Mahathir, why fear the Harmony bills?

comments     Yoursay     Published     Updated

YOURSAY ‘There is something wrong with Mahathir’s logic.’

 

Anti-bigotry bill hurts poor bumiputera, says Dr M

Evensteven: So former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad, after more than four decades you've finally admitted BN and you have failed the bumiputeras and failed miserably despite dishing out billions and bastardising the New Economic Policy (NEP).

 

What went wrong? The money did not trickle down to where it should really be. Knowing you, you will either blame the non-bumis or even the bumis themselves.

 

I venture to guess you don't have a good opinion of the bumis and you have said this before. You continue to maintain they need crutches for the next couple of hundreds of years.

 

So now your motto is 'mediocrity over meritocracy'. What a damn insult to the bumis.

 

Gerard Lourdesamy: Has Mahathir read the draft Harmony bills? It is clear in their provisions that they do not derogate Article 153 of the Constitution.

 

This means that the NEP and other affirmative action programmes that favour the Malays and natives of East Malaysia will continue in the public sector, the economy, in education, trade and business.

 

The bill rightly criminalises intentional incitement or disaffection against the rulers, and incitement to hatred or bigotry on the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity, locality, etc, etc.

 

So how can the bills undermine the special position of Islam, the Malay rulers and the Malay language as enshrined in the Constitution?

 

Just because a Malay Muslim has a special position under the Constitution that does not exempt him or her from making racist, derogatory and inflammatory remarks against other races and religions or inciting hatred and violence at them.

 

The opposition to the bills is coming from extremist Malay Muslim groups that survive on racism and hatred.

 

David Dass: There is something wrong with Mahathir’s logic. There should be a class of people who will receive help - the poor. But this class will not be defined by race.

 

If more bumiputeras fall within this class then they will be helped. It makes sense to define this class by need rather than by race as not all members within a racial group will be poor.

 

It does not make sense to help those who are not poor whatever their race. And this is the problem of cronyism.

 

Help is given to someone who does not need help. He or she should compete for the government contract or project.

 

And the selection criteria and bidding process will ensure that only the best succeeds. This way the best person gets the contract or project. Best in terms of cost and capability. This way the whole nation benefits.

 

RR: Why fear the Harmony bills? This has nothing to do with poverty of any race. The bills are against those criminals or hate preachers who are a threat to the wellbeing of the nation.

 

Please do not confuse the ignorant bumiputeras by changing the subject matter of the bills.

 

Meritocracy helps the poor bumiputeras from the kampung to study hard and excel against the Umno ministers' children who are normally mediocre owing to affluence and comfort.

 

Telestai!: I do not condone bigotry, yet I do not disagree with special privileges for bumiputeras if it is used to uplift the economic status of the poor bumis.

 

We have seen for the past 30 years NEP was terribly abused to "distribute" contracts and projects amongst the BN politicians.

 

I think people are going the wrong way in questioning the existence of NEP but rather the implementation of it. It is corruption that Malaysians should battle and Mahathir is the biggest culprit in that regards.

 

Anonymous #45527285: Mahathir, which is more important - the country or the people?

 

If the country is progressive and prosperous, the people are going to benefit. But if the country is downtrodden, then the people are going to suffer and live in misery.

 

The consideration for the country should be above race and belief. Only then the country can progress and the people benefit from it.

 

We were very vocal and vociferous against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The country was removed from the Commonwealth and United Nations.

 

Going by your logic, Malaysia should also be de-listed from the Commonwealth and UN. Your warped advice and rationale will only lead to the destruction of this beautiful land called home. God bless the future generations.

 

TehTarik: Those who have benefited most from race-based discrimination are the rich and connected bumiputeras like Mahathir and his children. Each of them is a billionaire many time over.

 

Wira: Dr M, if you are so worried about the bumiputeras, why don't you ask your family and children to return a portion of the money earned by them from their business interests in this country to the poor bumis?

 

Your family members put together are already worth billions of ringgit.

Dr M’s oxymoronic logic on bigotry


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