YOURSAY 'Even if the private sector practises apartheid, they have better justification than the government. The private sector does not collect taxes...'

Apartheid in Malaysia? Let's get at the truth!

Foodforthought: In his haste to stir racial sentiment, New Straits Times writer Awang Hitam has conveniently swept under the carpet, to the misleading tune of Malaysia Boleh; the fact that the bumiputeras with the biggest share of the economic pie are Umno cronies the likes of Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary et al who have their filthy hands in everything essential from rice to power generation, sugar to ports, books to cars.

Outraged: Retired engineer and philanthropist Koon Yew Yin, thanks for your response in exposing this irresponsible NST writer for trying to destroy the nation with hate and smear campaigns. We shall counter these people with the clear display of the facts.

Astounded: It is really ironical how the establishment, Umno and its lackeys, twist facts in such a way that the result is completely out of whack with reality. There is apartheid in Malaysia of course, but not in the way the NST columnist presented it.

The apartheid lies in how the government recruits civil servants and promotes them. It lies in the award of scholarships, making places available in public institutions of higher learning like UiTM (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia). It lies in awarding licences for myriads of businesses.

When DAP fights for a Malaysia that helps its citizens on a needs basis irrespective of race, it is branded as racist party. Objective truth no longer exists for Umno and its lackeys. It has become a situation where might is right. Unfortunately for them, truth will prevail.

Fair Play: Sure apartheid exists and has been fine-tuned to suit the local environment. Just take a look at the civil service, the teaching profession, the nursing profession, the GLCs (government-linked companies) and the armed forces, including PDRM (Royal Malaysian Police).

After all, as far as the powers-that-be are concerned, meritocracy is a major form of discrimination (that they call apartheid) practised in the private sector.

JBond: I used to head a division of a listed Chinese family company where I actually discriminated against Chinese employees because our market was the Malay market.

So there is absolutely no apartheid in even typically Chinese family companies. We employ people based purely on needs and not skin colour. NST is clearly out to disparage Chinese employers.

Debater: The private sector companies are not charities. Most small Chinese enterprises do business with China and Taiwan. There are not many English or Malay speakers there. Don't expect them to employ translators for the sake of employing bumiputeras.

Language is just a tool. If bumis do not or are not encouraged to learn other languages, they are at a disadvantage.

Jstom: After all these years, the government doesn't seem to realise that the best tool that it can provide to the people of Malaysia is a multi-lingual education.

Just imagine the scenario where a Malay accountant applying for a job in a Chinese company that requires 'Mandarin' as one of the requirement (chiefly because their clients are Mandarin speaking).

So instead of sitting in a corner and crying “nobody wants me”, the country’s leaders must take a bold step to exploit the strength of our various communities in Malaysia.

Heavenly King: More than 99 percent of non-Malays can speak Bahasa Malaysia but less than one percent of Malays can speak Chinese or Tamil. Worse still, most young Malays cannot speak English but they are made to think they are more superior than others.

Lamborghini: Anyone with eyes to see and minds to think will know that it is the Umno-controlled government that is blatantly practising apartheid against the non-Malays. From places in universities to scholarships and grants to public sector employment, the statistics testify to this.

And even in the private sector, there is outright apartheid. Every housing developer must reserve a certain percentage of the homes and give a certain discount just on the basis of race. Companies must have a certain number of directors who are Malays. The list goes on.

Gua Musang MP Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah hit the nail on the head with his forthright reminder to the Malays that they should not blame others for monopolising economic wealth as they have been given numerous opportunities and aid.

Anonymous #039163649: Apartheid in the private sector has no basis in fact and is often advanced as a racist response to justify blatant discrimination in the public sector.

Take the major corporations which are originally Chinese-owned: Public Bank, Maybank, HSBC Bank, Hong Leong, etc. Do you see racial discrimination there? Malays may even outnumber the Chinese in these banks.

Many big Chinese factories and companies are required by law to employ a certain percentage of bumi employees even at the directors level. Often because of a shortage of eligible bumis, you may find a single bumi having directorship in more than 50 companies.

Smaller Chinese companies employ mainly Chinese with whom they can communicate and be comfortable with (the same can be said of bumi companies).

True Colors: I used to head a US multinational company where recruitment was clearly based on skills and experience, matching with pleasant personality and positive attitude being added advantages. Apartheid has no place in the selection process.

NST should be more responsible in their reporting. I have Malay friends and colleagues who are holding key positions in MNCs.

Onyourtoes: NST is scraping the barrel to justify apartheid in the government. Even if the private sector practises apartheid, I think they have better justification than the government.

The private sector does not collect taxes or make public policies. The private sector does not have the authority to enforce laws and carry out public policies.

The private sector is essential to the productivity of the nation. The more efficient the private sector operates, the better it is for the country.

It is the government that must set the tone for the nation. It is in the government that a wide range of policies and programmes are formulated and carried out. If the government can’t be fair to its people, that government does not qualify to exist.

If the government practises apartheid, it has no moral authority to collect money from and impose its will on all its citizens (whom it discriminates against).

Today, many of those ranting against the minorities in this country, particularly the Chinese, are depending on the very contribution of the Chinese to the national coffers. They owe their good life to the Chinese; please don’t ever have any illusion or delusion that it's not so.

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