'When you're poor and in dire straits, any sort of change or meritocracy will be seen as an attack on them.'

PSM: 70% Malay support vital for Putrajaya win

Soapbox: DAP should realise that PAP (People's Action Party) was thrown out because Lee Kuan Yew was preaching meritocracy all those years ago, knowing pretty well that the Chinese merited all the top jobs as they were equipped to sprint from the starting line.

Let us tamper merit with compassion, and be equitable in giving out jobs to those willing to work. The chauvinistic Chinese are as undesirable as the racist Malays, just like the racist Indian is as bad as the chauvinistic Malay.

Love thy neighbour irrespective of race and all will be well in our abundant Malaysia.

Mahindar Singh: There is some sense in what Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj says. One thing is for sure - no nation can accept that the majority race in any country are left behind.

Similarly, we cannot have them controlling every aspect of jobs and leaving the minorities out of the cake. We need to improve everybody's well-being and to start that is to wipe out the cancer in our society - corruption.

Patrick: Unfortunately, PSM speaks the bitter truth. The idea of a Malaysian Malaysia, as DAP puts it, would scare the lower-classes, even if it has some good ideas that should be put into place.

But the way, different communities have been brought up to understand that taking away certain scholarships or rights would mean that poorer people, especially the Malays, would be left in the lurch, even if the scholarships and quotas have not helped the poor Malays one bit.

Despite the idea of affirmative action, there are still Malays who don't have basic needs, like running water or electricity. And who put them in that position in the first place?

If Pakatan Rakyat can prove that it can give all people, regardless of race, what they need, then this mindset will change. But when you're poor and in dire straits, any sort of change or meritocracy will be seen as an attack on them.

Sandakan: Pakatan talks of meritocracy and providing help and support to the poor, the majority of which are Malays. So do not talk rubbish. Contractors who depend on handouts should not be contractors. How can Malaysia develop if we have people like Jeyakumar who speaks half-truths?

Imran: Jeyakumar, how come you are in Pakatan but don't know its policies? Even I, as a voter, know that they are to help and support the poor.

Victor Johan: Dr Jeyakumar, you are sounding like Hindraf's P Uthayakumar. We all know there are ethnic Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli groups who are really poor in Sungai Siput, and they need to be told that when Pakatan uses terms like 'meritocracy', what it means is that Pakatan will use the criterion of merit to assist all.

I hope you understand that those with 'merits' means those deserving, those warranted, those who earned the right to assistance because of their circumstances, not only the rich, top brass, high achievers who can already afford things by themselves.

Please turun padang and explain to them, and help them get out of the ‘we're victims' thinking.

Argonist: It should be easier for people like YB Dr Jeyakumar to simply provide his charitable and good-natured skills to the downtrodden rather than continue to be in the opposition camp. Good luck to you in the next round of elections, PSM!

Merit: I beg to differ with PSM's contention about meritocracy here. It's as if Pakatan hinges on meritocracy and that would be able to get enough support from the Malays to take over Putrajaya.

In essence, meritocracy doesn't mean the stronger ones take all and leave the weaker ones to suffer. Meritocracy, at least to me, means the person with merit is chosen to a position of responsibility so that he or she can act responsibly, transparently and fairly to achieve the best possible result that is fair to all, which include helping the poor so they (the poor) can alleviate themselves to a higher level.

Anyone can fight for this 70 percent Melayu marhaen (lower-class Malays), but without stressing the important of meritocracy, it's a short-sighted measure to win support from this group. If that is the case, why the hassle of putting Pakatan in Putrajaya? The problem of corruption, inefficiency and cronyism will still be there. No wonder PSM refuses to join Pakatan.

ONG: Dr Jeyakumar should test and prove his theory by having PSM candidates stand in Malay-majority seats. As far as I am aware, PSM could not even get close to winning a single seat if they had to compete against any of the Pakatan coalition parties in non-Malay majority seats or against Umno in Malay-majority seats. The few seats they now have are due to the charity of Pakatan parties, specifically PKR and DAP.

I believe that for every Malay voter that gets frightened away by the talk of meritocracy, 10 Malay voters will get frightened away by the talk of socialism.

Woken up: Jeyakumar, I agree with you that the lower-income Malays should be taken care of, but with rampant corruption, there will be no more money even to assist the poor Malays.

If we could see how much wealth of the country has been stolen and how soon the nation will go bankrupt, then BN will need to implement taxes and increase duties on many consumables items to survive. Tell me, how is BN going to help the poor Malays then?

We must stop those people from stealing. Only then will the country have ample wealth for all, even the minority communities. Malaysia is our nation and the wealth belong to us, not Umnoputras and their cronies like MCA, MIC, Sarawak's Taib Mahmud, etc. Wake up, PSM.

Proarte: Meritocracy by definition is about achieving and recognising what you deserve. Now it just boils down to interpretation and implementation.

A man or woman who is poor and cannot afford treatment for a hip replacement 'merits' free treatment. A girl from a Penan village who has no resources to get an education 'merits' financial help to pay for educational and transport costs to a school in the nearest town.

The new paradigm is not about being afraid of excellence as that leads to under- achievement and a sense of 'entitlement' which is dangerous in this globalised competitive world. The word 'meritocracy' should be used in tandem with 'empowerment'.

Kunta Kinte: This is the first time I hear the most sensible statement made by a politician. Too bad it is neither BN nor PR. I may consider lompat (jump) party.

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