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Media Statement by Tony Pua PDF Print
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Sunday, 28 June 2009 13:38

DAP welcomes Najib's statement that “Having quotas is not the right way and is not good for Bumiputeras” but Barisan Nasional should stop the the policy of divide and rule among Malaysians of all races.

At a dinner organised by the MCA and the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCCIM), the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has not only announced a new “National Scholarship” category that will be based on merit, but more importantly he had also hinted at removing quotas in all economic sectors in Malaysia by admitting that “having quotas is not the right way and is not good for Bumiputeras”.

The DAP fully supports all efforts to improve the economic livelihood of all poor bumiputeras and Malaysia, and believe that the quota system as has been implemented under BN's New Economic Policy (NEP) has failed the bumiputeras for it has promoted a rent-seeking culture, and entrenched cronyism and corruption among its politically connected beneficiaries.

Therefore, the DAP is willing to provide full support to the Prime Minister to eliminate the inefficient and ineffective NEP quota system, and in its place promote meritocracy, not only for scholarships, but in all sectors including education and the economy.  The policy on meritocracy should be complemented with an affirmative action policy based on needs, and not race.

However, the goodwill and sincerity of Najib's statement is put to question when on the very same evening, his Deputy Prime Minister, continued to stir Malay racial sentiments with the clarion call that “Umno will fight to the last drop of blood to protect Malay rights” in his speech in Pagoh, Johor.  Taken together with the Prime Minister's own persistence in Malay and Muslim unity talks with PAS, raises the question as to whether the Barisan Nasional government is continuing the policy of singing a different song to a different racial audience.

This divide and rule concept also clearly flies in the face of the 1Malaysia concept being preached by Najib, as UMNO continues to place Malay unity and Malay rights above everything else under its “ketuanan Melayu” concept where all other BN component parties and ethnic groups are subjugated to the authority of UMNO.

We would like to call upon the Prime Minister to put his words into action by delivering a Ministerial statement in Parliament to call for the removal of the quota-based New Economic Policy and to replace it with a New Economic Agenda which promotes meritocracy and a needs-based affirmative action policy to help all poor, regardless of race, creed or religion. 

The DAP will give the Prime Minister our full support in Parliament to ensure that such a New Economic Agenda bill is approved as the new economic paradigm for Malaysia.  We believe that a just, fair and equitable economic foundation will serve the interest of all Malaysians and will be the best approach to improve the competitiveness, competence and livelihood of the bumiputeras.

Tony Pua

DAP National Publicity Secretary and MP for Petaling Jaya Utara

Comments (13)Add Comment
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written by Hakim Joe, June 28, 2009 14:36:48
PM will now segregate the National Scholarship into two distinct sections, one for Bumis and the other for non-Bumis.

Number of scholarships on offer for Section A (Bumis) are gonna be 100 times more than those on offer for Section B (Non-Bumis).

Just you wait and see.....

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written by Dominic, June 28, 2009 15:07:11
His two calls are meant to please first the Chinese and Indians in particular and the second towards the Malays. This is nothing new. We heard and hear time and again but wheres the action or results ? There should be a `check rule` to ensure all those promises are carried out as otherwise it is as good as cheating. Is there no penalty for that ?
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written by Commonsenses, June 28, 2009 16:05:39
Tony speaking in double tongues are favourites of BN/UMNO. The last 50 years have been that way. U can't change old dogs. Let's hope that PR rule in the states are humane and clean. By the next election the voters will finished them. UMNO/BN needed to stay as oppositions for at least 2 terms to rid itselfs of corrupted warlords and "no brainers" leaders.
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written by mikefonz, June 28, 2009 16:09:17
This fella have been the Education Minister before.
What had he done then ? All bull.
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written by JaguhKampung, June 28, 2009 17:43:20
You have to know what occasion was that. It was an MCA and ACCCIM function. Anyone who believe in what NTR said probably have just arrive in Malaysia. They have done it over and over again smilies/grin.gif smilies/grin.gif
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written by michaelT, June 28, 2009 18:17:05
Remove Qoutas and replace with meritocrasy is easily said to win the hearts of the Chinese and Indians. We have been hearing the Fair Statements especially during the GE period. Until and unless the BN government remove the discriminatory label of Bumi and Non Bumi this noble idea wont germinate at all. Tony should not fall prey over simple words with no deeds and actions. The rakyat is yearning for the Big Day when all are Malaysians as ONE. What the PM is trying to do is to prop up OTK esteem and make MCA more accpted to the Chinese. BN can fool the Chinese ONCE, TWICE butBN is a greater Fool on the 3rd calling.
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written by T Square, June 28, 2009 18:24:17
OK, The speech was made at an MCA dinner, got it?
It was to appease the chinese community on one hand and with an eye on the by-election coming up soon on the other.
Just Propoganda.
Full of shit. For the last 30 years all the other races has been screwed.
There has been so many scandals that went uninvestigated no one held accountable.
Now this useless prick really expect us to believe another of his lies abetted by that equally incompetent MCA.
Malaysians are some of the smartest people in this world, an unfortunate victim of NEP and none of us will buy into this crap.
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written by Jan, June 28, 2009 20:15:26
This is blatant double speak. Najib says one thing to Chinese audience and his deputy will say the opposite to another audience. UMNO/BN had been at it for umpteen years can't they come up with something more original.
However if I am proven wrong and Najib actually walks his talk I have no doubt most of the non Malays will rush back to the BN fold. The Chinese and Indians do not want NEP but they just want equality ie everybody compete on a level playing field. Is that too much to ask?
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written by Ramesh, June 28, 2009 21:48:21
I dont get it. Why is Tony is in the impression that both of them are talking differently. I think they are saying the same thing. Najib said....having quotas is not good for bumis and his deputy said will defend malay right to the last drop of blood. What is not good for the bumis can also be tremed as defending bumi right. Oh about the "last drop of blood" thing is just a figure of speech...One think which Tony failed to gasp is they are not talking 1Malaysia. Thay are just talking 1Malay....
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written by pwcheng, June 28, 2009 21:54:05
If you can put one and one together UMNO is just paling politics with 1Malaysia and has no interests to unite the people. The UMNO and PAS Malay unity talk is a clear evidence of playing racial segregation by UMNO and the Deputy Prime Minister, call that “Umno will fight to the last drop of blood to protect Malay rights” is a clear testimony to old habits never die.
UMNO can bluff some Chinese some time but they cannot bluff all the Chinese all the time.
The 20%
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written by pwcheng, June 28, 2009 21:55:34
The 20% Chinese who wanted MCA to remain in Barisan are those whom UMNO managed to bluff them.
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written by joeawk, June 29, 2009 00:16:28
Convert all scholarships to study loans and from there if they do well and serve the country, then perhaps the loans can be exempted from repayment or partial repayment.

Scholarships should be given to students for specific courses which are necessary for the country but not commercially attractive.

Stop all the racial bullshit attach to scholarships, which we already have too much. All the As do not guarantee that they bring credit to the nation. Why should the people pay for their studies which serves only their own future and not the nations.

STOP the nonsense aboput scholarship. Malaysians do not owe any scholarship to anyone.
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written by Mama Juwie, June 29, 2009 01:23:19
Some people will just remain ungrateful even if you give them the world.
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