It is not difficult to spot the jaguh kampung (village champion), but it is not easy to decide what drives Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan. Is it his blind arrogance, his ignorance, or his stupidity?

To announce during a press conference, that there is nothing more to learn in geography once one has opened an atlas, is shocking. He then persuaded Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to reduce the number of hours of Geography, so that secondary schools can include lessons in “Entrepreneurship”.

It is eye-wateringly worrying that Ahmad Maslan is the deputy finance minister. That is bad enough, but Malaysians can gain no reassurance from the knowledge that Najib Abdul Razak ( right ) is the finance minister.

 

Last week, Ahmad Maslan wondered why Chinese children were more enterprising than Malays. He said that despite an education, few Malays became entrepreneurs. He seemed dismayed that Malays were content to become wage-earners. He suggested that Chinese children, who helped in their family businesses, gained useful skills in entrepreneurship.

 

Has Ahmad Maslan ever wondered what Umno Baru’s policies have done to the ordinary Malay? After copious handouts, many are in a vegetative state, whereas other communities know that to survive they need to be competitive, learn new skills, communicate effectively and keep abreast of technology. With few incentives to be more competitive, why should Malays try?

Clearly, Ahmad Maslan was not referring to the Malay children of the Umno Baruputra class. These children are sent to schools and universities abroad, where most of them enjoy the advantages of a well-rounded education.

Some may graduate and return to Malaysia, to be put in charge of a company with a paid-up capital of RM2 which will eventually build or manage multi-million ringgits worth of roads, buildings, transport links, alternative energy products or radar equipment to protect our skies.

 

Others breeze into jobs in ministries, which are controlled by their parents. What are Nedim Nazri’s qualifications, to be the “special officer” to the Tourism Ministry? Not to mention the Cowgate scandal.

 

Geography involves various disciplines

First, fewer Geography lessons will not turn more Malay children into entrepreneurs.

 

Ahmad Maslan either had a bad Geography teacher, or he was asleep or absent during his Geography lessons. Geography is not just about opening a world map. Geography involves various disciplines. In physical geography, one learns about the physical systems, for example how the water cycle, wind, ocean currents, and volcanic activity can affect the climate.

Human geography deals with people, communities, cultures, globalisation and development. The study of geography enables us to understand why people have evolved, the places they inhabit, and the environment they live in.

 

If Ahmad Maslan had paid attention in Geography class, he may realise that cutting down our forests will affect the climate, that overfishing or polluting our rivers will result in a shortage of food. He has already seen the effect of uncontrolled farming on the slopes of the Cameron Highlands.

 

Second, Ahmad Maslan managed to convince Muhyiddin to incorporate lessons in entrepreneurship in schools. Perhaps, Umno Baru politicians should first learn the initial steps of entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur is mainly about people, how to sell and negotiate, and also how to manage a business.

 

What people skills do Umno Baruputras have? Will they listen and observe aggressively? The electorate do not think that Umno Baru leaders listen enough to their needs. Will these leaders talk less? Many people have to be paid to attend talks by Umno Baru.

Some of the rural poor may like a day’s outing in a coach with free food and RM30 ‘hardship allowance’. Most other people have a life to lead. Will Umno Baru leaders empathise with the rakyat? Will they take a bus to work, or drive along a clogged road during peak hours, to experience what the ordinary rakyat has to endure every day?

What negotiation skills do Umno Baru leaders have? They fail to debate or discuss important issues with leaders of the opposition. What are they scared of? Negotiations by Umno Baru leaders or their supporters involve threats - most often the promise of racial riots like May 13.

 

If Umno Baru was a business, it would have trouble keeping afloat. They pay their workers low wages, but reward themselves with excessive benefits. Their wives use the company’s jets, or place full-page advertisements in foreign newspapers in an act of self-glorification.

 

Instead of encouraging employees to think, they encourage more little Napoleons. Umno Baru leaders have difficulty separating their political life from their social life. They have free use of the nation’s jets for sightseeing or shopping, and commonly use the council’s equipment for their children’s weddings.

 

Ahmad Maslan failed to mention the main barrier to Malays becoming entrepreneurs - which is having cable ke atas (connections to the top). Many Malays have confided that despite their skills, experience, and qualifications, they cannot compete against Umno Baru cronies.

Nepotism is rife. Any Malay who enters a government tendering process is wasting his time. The recipient of the contract has already been decided. The tender process is just a facade to satisfy public perception of transparency.

 

Many Malays have joined the brain drain, and excelled and thrived in a competitive environment. Unless the ordinary Malays unite to force Umno Baru to have open tenders and to eradicate cronyism and nepotism, there will come a time when only pseudo-Malays like Indonesians, Burmese, Filipinos and Pakistanis, will control the Malaysian economy.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO).