahathir, please don’t create distraction. It is not Malays, Chinese, Indians or others. It is the moronic system we inculcated and the bad examples our leaders have set for others.

Why talk about a few Malays stealing money at your shop. Why don’t you look at big time corruption, pilferage and stealing perpetrated and perpetuated by all races at the top?

Man on the Street: I would very much like to follow Mahathir’s path by stating or telling the true state of any race, as I do not want to deceive myself too. Will I be charged for seditious remarks? One law but two standards of prosecution?

Doc: I beg to differ, Mahathir. In the past many urban Malay males may have aspired to be mat rempit as the life in the fast lane may have been an attracting feature.

In the last few years, Umno and associate organisations (Perkasa, Isma, Jati, etc), have been indoctrinating into the urban Malay youth mindset the principles of ketuanan Melayu, close Arab-Malay bonds and that Malay men are the defenders of the faith.

This has led to more Malay youths are heading to the Middle East to be jihadists which to me, is far more menacing for the county then mat rempit.  

Abasir: Given the on-going vindictive rampage against opposition politicians, academics and anyone not aligned to Umno, Mahathir's 'seditious' broadside against his adopted community is in fact a dare. 'Charge me if you dare', is what he is really saying.

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