I see that chinese are complain2 n complain but there are just greedy. They want more for themselves and less for others.

All arguing bla2 bla2. But both have their own right n wrong. It just different perspective and different mission.

The malay complains that chinese are becoming richer and richer while they r choking to get money while the Chinese complaints that they are not rich enough.

All this arguing will not make anything.

Cooperation is the key.

Hi Zali,

I'm not from the construction industry but manufacturing line. Price diff for raw mat can be due to many reasons - (1) Bulk purchase or small purchase (2) credit terms or cash which leads to risk of repayment (3) years of dealing with the supplier as naturally people give better price to business partners that have supported them for many years.

We really have to open up our mind. Malaysia is just a small pond, if our people are not competitive, in the future, more and more of our companies will be acquired by foreign companies, and we will all be workers. Learning and proper (self) education is the most important foundation in any trade (not only construction line).

Some Chinese think they are superior because they are smarter than other races in Malaysia, but whether they are competitive globally is another question. Just compare a Malaysian Chinese to a Singaporean Chinese or Hongky or Businessman from China, or Malaysian Indian vs Indian Indian, a lot of them are left behind too in the global race. Partly due to the policies in this country.

PLs stop looking at the bumi-owned conglomerate and be proud of that, those are minorities who have made it. But people like u and me, the layman, that needs to be competitive and pass down the rights values to our children so that can be even more competitive at the global stage.

Dear sukra,

First of all, I apologize for my late reply. I haven't been checking this website that often.

Secondly, I apologize for labelling you hypocritical. You appear to be tremendously offended by what I had said. But I honestly felt that what you said was not right

Now, let me firstly address your issue with 'established' history. The problem with established history is that there are always two sides of the story. Let me give you an example to illustrate. According to 'established' history in the history textbooks in Japan, the Massacre of Nanking did not occur. Or so says the government. Now, according to 'established' history in the history textbooks of China, the Massacre of Nanking DID occur. So which side of the story are you talking about? I know that we're on different sides of the story when it comes to our view of history

For your questions of Long Jaafar and Ngah Ibrahim, I am aware that the Chinese are brought into Malaya to work in the tin mines. As for the advance in capital, I cannot deny that this was done because I have no proof. But it doesn't make business sense to advance capital to them because these people are supposed to work in mines owned by Long Jaafar and Ngah Ibrahim, not gather capital to own their own mines. Do you contribute capital to the employer that you work for? (maybe the advance capital was for their small-time business or as investing capital, I can't prove anything). The fact remains that thugs and secret societies entered the country. It doesn't mean that the Chinese here brought in the thugs from China (the possibility of the people who are ALREADY in Malaya turned into thugs remains, I can't prove anything). So, to say that the people who are already here got thugs to come here indiscriminately is unfair.

If there's any proof that was cited in History of Perak by Prof M.A Fawzi Basri published by the Yayasan Perak, please let me know. I'm sorry that I do not have the opportunity to read that book.

To your belief that I was trying to say that the Chinese didn't get opportunities in Malaya, I have to say that you got me out of context. I'm sorry that I wasn't clear enough. However, I was saying: The Chinese got the opportunity and seized it, eventually became successful. There are some who weren't successful (we only hear success stories, not failures).

Let's just be clear on something, most of us are born as clean slates. We know nothing at all and all the skills that we have acquired throughout our lives are all based on past experiences. Business skills, for example are skills that are accumulated through experience. If you're a new hand in the business (irregardless whether you are Chinese, Indian, Malay or Others), you MUST learn all the tricks of the trade. Given the vast opportunities offered in NEP, I believe that many Malay businessmen have learnt and achieved success. Of course there are still incompetent Malay businessmen the same way that there are incompetent Chinese and Indian businessmen. The point here is that: race does not matter when it comes to how good you are in doing business, it's about the skills you have developed over the years through accumulated experience.

If you had read my previous post, I said "As much as there are poor businessmen among the Bumiputra, there are also poor businessmen among the Chinese. So it is not the matter of race, instead of the individual tehmselves". I guess this pretty much sums up my entire point.

If you think from another perspective, the Chinese were mere labourers when they first arrived in Malaysia too. Some have achieved success but some did not and probably lead a mediocre life thereafter. It is only a matter of the will to struggle and achieve success that seperates the great from the mediocre.

I'd like to see you prove what Lim Guan Eng said to my fellow Chinese. Do not defame people without any proof. I'm pretty certain that the ruling government will put him in his rightful place if he really did utter those words.

I have to admit that there are some Chinese who are ungrateful. That's just the fact of life. But to generalize that ALL Chinese are ungrateful is untrue.

I must say that I agree with you for saying that a two-way relationship is needed for prosperity and peace

You sound like a centre for shit studies.

You don't even recognise let alone respect the Constiturion of the country. Article 153 stipulates the Special Position of the Malays which your forefathers at Merdeka agreed to in exchange or as a quid pro quo for your citizenship right.

Do you not know that non-Malays were stateless since the time you all came in sizeable numbers into Malaya (Larut) in the mid-19th Century? That you all were stateless the entire period of British colonial administration - even the British didn't allow you citizenship, out of respect for the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of this country as manifested by the Malay rulers?

You got citizenship since after Merdeka and now you don't respect that quid pro quo Special Position fo the Malays and the NEP formulated under Article 153? And question the sub-contract system where non-Malays also benefit from the works? What ungratitude, what arrogance, what greed, wanting for more, more and more, irrespective of what your kind before you have agreed before?

LexLex

Am back from 2 days offline.

What "hypocritical" are you talking, man? Read the "established" history, not the "re-writing" of history in Wikipedia, etc.

Do you know that it was the Malays - Long Jaafar and Ngah Ibrahim - who brought Chinese to provide better technology in their rudimentary tin mines and develop more land in Larut in the 1860s? Do you know that Ngah Ibrahim even advanced capital to the Chinese to do so? And do you know that the Chinese then brought secretb societies, thugs and gansters who later controlled the tin mining inndustry and the 350 Malay mines eventually disappeared?

Read the History of Perak by Prof M.A Fawzi Basri published by the Yayasan Perak. Those are properly researched accounts, not like in Wikepedia, which can be written/ "edited" by practically anybody, anytime.

If you are trying to say that the Chinese didn't get many mining land leases and lisences to mine tin, etc during British colonial rule, you are talking thru your nose and wasting everybody's time reading what you write in here.

You said, "why didn't all the Malay businessmen get rich under the NEP?" What kind of question is that? Of course there are Malay businessmen who benefited from NEP through legal means (excluding corruption). What is your purpose in saying "Please do not discredit them for all the effort that they have put in to build their wealth"?

Next you said, "The NEP has been in existence for 39 years already. To claim that the Malays are still incompetent in business is equally as hypocritical." You are quite loose with your words, aren't you? I'll respond to you this once and will not waste my time on you thereafter.

My dear fellow, do read the history of China - the established one, that is, not the revised ones, perhaps meant for the Chinese schools. Despite 3,000 years of history (more according to some), the Chinese lived on quotas and affirmative action for hundreds of years under the Manchu Dynasty. The southerners, whom many Malaysian Chinese came from, were given 25% quota of the civil service posts until early 20th Century. And if you think the Chinese were so smart and fast in everything, why let the Manchus rule for hundeds of yeras, and why run away to Malaya and tyhe like. You see, for every stimulus, there is a reaction, and for every unpleasant statement there can be others, that's why I will not react anymore to what you say after this.

And I wonder if you realise that the Manchus were a foreign power which conquered and ruled China until early 20th Century. What "hypocritical" are you talking about, man?

And you think Malays can get 30% corporate equity in 39 years when the Chinese control the economy in this country - the means of production, distribution, etc. And many Chinese have the attitude you have. Successive governments have tried to make inroads into the production and distribution like setting up Pernas, FAMA etc, and do you know who were the ones expressing opposition to such institutions?

And now Lim Guan Eng shouts out to all Chinese to grab, grab and grab everything the Malays can't afford to take! Be reasonable, man. Enough with your "hypocritical" allegations, be thankful that the Malays had shown kindness to your kind since the 1860s, agreed to your citizenship at Merdeka and even relaxed citizenship rules for the issue of citizenship certificates after Merdeka.

Try to appreciate what Tuan Tan Siew Sin said in 1969 that the Malays were "generous enough" and learn to reciprocate. It has to be two-way for this country to achieve lasting peace and prosperity.

@ JayCKat;

Your grandfarther died after holding on to his red ic for 40 years without getting his blue ic?
This got me angry. What was his children doing? Why didn't your father or mother or you helped? Why didn't your community leaders help? Why did DAP keep quite? No wander you are full of anger and discontentment. Your people didn't take care of its kind. Blarrdy chinkie DAPs. At least you or your cousins or your nucles & and unties or your village leader or your party DAP leaders could bring your poor grandfarther to the registry department to bring your case. Surely you didn't expect Beautiful Malaysia to come to your granpa's door with a ready made ic. Some effort must be made on your people's part laaa JayCKat. Only one who is an enemy of beautiful Malaysia will blame others or Malaysia for your grandpa's plight.
But never mind. Come to me. I'll sort out your grouses. But if that sob story is a cock-and-bull story, I cannot help; for then you would have told a black lie.

Again you said ".... there are a significant number of Indians who are so poor they lacked the form filling savy to gain citizenship even till today. As many as 150,000 Indians born in Malaysia are not considered citizens because their parents did not know how to acquire birth certs. ..."
This got me vere very angry!! Very very very upset!!! Deeey MIC, what are you doing? Deeeiy Indian lawers, and leaders, what are you there for? Aren't you suppose to look after your people of this country? Why don't you help your poor no savy followers? You already rich, so no need to help your kind eh? Don't you know that your people don't even know how to fill forms? Now according to JayCKat they are blaming all others except you dumb Indian DAP leaders. Blarrrdy pun*** Indian DAP community leaders.
Deeeiy aney Indian DAP community leaders. What are you going to do with these 150,000 poor unwanted citizens? You want to make them 1.5 million before doing anything? You know that their parents are so stupid that they didn't even know how to acquire bc, whose fault was it? They were given free schooling at SK why did you Indian leaders want them go to Tamil schools in India? Now they don't know about beautiful Malaysia. Because of you DAP leaders they missed out on almost everything. When your community's plight is like this, you have only yourself to blame.
Just imagine!! Don't know how to get bc!!! Don't know this don't know that. Don't know how to blame themselves even!!!
No wander Malaysia so susah now. Come brother JayCKat. Let them sort their self-imposed problems themselves. You will die standing if you join them. If these people are in China or India, they will surely die oof hunger. Don't know this. Don't know that.

@ JayCkat

Malay privileges had a time limit of 15 years.

The time limit, if there's any, was target for all of "us" to integrate and sufficiently be "re-branded" as "Malaysians", no longer "chinese" or "Indian". Read also the "time-limit" given to fully use Bahasa Kebangsaan. I mean FULLY USE. Today, the time limit already busted more than it should, and people still try to use other language in the court and got thrown off. On just one simple language issue, have all "chinese" fluent in Bahasa Kebangsaan? Many I know dont even speak a word which make me wonder whether they are Malaysian or just arrive from the China mainland!

The Reid commission was not adopted, only points which were "useful" were cherry picked. Other points were dropped such as the use of chinese and Tamil in the legislature and allowance for dual citizenship.

The Reid Commission is a commission which was suppose to study something, table and propose for adoption. As I wrote before, this is where our attitude is somewhat very self-centred and we only think for ourselves, disregrding others. To us, the proposal by Reid must be accepted, especially all the proposals touching our so call rights. Reid had been hire by someone. At least that someone was lending his ears to listen to some ramblings. That someone hired Reid to at least consider the "ramblings". And you said, that someone must be totally subservient to Reid, the commission he hired? Where is your logic? Again, this just prove the very self-centered attitude.

It is good that you are learning about Malaysian history. But you still don't get a cookie.

Well, I can say the same to you because your history books are quite different from mine. And you said it yourself below:-

What happened is a fact, but why it happened is open to interpretation. Thus no history book is 100% right as such books tend to try to impart a "why" to a "what".

Perhaps this is your "INTERPRETATION" vs mine? Again, as I said it earlier, we can change the past. You seems still stucked in past and trying to correct them in accordance to your own interpretations.

The forefathers have long left us and TODAY you still press for your forefather to be given a mykad instead of red IC? How is it possible?

especially one suspected of political white washing, look at the primary material or official sources outside the nation.

This is typical of the kind. We ourselves have issue in our homeland, we then want to believe outsiders more than our own people. How patriotic! No wonder people keep accusing that this kind has no sense of belonging! And then we get angry again and flare up some more issues in the homeland.

Now I am also a product of SK. An SK outside KL or Penang.

Me too!!

And yes I am sure of my remarks. You just need to have gone to school and stayed in school way longer than most. Then all you need is to observe what is happening around you.

And me too !!! Very sure of my remarks. There wasn't any "indoctrination" as REMARKED by you.

Travel outside of KL & Penang, especially to the east coast and outskirt of the city centres. You'll find "chinese" whom at first glance you would thought one of the locals! They dont even look like "chinese" anymore. They speak impeccable Bahasa, they even wore "kain sarong" and eat Budu!!! I'm not saying that we must all be like that, but the least for us to do is "INTEGRATE" rather than keep the wall of segregation from the rest of the Malaysians.

The situation continues to deteriorate. Worse when compared to the recollections of senior teachers. In staff meetings, non-malay students are referred to as budak-budak asing by HM and Guru kanan.

To me, it is not surprising when your HM & Guru Kanan mentioning "budak-budak asing". Why?

Because that particular HM & Guru Kanan had you as their student!!!

My previous HM & Guru Kanan never said that to me!

Learn real history first.
And I suggest you too do the same.

Let me tell you a tale,

One of my grandfathers was an immigrant from china. He arrive in Malaya when he was 6 years old. He came with his 2 uncles to work as timber workers. Goodness knows what they thought a 6 year old could do, but still they brought him along and so I can tell you this brief tale.

My grandfather stayed, grew up and married my half-malay grandmother. He live in this country until he died. Now you would think that my grandfather would have obtain citizenship when Malaya gains its independence. He did live here nearly his whole life.

But no. He was a red IC holder. He held that for over 40 years before he died. He was not one of the chinese who gain citizenship.

So think about it for a moment. While chinese did stay. Some by staying illegally, some staying on red IC. And some got citizenship. Still most got deported. The figures hold.

For those who stayed, most of their children would get citizenship... although there are a significant number of Indians who are so poor they lacked the form filling savy to gain citizenship even till today. As many as 150,000 Indians born in Malaysia are not considered citizens because their parents did not know how to acquire birth certs. And people, these are Malaysians, not immigrants.

Yes, San Peng. I will continue to watch Malaysia, that is all I can do. I do envy you, you still feel loved.

You will find that there are all manner of bad people in this world, and many don't show their evil by leaving the country and you alone.

I look at my bottom classes and I worry. Malays, Chinese and Indians, all Malaysians, all children (Well teenagers). And all they seem to share is a silent contempt for each other.

The Malays angered by what they hear, validated by a false, bias history created for political reasons. The Chinese by their arrogant believe of their innate superiority. They have never seen a Malay they couldn't beat because all the better Malays have left the school system for Mara. Yet they still drop out by Form 3. And the Indians pressured by poverty and desperate short sighted way out. All gone by Form 3. Only the Malays in my bottom classes finish school.

me any other lass, tell me any other land more beautiful and desireous than voluptious Malaysia? -Sen Peng

I can't answer your question. But I know, I feel something is wrong and getting worse as the years roll by. If children are our future, I am watching the future and I can't seem to change it.

@ JayCkat

"Of the 3 million chinese, only 250,000 got citizenship". 250,000? Your "historical" fact is flawed. It four times that and more. I know. My late grandfather was one of them. They told me, they want it here. Here was good. Better than back home anytime. So this is our home now. Much better now than my granpa's time.

Malaysia has grown into a beautiful lass. Anyone who has seen her or feels her with their good senses falls instantly in love with her. Malaysia is such a beautiful and friendly girl. Don't you agree Mr JayCkat sir? Tell me any other lass, tell me any other land more beautiful and desireous than voluptious Malaysia?

Now that Malaysia needs its citizen to show some gratitude to her by developing her more, by making her more desireous and prosperous, some unkind soul prefer to migrate. Then some other unkind people who are left behind for being not wanted abroard frightens Malaysia more by super-blowing-up the "brain drain" flu.

I have a sneaky feeling that in this situation, beautiful Malaysia feels no loss because of the so called "brain drain" migration. I will not migrate for anything. However "bad" people say it is, it is still much better than the "best" of them lands. I love my Negara Ku sooo much, because no other piece of land is better than this motherland of ours and because I know that this motherland loves me. I sadly feel that prosperous Malaysia never feel any love for these bunch of ingrates. You love these people JayCkat? They are not patriotic at all. In fact some of them work to "uglyfy" beautiful rich Malayusia. (I wander if such word excist in English).

Anyway taikor JayCkat, let's enjoy our beloved heavenly Malaysia while we can.

Do also note that according to Reid Commission these special malay rights were suppose to be temporary.
Malay privileges had a time limit of 15 years.

The Reid commission was not adopted, only points which were "useful" were cherry picked. Other points were dropped such as the use of chinese and Tamil in the legislature and allowance for dual citizenship. (I can list more)

It is good that you are learning about Malaysian history. But you still don't get a cookie.

What happened is a fact, but why it happened is open to interpretation. Thus no history book is 100% right as such books tend to try to impart a "why" to a "what".

You can read about the findings and suggestions of the Reid commission and what subsequently happened. But I can not tell you why Lord Reid made the decisions he did.

Also please note, when in doubt of historic fact, especially one suspected of political white washing, look at the primary material or official sources outside the nation.

Now I am also a product of SK. An SK outside KL or Penang.

And yes I am sure of my remarks. You just need to have gone to school and stayed in school way longer than most. Then all you need is to observe what is happening around you.

The situation continues to deteriorate. Worse when compared to the recollections of senior teachers. In staff meetings, non-malay students are referred to as budak-budak asing by HM and Guru kanan.

But these are just my observations. I can only watch trend from my corner.

Learn real history first.

@JayCkat

This is what I found as opposed to your assertion - "The social contract, first appeared in a 1983 AMNO speech. Thus you will find no documentation, no agreement, no signatures of non-malay representative. A fictional document.":-

The Social Contract

The best example of Alliance compromises is to be seen in their representations to the Constitutional Commission on what basis the Federation of Malaya was to be established and what its nationality was to be. Given the precedents set up in the Federation of Malaya Agreement of 1948, the terms could not vary much. For UMNO, the trappings of a Malay state had to be preserved. The Malays had to be given political primacy. On the other hand, for MCA and the MIC, the terms of citizenship had to become as open and loose as possible to the non-Malays and their rights had to be protected.

The Alliance memorandum to the Reid Constitution had, in fact, agreed to all the features of a Malay state – “special position of the Malays???, “Malay as the national language???, “Islam as the official religion??? and the Malay Rulers as “constitutional monarchs???. There were also “Malay land reservations??? and “reservation for Malays of a certain proportion of jobs in the civil service???. But the controversial questions of citizenship and nationality had been left vague. The MCA had pressed for the principle of jus soli for all those born before, on or after Malaya’s independence, but UMNO’s demand was that only those born in the country “on??? and after the declaration of independence??? should become nationals of the country. UMNO’s demand was accepted by the Reid Constitution.

(The Social Contract page 36 & 37 - Malaysia : The Making of A Nation by Boon Kheng Cheah – Published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies 2002 - ISBN 9812301755, 9789812301758)

I also did not check the fact when I wrote earlier that the forefathers were given citizenships.

But what more important concerning the forefathers was that they were ACCEPTED by the Malays to continue living here and have generations accorded with citizenships.

The prove : You are sitting here today having myKad. If the forefathers were not accepted back then, i.e. sent back to where they came from, you would probably be sitting somewhere in Canton, Beijing etc at this moment.

Again you have proven my points in your first few paragrapgh above when you said back in 1980s most attended sekolah kebangsaan and chinese schools were begging to stay open. People were integration then.

But zoom to 2009, less than 20% of chinese school children go to sekolah kebangsaan. As I wrote earlier, it is very strange that of late, the chinese have held back their "chinese" identity, not wanting to integrate, therefore we are back again segregated as "chinese", "indian", "malays" etc halting and jeopardising the "integration" process that has been going on.

Reading your arguments here, it is not very hard to see your sour feelings toward the ruling party, specifically, towards AMNO (a tint of hatred? when you dont write UMNO?)

You even accuse The Malay leaders/AMNO were not generous. conveniently leaving out the leaders from MCA & MIC. Only the Malay leaders were not generous to you?

And do you expect the Malays to "sayang" you, if you kept behaving this way?

UMNO is the Malay political party, just like MCA for chinese & MIC for Indians. You seems to be blaming everything on AMNO, the Malays.

Your allegation is quite serious when you wrote:-

They were just taught by the sekolah kebangsaan system and 20 years of politics that the chinese were 3rd class citizens, unequal in every way and that the Malays were Tuan: you must be subservient to masters race.

Is it so? The sekolah kebangsaan all these whiles are being racist? Majority of us, Malaysians, are the product of SK compare to chinese schools and you alleging that all them were being indoctrinated by SK? Are you sure? Or are you making a statement with a racist mind here?

Anyone can accuse everyone not to know history when we subscribe to different history books. You will claim your history book is the fact, but so do they.. right?

Again, we have gone in separate ways again by adamantly to remain "chinese", and force the Malays whom have let go the Semenanjung Tanah Melayu to revert back to "Malay". We now both dumped "Malaysia". So you complain when you said the Malays youth are embracing "Melayu" instead of "Malaysia"?

@Kenn

I can understand your argument. But again I have to remind you that your argument has historic flaws.

1 - Malaysian chinese did not consider themselve chinese first until recent decades. In the 1980, 80% of all chinese children when to sekolah kebangsaan. These were the national school. And I will remind you that chinese schools were dying/closing down due to lack of support. Chinese associations where begging for members and decrying the fact that the chinese were forgetting themselves.

Zoom to 2009 and less than 20% of chinese school children go to sekolah kebangsaan. Chinese schools are stronger than ever. And most that do go to sekeloah kebangsaan concentrate themselves into a few schools that have a "good" reputation.

The Malaysian chinese did not suddenly forget to be Malaysian and revived their chinese associations. They were just taught by the sekolah kebangsaan system and 20 years of politics that the chinese were 3rd class citizens, unequal in every way and that the Malays were Tuan: you must be subservient to masters race.

The Malays, lead by AMNO push the chinese and Indians into isolation. So the non-malays reacted by being insular themselves.

Action, reaction. All for a political game

Also
Our great grandfathers were accepted here as citizens. Their Malaysian citizenships were not by being born here (jus soli) but having migrated here.

This again goes back to my original post. The above statement is a historic untruth. BN propaganda that we are taught / teach in school, so much so that we now believe to be the truth.

Citizenship was NOT given to our non-malay grandfathers who were not born here. Citizenship was given only to non-malays who were born in this country. If you were not born here, citizenship was not given. Birth being proven by presenting a birth certificate.

This is why I make the argument that to fix the present we must know the real history of Malay. Only once everyone know real historic facts can we sit down and have a real talk.

The Malay leaders/AMNO were not generous.

Ketuanan Melayu was an invention of Abdullah Ahmad, who coined it in 1989

The social contract, first appeared in a 1983 AMNO speech. Thus you will find no documentation, no agreement, no signatures of non-malay representative. A fictional document.

If you don't know history, anybody can make up imaginary agreements to their own advantage.

I.E.; Did you know according to the paragraph 2.34 of the Malaysian Social Contract; Should the Malay political parties failed to provide acceptable leadership of the nation, the non-malay political parties are required to take control of parliament, the arm forces, police and appoint a new non-malay prime minister. Once the nation has regain its footing, will the prime minister position be returned to the Malay political party.

I bet you (readers in general) didn't know this "fact" within the social contract? What other interesting facts might be found in this powerful but rather elusive document?

Other amazing facts such as only Indians are allowed to be money changes, gold smiths, lawyers and school discipline masters.

@JayCkat

I'm sorry, but IMHO you have contradicted yourself.

"Why do you think old timers look back and say, Malaysia was a better friendlier place in the 1950-1960s?"

and then you said:-

"Thus in my view, to achieve a better TOMORROW, the first thing we need to do is to fix the perception of YESTERDAY. Once we stop fighting over what we think our parent did or did not do, we can make peace TODAY."

I will tend to agree more toward your initial statement above. I also do think, Malaysia was more harmony in racial relationship back then.

But of late, the tension is mounting. And today you are urging to fix the perception of yesteryears. The yesteryears war harmonier than today's perception. What is there to fix? Fix the perception of today, not of the yesteryears!

Simple:-

Our great grandfathers were accepted here as citizens. Their Malaysian citizenships were not by being born here (jus soli) but having migrated here. The yesteryears were more harmony because together with the Malays, they identity were MALAYSIANS!

Today, the tensions are mounting, because some of us, whether in full awareness or not, reverted to embrace "chinese" again (even though born here), whence our forefathers had already became "Malaysians" (even though not born here). Very Strange!!!

Very strange indeed. I think the Malays also are perplex by our attitude. The older generation had become "Malaysians" but the new generation reverted to become "chinese"? Last time the Malays & the Chinese were integrating into Malaysians, but today, we wanted the "chinese" wall again?

We wanted everything to ourselves. We are very self-centred.

We like to complain and whine about our lack of rights. We say the government is unfair for not giving us equal rights. Some say they have been marginalized in many sectors of the economy and even in education. They say all Malaysians should be treated equally and be accepted as Malaysians.

Yet, despite all these claims and qualms for equal rights, they constantly contradict themselves by polarizing themselves in terms of education, culture and economy. They constantly identify themselves as Chinese. Their arguments and claims are in many ways, selfish and centered on the development of only their own race while they leave other races behind. So much for being Malaysian.

No wonder the Malays are very suspicious on us. They had opened their arms, yet we almost saying, no! I want the chinese to stay. And then we became very angry when some of them call us "Pendatang". I dont think the Malays are the people who like to call names, but look at ourselves. Dont we just put a great big "Pendatang" label up upon our heads by adamantly wanting to remain "Chinese"?

@Kenn,

The government machinery is the cause of this imbalance and is actively driving it.

And we do know why the Malays feel the way we do. I too would hate the non-malays if I didn't know the other side(s) of the Malaysian story.

And yes, the Malays also know why we non-malays feel the way we do. However they can't understand why the non-malay do not accept their natural position in Malaysian society (as taught by BN government controlled institutions).

We all understand each other perfectly. At least in my generation, we all when to the same school together and set for the same indoctrination classes together.

We can't built a future, if we build it on false, resentful foundation. Why do you think the social fabric of modern Malaysia is falling apart? Why do you think old timers look back and say, Malaysia was a better friendlier place in the 1950-1960s?

Now, we can barely tolerate each other because we view each other as lazy, proud parasites. While in truth our BN leaders are helping themselves to the wealth of the nation.

Thus in my view, to achieve a better TOMORROW, the first thing we need to do is to fix the perception of YESTERDAY. Once we stop fighting over what we think our parent did or did not do, we can make peace TODAY.

Anything else, and we will see the same blow out of Malaysia's social fabric,which we are experiencing now.

@JayCkat

"Many malay youth have not embraced "Malaysia", they have embraced "Tanah Melayu"."

Then assist the existing government's machineries to correct this "imbalance".

It is also very important to know why they (as claimed) still adamant with "Tanah Melayu" because they may be asking the very same question, why dont we, TODAY let go "chinese" or "indian" and embrace Malaysia?

The fact remains, "Semenanjung Tanah Melayu" have been let go in embracing "Malaysia".

Again as pointed out earlier, even though the PAST serves to "educate" us on our next move TOMORROW, it does not help to adamantly cling to the PAST, be it on the right or on the wrong history. Let us just make a new chapter of history, TODAY. Let us strive toward MALAYSIA, now!

Orang protugis. Not orang belanda. My bad.

@Kenn
No more such country because the "Malays" have given up "Semenanjung Tanah Melayu" to embrace "Malaysia".

Many malay youth have not embraced "Malaysia", they have embraced "Tanah Melayu".

They hold the "history of Tanah Melayu", the propaganda that the BN government uses as history, against the non-malays.

If you use BN propaganda in your arguments, no Malay will believe the good intentions of the non-malays. Because they know this bit of BN propaganda inside and out. And that propaganda has taught them that the non-malays have no good intentions ever and will saying anything as their only desire is to steal the nation from under the feet of the orang Melayu.

Feet which they believe are racially pure and originate from this nation, until you ask them tell who their grand parents and great grand parents were.

By all means dream of a better future, but temper those dreams with the harsh reality of the present. And the perception of the present is based on the interpretation of the past, history. A dream of the future which is not anchored in the present is just an unrealistic dream.

Lastly, while the past cannot be changed. Its interpretation, history is as fluid as the present. Just look at the book Sejarah Malaysia from 1950 to 2008.

It changes radically. Now the fall of Kesultanan Melayu Melaka was caused by orang belanda aided by chinese traders and an Indian traitor. But in older history books, it was caused by a gadis melayu who fell in love with the white enemy.

How about Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat, once a fictional characters used to discuss the meaning of loyalty, they have become real people in today's history books.

@JayCKat

We cant change the past, no matter how. We can dream for the future, but it is not yet in our hand, no matter how.

What is important, is NOW, Today.

So, NOW, (as asked by you) how many of us are really pure chinese, pure Indians or pure Malays? (whatever our ancestor lineage in PAST is).

Difficult question to answer at one go and especially when we have gone too far and quite "Lost" in our way. To answer your question, we must first be clear of the terms "chinese", "indian" and "malay".

Let's get back to basic. So what are the basics for Malaysia?

Rukun Negara & its Constitution.

Which "Negara"?

What is the country TODAY whose citizen known as "Chinese"? People's Republic of China.

What is the country TODAY whose citizen known as "Indian"? India

What is the country TODAY whose citizen knowm as "Malay"? No more such country because the "Malays" have given up "Semenanjung Tanah Melayu" to embrace "Malaysia".

There are many things in the Constitution like the Rulers, Religion, National Language etc.

Let's take the National Language.

What is the National Language for the Chinese? Mandarin

What is the National Language for the Indians? Hindi & English

Is "Melayu Jawi" a National Language of any country TODAY? Again the "Malays" have given up "Melayu Jawi" to embrace "Bahasa Malaysia" the National Language of Malaysia, which country also adopts "English" as the 2nd Language (not as National Language)

So.. TODAY, if a person upholds any other language beside the Bahasa Kebangsaan, it can be said that the person is upholding the National Language of the country he is upholding? Question : Is he a "pure" Malaysian, a "pure" Chinese or a "pure" Indian? Look at what language he is upholding. This is also applicable to the Prime Minister himself.

@Kenn

No. We should remember our nation's real history, not the phony rubbish that AMNO has written into our Sejarah Malaysia text books. We remember that we, Malaysians are equals. We must understand that our history is being rewritten by the BN government for a political agendas.

The Malays are convinced that the Indians/chinese did nothing to develop the country and simple "rampas" tanah melayu and enjoyed its wealth. Thus they have every "right" to remove these chinese/Indian parasites. Parasites who are only here, because their grandfather made a supreme sacrifice to allow all the Indian/Chinese to stay.

The non-malays in the minds of these young malays are nothing more that barely tolerated parasites who whine and ask for more.

This mentality, now present in the Malay youth is what we must fight. We must use real history and not that AMNO propaganda.

P.S: How many of us are really pure chinese, pure Indians or pure Malays? I have Malay great grandmothers. But just because nobody converted to Islam, I am called a chinese and not a malay.

@JayCat,

So we just remain chinese as chinese, Indians as Indians and Malays as Malays (not MALAYSIAN?) in this country known as MALAYSIA?

You have just prove my point.

@Kenn
The Orang Asli, The Malays and Bumiputeras share their lands and consented that people from China & Tamil (mainly) who were stucked here by the work of the British, to become their brothers and sisters. Together, we will work to become Malaysia.

Please do not repeat this piece of AMNO propaganda!

Of the 3 million chinese present at Malaysia's independence, 90% were deported. Only people who could prove that they were born in Malaya were allowed to stay. The same story was repeated with the indians.

Furthermore, only chinese/indian born in Penang, Malacca and Singapore were initially allowed citizenship. Only after a year long mass protest were chinese/indian born in the other states of Malaya (eg Selangor, Perlis etc) were allowed to take on Malaysian citizenship. And by that time most were already deported.

Of the 3 million chinese, only 250,000 got citizenship.

So, No. This "generosity" of AMNO cost the Chinese and Indians 90% of their population, splitting families and deporting anyone who could not produce a birth certificate. And mind you birth certs were always obtained or given back in 1920-1950s.

Dear Sukra,

For you to say that the Chinese people were awarded many things by the British during the British rule and thus they excel in business is just hypocritical. If you say the Chinese businessmen got rich because the British were helping them, why didn't all the Malay businessmen get rich under the NEP? It must also be noted that there are Malay businessmen who benefited from NEP through legal means (excluding corruption). Please do not discredit them for all the effort that they have put in to build their wealth

The NEP has been in existence for 39 years already. To claim that the Malays are still incompetent in business is equally as hypocritical. A young man of the age of 20 in 1970 woulld already be 59 years old now. He should have learnt the majority of the tricks of the trade (if he had been diligent in learning). So, there is no reason for him to not learn the tricks of the trade and pass it on to their children

As much as there are poor businessmen among the Bumiputra, there are also poor businessmen among the Chinese. So it is not the matter of race, instead of the individual tehmselves

Please remember that our country was once just a country without that much wealth.

How did we become as what we are today?

The Orang Asli, The Malays and Bumiputeras share their lands and consented that people from China & Tamil (mainly) who were stucked here by the work of the British, to become their brothers and sisters. Together, we will work to become Malaysia.

Why Malaysia? Why not Aslisia? Because it is an accepted historical fact that the Malays are the people who started the governance of this land. This was once before, Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, do not forget that, less we become ungrateful to the Malys who had shared their lands. Remember the words of Tun Tan Siew Sin and Tun Sambanthan.

In getting to the economic edge, were we very fair & square in right from the beginning? No Sirs! We had not been competing on the same level ground since the beginning and government are trying to correct this imbalance since day one until such time a level ground can be realised so that everyone, EVERY MALAYSIANS, can compete fair and square.

If the chinese firmly wanting to remain chinese, the indian remain indian, what do you think the Malays will do? Will they sit tight not say a word? This was once Semenanjung Tanah Melayu, remember?
So the chinese want to be chinese, the indians want to be indian and the Malay want to remain Malays. Whatever will happen to Malaysia then?

We can go on arguing the many unfairness like the economic cakes, contracts etc. But have we all become MALAYSIANS? (instead of chinese, Malay and indians?)

No sir.. we have yet to reach that MALAYSIAN identity. For now, we are chinese, indians, malays, etc living in a land once known as Semenanjung Tanah Melayu.

Even if the Malays are not so good in business (let us just say it for argument sake), didn't they just carved off their lands to us, for us in order for us to do business and later build a business empire on this land?

Dont we want to be grateful by sharing our business skills (without any hidden agenda) like the Malays share their lands with us?

Think!

Correction:

4th para - "right" should read "write"
5th para - "not to succeed" should read "not easy to succeed"

I support what Zali says above.

You people must remember that the Malays hardly knew business since Merdeka, or even in 1970 when the NEP was promulgated. The British never taught or even encouraged Malays in business. Some of the colonial masters wanted the Malays to remain planting rice and the like. Schools were far in between and only at primary level in the kampongs where most Malays lived.

Whereas the British helped the Chinese in businese. Gave them mining land leases, lisences of all sorts to make money, including running lotteries, ruber trading, etc. Built not only sufficient schools but also at both primary and secondary levels in the towns where most Chinese live.

Many Chinese got wealthy. The Malays had only 2% wealth in 1970. Why must you grudge the Malays for the NEP. What you right about is about NEP. After all you have citizenship right, in exchange for, or the quid pro quo for the Malay Special Position written in the Constitution, under which NEP was derived. If your citizenship right is permanent, why can't the NEP be permanent?

It's not to succeed in business when practically all the means to do business are under the control of the Chinese as Zali has pointed out. Especially when you people are not helping, not even sympathetic considering the handicaps the Malays are facing in business.

Don't begrudge the Malays because they can also begrudge your and your descendants' citizenship right, and when that happens it is not good for everybody.

Read the opening scaption about IJM's success stories. Very proud. Unfortunately facts are manipulated. Pl do not do that for what ever reason. What ever reason at all. Couse that can be bad for everybody.

The fact is the north south highway is a private project. The consession is owned by PLUS and they own the right to award contract to who ever.

IJM itself is also holding consessions of so far as I know:
1. New Pantai Expressway linking Sunway to Pantai Baru and branching to Kuchai Lama and Bangsa/Angkasapuru.
2. Besraya ie leboh raya sungai besi with a very lucrative collection.
3. Lekas - Leboh Raya Kajang Seremban.

This would also provide good picture to foreign project owners an thus willing to award contracts to IJM hopefully.

Let us not grumble to get more. Work scincerly together and earn more respectfully.

Dear all,

Actually I wanted to point out a few life examples which on some topic which is discussed on the comments field.

I worked in an MNC and we tried extremely hard to hire Bumi into our organizations (even today); however many of them failed in the interview as they are not competence enough. However, for those whom we hired; we often found out that they are don't work hard and stay focus but takes many things for granted and put many assumptions into their work. Anyhow we still continue to nurture them regardless of race. As an MNC we are being fair to all races and in fact tried all our effect to get Bumi into our organizations; but we have been accused that we are being "racist" for not hiring Bumi.

What I wanted to point out that, in the business field, we all work professionally and given equal opportunity for everyone to rise and shine. It is good not to jump to any conclusion that this is racist if in any case a Bumi didnt get the position or the chance desired.

In fact, everyone should continue to ask, what is the weakness that we all need to improve and also what is the strength requires in the business field. Only with this mentality the person can continue to improve.

There is nothing racist in the working world, and we shouldn't make it racist. Continue to learn when you fall so that you can rise a stronger person.

It is only human nature for us to generalize according to their racial background. The assumption is that all Malays are lazy and all the Chinese are sneaky people. But if you truly look at it, there is no denying that there are Malays who are hardworking and Chinese who are honest. In order for us to move out of this cycle of generalization, the only possible way I see in the near future is by proving that you do not belong to the general group of the population.

Another human nature is fault finding. We often like to place the blame on others when something bad happens. We don't gain anything by finding fault all the time. It'll be more beneficial if we seek solutions instead. I'm not saying that finding fault is not important because it is the first step towards problem solving. My view is that when fault finding (especially fingerpointing) becomes excessive, it no longer adds any value

As a person who believes in capitalism, I believe that taking the free market approach would be most beneficial to the economy. No doubt we cannot eradicate cronyism entirely because there are times when connections play a more important role in business. The main objective of free markets is to let the law of demand and supply take its course. In the event of an open tender, logical business sense would tell us that taking the lowest price is the best option. The United States is a nation that is modelled based on the free markets. Competition is the driver of growth for the United States because it encourages efficiency

In the event of offering of contracts based on the crony system where corruption is involved, the perpetrators should be investigated by independent authorities. One country that has been very strong in its stance of eradicating corruption is Hong Kong where ICAC is an entirely seperate government arm from the police. The integrity of the MACC has yet to be seen since it's a relatively new anti-corruption commision as compared to ICAC that has been in existence for decades.

In terms of sourcing, if you're not getting a price that is favourable, go look for another supplier. I do not believe that there are no honest Chinese tradesmen in the material supplier industry where all materials suppliers would quote a 15%-20% premium to his bumiputra customer. You just have to keep looking for the right one.

As mentioned earlier, the buyer-seller relationship will also determine the discounts that the buyer can obtain. Of course when you buy on credit, trust is very important. So being a good paymaster is of utmost importance. When you breach the trust of your supplier by being a poor paymaster, nobody wants to sell to you on credit anymore. Who wants to lend money to someone who will not return their money?

Tulisan ini tak lebih dari memaparkan kelebihan satu bangsa dengan bangsa yang lain. Yang menjadi persoalan, selepas "retired" atau di"retired"kan (kena bersangka baik) baru penulis dapat ilham bahawa semua kerja hendahlah diserahkan kepada bangsa penulis sahaja disebabkan oleh faktor-faktor yang penulis sebutkan. Kita semua umum tahu, bangsa penulis akan menggunakan semua cara untuk control perniagaan termasuklah rasuah, ali baba dsb, kenapa yang macam tu tak pernah pula diperkatakan? Sebelum ini bangsa yang dianggap pemalas oleh bangsa penulis ini banyak bersabar terhadap tuntutan-tuntutan tak masuk dek akal, sebagai contoh:-

1) Anak bangsa penulis diajar oleh ibubapa bangsa penulis agar bertanya kepada guru sekolah (sekolah menengah dan rendah)kenapa bangsa penulis tidak boleh jadi Perdana Menteri? Jawapan nya sepatut nye bangsa penulis tahu, jawapannya dekat ajer tak payah pergi jauh, tgk singapura...

bagi satu contoh aje dulu, yg lain menyusul

to everyones who love this country and really want prosperity for all races in it in the long run,

peace be upon you,

the bottom line is, just say that bumiputera or whatsoever is not competent, not qualified n not fit to bo do business, to be contractor, to be towkey a little bit, bcuz they are just suit to be fishermen, petani, penoreh getah, a clerk, servants and whatever below the chinese per se, forever.

and main contractor, towkay, and any businesslah all just give to chinese only who are already master in it for thousands years. other races are not good.

simple or not, clear cut , right???

Yes, malays were left behind in their homeland for hundred years due to their own mistakes and stupidity of the past. they had lost in many battles with western powers for several years and lost their sovereignty, all the resources has finished being used in wars, and be colonized until 1957. yeah that's the history, as similar happen to many eastern nation the like India, Hing Kong (Opium War), Macao, the arabs to lost to western powers.

and let malays stay in the kampungs forever, no need to learn or upgrade themselve a little bit. let chinese do all the business

yes, malays only have some political power to determine the policy, sikit2lah

at least when they got awarded as main contractor , take some margin a bit to survive and become a bit richer than before, the malays still recognize and not forget the chinese expertise and take them as subcontractors, and share the cake together lah. at least say kamsia lah eventhough you got the contract but still sub to me, rather than they subcontract it to foreign companies from europe for example.

kita sama2 warganegara Malaysia kalau betul2 mau hidup makmur bersama2 kongsio kekayaan bersama2, kena tahu jugaklah give and take, share the cake together, you get some i get some, and dont forget the others too like Indians and bumipuetra Sabah Serawak also, they also want to prosper together. Jangan tamaklah brader Semua orang mahu hidup, tapi kena pandai2 lah. then only kita semua betul2 boleh jadi 1 Malaysia. Jangan hanya kerana pandai twist some facts and just one sided thinkings. Think about others too.

Thank you

Fairuz Bin Kamarulzaman

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Zali,

I'm a small business man, I have to work more 12-15 hours every day, Monday to Sunday.

My Malays friends always like to say Chinese suka tipu, Cina taukeh kaya, etc.

Just like to share with you that do you know how hundreds or thaousands small Chinese business man are work long hours day to day like myself?

I'm sure Malays can become taukeh if they willing to work longer hours like us!

By the side, do not think that suppliers are support us 100%, to gain the suppliers' trust....creditability is very important! This is what we Chinese believe...

I cannot understand how those who are dependent on apartheid, race based policy can have the audacity to call dissenters racists.

Just pretend for once that we are of the human race and if aliens from outer space were to invade this earth, whose side would you be on?

Congratulations to one of Perak's true son,our Ipohite, Mr Koon, who has done well to highlight the problems of how millions of ringgit go to profiting the unqualified contractors. Han, we need to be optimistic about what articles like these can do. It may not happen during our life time, but it could benefit our children and their children. Mr Koon, please keep the writing going! :-)

Mr Koon's opinion is useful for everyone. But his article is not only article that meanful to every malaysian. We can still find a lot of articles and video clips that showed the Malaysian is not for all Malaysian!! But, as a Chinese, what can you do??? Tell me, what can you do besides just voice out your "meanful" and world best article over here or somewhere.... hey MAN, nothing will be change!!

Have read with interest the responses to Mr Koon's opinion. Some of them show how deeply Malays(ians) have fallen into UMNO's mental trap.
If a party keeps telling you how uncompetitive, incapable etc etc you are, and only that party can help you, it creates a mentality of helplessness, being under threat and worst of all, reliance. So the community thinks it's forever dependent on handouts (crumbs, really) given by that party.

This will continue until there is a change in govt. Those in the present BN are totally infused in this practice of easy street and see no reason to forgo this.

Each and every govt contract and project is subject to the same rules. One for them and none for us.

While we may rant and scream, seriously we can't possibly expect much to change. The talk about open tenders, transparency, meritocracy is just PR. On the ground, little or nothing has changed, not at least significantly.

Small measures don't matter as they are insignificant. Why else would international perception of Malaysia be dropping and continue to do so despite our govt's vehemnet protest?

If this is despite the measures they say they have undertake, what if nothing has been done? Seems that way, doesn't it?
To the optimists out there, mange your expectations.

I believe the problem the bumi businessman facing now is (1) business attitude. (2) business sense and lastly (3) business discrimination as what zali said.

But, down the road it all still depends on the man how far he wants to rich and how far he willing to sacrifies.

Rome is not build in a day. Obstacle will only make you stronger

I once meet a regular Malay customer walking into my shop. I then asked why today looking so tired.

He then replied me, "Dulu lain sekarang lain. Sekarang biznes sendiri, Sabtu pun kena usaha".

His spirit and determination is really amazing. This baru can be called good business attitude.

By the way, he is a lorry drivers driving his own lorry.

i never said that i disagree with the author but as isaid, you need to study what is the real cause that made the policy failed to produce bigger pool of good and competative bumi contractor.i disagree on the motion to abolished the quota totally .On authors suggestion for mentor-mantee type of relationship and guidance to produce a good contractor, i'm really fully supportive of it.the way you commenting on the issues sadly point out to racist, prejudice and look down on bumi point of view and it will not certainly agreeble to me and bring good to our nation building.The big evil thing call CORRUPTION that hinders the progress and milk out the economy of our nation and not because of quota to bumi .

i think u really miss the point. As bad as saying that all non bumi is kafir the same goes as saying bumi are not a competent and lousy contractor.Like i said there are always two sides of a coin. do not prejudge and do a blanket ruling on certain issues without looking at bigger perspective and thorugh studies.Personally i still think that quota for bumi tender need to be remain but the system need to be revamp and to ensure it will not be used by corrupt people.this are the main issues that i higlihted earlier and the quota of 30% on bumi tender is not something really holding up any progress because even if the company is 51-49 sharing is still considered as bumi company.There are no such thing of the 30% quota is monopolised by 100% bumi company in the first place.You are suggesting that i do not know anything about biz,trade and economy, well its up to you to pass the judgement but i'm not the one who said that nobody control the raw material, please read back my statement for you to comprehend.Also please read few comment by other readers agreeing that they normally mark up the price for bumi buyers coz the assumption that bumi will not pay their dues(another prejudge)
If you deny that Petronas is not a good company because according to you petroleum is just drill , refine pack and sell. you actually insulting all the people who working in petronas regardless of race/religous and an insult to your intelligence as well.Looks like your mind are clouded with racist thoughts until associated petronas with bumi and because of that petronas is a failure.but hey petronas is listed in fortune 500 co and for your information, petronas belongs to malaysia and not ali b. abu sdn bhd.AP hak bumiputera? go and see in the market, who are selling these imported cars, are they not non bumi? the only thing that make even me mad is these AP are controlled by minority group of politician and just because of these people it didn't justify u to look down to other bumi's.at least you should give credit to Naza motor who are now start assembling cars the way TCM doing now or you are just blind to give some credit when it comes to Naza success because of bumi thingy.i think you need to look on malaysian history and study on the polarization of people by the british and it takes long time to fix it back and it becomes longer due to mismanagement and corruption that holding back the progress.NEP is a good policy but the execution is poor due to political interst and corruption along the way and mind you it takes two to tango.

Back to the PETRONAS and the success story of Malays. What success did u mean? Let me tell you a story.. I worked as an assistant for an Indian mechanic who repairs forklifts owned by CHINESE. Not one company but 8 companies, all owned by CHINESE. One particular company was doing a rubber recycling thing. The CHINESE BOSS worked his ass off to get a permit to start up his company, put his life savings to start the business. Bought expensive machines from china, bought lorries, forklift, hired locals. He goes around collecting discarded tyres, came back to his factory, separates the tyres from nylon and steel threads( done by machines), grinds the tyres into small cubes to make another product. anti slip mat and things like that. Did i mentioned about the moulding machine? Now, he packs the products to be sold in china and other countries. He is successful. and one funny thing is the malay lory driver who worked for this Chinese boss complained( iri hati, dengki) about the profits made by the Chinese who sell his recycled products to foreign countries. i wonder whether the malay guy thought of the MODAL invested by the chinese boss that deserves him to get that much profit in the first place. the only modal the malay guy can think of he of course beautiful girls when he is lonely and horny.... Now back to my first statement,can youi tell me one success story of the Malays in Petronas that comes close to this story. Practically, you drill the petroleum out, refined it, packed it, and sell it? Where is the thing called SUCCESS in doing this? Haa, i'm so tired typing, i can on for pages talking about these. Ananda Krishan is sucessful because of his telecommunication. That is acceptable. But calling Nazaruddin successful for selling imported cars, AP of course. Buying or selling can be done by anyone. For creating, innovating something requires brainware.That is the success FACTOR. Can you equate the success of Nazaruddin with Ananda Krishanan or TCM@ Tan Chong Motor? There are difference in the success of these person. And the thing Zali calls success is not success, its called monopoly, spoon feeding, AP hak bumiputera, kill them if dare to question about AP policy.

Sorry for the personal attack on you Zali.

"Look at petroleum industry, there are many bumi co that really can compete not only in malaysia but globally because the raw material is not controlled by certain races."
If that is so true, then I believe the Chinese can only become succesful in a country ruled by the CHINESE, the INDIANS only in a country ruled by INDIANS. Is that acceptable? I dont think Zali knows anything about business, trade or economy.Nobody controls the raw material ie petroleum??? Are you kidding me? There are always a control on raw material, from an individual or organization.Who controls the price of palm oil, rubber? No one? It is as simple as demand-production thing in business... Why do you have to pick up the PETROLEUM industry in MALAYSIA as an example. Because the MALAYS are successful?In that case, you should not complain " who control the followings
1.raw material eg cement,sand,building material,rebar,formworks and others
2.transportation eg lorry hantu, tipper
3.electrical equipment
4.machineries for construction
5.big private construction companies including housing developer.

PETRONAS is controlled 99.9% MALAYS.No wonder they can be successful. Why dont you request the government to buy PETRONAS and to employ all MALAYSIANs regardless of race and religion,and this equals to open tender.Then we can see whether the MALAYass in PETRONAS are successful.Surely you will to start to whine and blame "others" if the Malays failed to perform in Petronas then... Why dont you request the Government to liberate the AP license.It seems that MALAYS can only be successful in fields controlled by the MALAYS only..Why can MYDIN be successful when there are GIANTS from US such as TESCO? Because MYDIN is lucky?

I dont understand Zali's logic in blaming the non bumis or in other word, the evil "KAFIRS" for the so called problems faced by the bumi contractors. What is he trying to say by qouting the 10-20% loss in material... Can someone make a quotation without knowing the price of the materials from different suppliers in the first place? Surely, I dont think bumi contractors will make a qoutation without knowing the prices of materials..When you make a qoutation, you should take into account the up and down of material's price to cover your losses in future. In that case, I do believe the bumis qoutation are based on "agak-agaknya berapa kot". Then I can accept Zali's logicology... And for you Zali, your THEORIES should be published in the LOGYCOLOGY JURNAL . Because according to your logic, the Malays are lacking behind in field in education,economy and so on because the papers,ink,printing machine from CHINA, the inks, the logistics, the marketing,the authors, the scientific calculator, the ruler, the pen, the theories are from the KAFIRS source.Only when all these are produced by MALAYS, then only they can succeed..hahaha... Go back to your mum and whine, or try to grow up and face the challenges.

Wahai Ah Meng

Aku cina tapi aku boleh bercakap melayu sperti melayu serta ku boleh menulis and
membaca jawi. Kau ni gunakan isu perkauman -- tak baik tahu.

orang mukmin tak patut gunakan isu perkauman kerana ini adalah munafik.

Jika kau tahu Jawi, biar kau boleh digelar mim-lam-alip-ya-wau ba-alip-ba-ya.

Tengoklah ku pun tahu jawi apakah kau melayu pun tak tahu. Bagaimana kau boleh
mengatakan cina tak tahu melayu.

kebanyakan melayu adalah orang yang bagus, baik dan beragama suci hanya kauni yang bersubahat syaitan dan
gunakan isu perkauman.

Bertaubatlah -- ingatkan ayat-ayat suci
alkoran sebelum dibilas dan bakar di neraka nanti.

Ramai cina pun beragama Islam dalam negara China yang jumlahnya penduduknya
Islam lebih ramai daripada melayu sedunia.

Tongyan tu yau yap Islam -- toh koh malaiyan

There are More Chinese muslims in this world than malays.

Zali
he actual bumi sub contractor who really construct the lab are been given the works after thru at least 3-4 tiers of subcontractors.

can you clarify whether these 3-4 are exclusively Bumis.

the whole point of Koon's piece is to say that the govt's policy of artificial Bumi incubation has failed miserably and cost the country too much money. appoint on a non-racial basis and on the basis of the best in open competition like it is done in the rest of the world, and if the bumi gets it, that's fine. no chinese, indian etc is going to rant about it on racial grounds. but use race as the primary/determining criterion of selection and of course, you will get a racial reaction.

come on lah - how many more years/decades do you want of this spoon feeding? let the bumi contractors face the real world and they will emerge from it stronger.

same too with education and scholarships and uni places. give up the bumi preference obsession and you will end up with a more resilient and achieving Bumi society. Spoon feed them further, make them dependent on govt quotas and preferences and don't be surprised that the Bumis end up second best.

1000% agreed with zali.......

[
The fact is that bumis have a rap for poor performance, lack of competitiveness and many other unfavourable attributes. If u have a bad reputation u are not going to get the business. That is a level playing field, putting a first class contractor vs someone who doesn't know what their doing and giving both of them equal chances of getting a contract makes no sense.[/quote]
this is the same as saying chinese are bizman, malay are farmers and indian work in estate. your statement already reflects how you prejudge bumi contractor without any merit but just following others perception.If you carefully look at big project failure ie MRR2 cracking, stadium collapse etc, u can found that the real sub contractor are non bumi. Can that be a yardstick to prejudge that non bumi contractor like to cheat during their works. it will be unfair is it because we need to know the root cause of the problem. take school lab computer fiasco for example.the actual bumi sub contractor who really construct the lab are been given the works after thru at least 3-4 tiers of subcontractors. Its like to built porshe car with budget of proton car. even the best non bumi contractor cannot do it.Look deeper and you will know what is the real problem.

In business race doesn't come to play I have good bumi business friends and lousy bumi business customers(who dishonor the credit that we grant to them). In business the right business attitude is important. The question of how to choose equal tender price from Bumi or non Bumi, is business sense prevail. If the bumi contractor feel that he may loose out to non bumi in that sense then he already self defeating. If he feel that he may be loosing out to a non bumi contractor then he have to take initiative to apple polish the contractor(normal business EQ), frequent mingling withe the developers is important. Bearing in mind that the same stiff competition goes amongst non bumi contractors. You see in business we can not just expect some one to pick you as their darling contractor without reasons. You have just to work it out and makes things happen. That's all. If one get used to hands out, he will expect the same treatment in the real competitive business world, then he will ends up with a lot of disappointment. In short no one owe you anything in the course of seeking success, only you yourselve. This is right business attitude! Others saw your good performances will compliment your success with action. This is what we deemed it as "help"![/quote]
hi,
if all people think and act like what you said, then there will be no issues but reality bites. Until what extend you go for so called 'apple polishing'.At the end it defeat the purpose of honesty in biz.I've been there in the biz negotiation to determined the subcontractor, at last the 'know who' and bumi/non bumi come into play regardless it government or private contract. So to say that bumi contractor is not competative etc is not fair. Let the playing field level then you know the truth. Good bizman/contractor will not go 'apple polishing' too much coz he know it will lead to corruption. However bumi can learn good biz ethic from others.
Don't tell me bumi contractor are always bad and non bumi are always good.There will always two side of coins as long as you don't start blurring your view with prejudice.[/quote]

The fact is that bumis have a rap for poor performance, lack of competitiveness and many other unfavourable attributes. If u have a bad reputation u are not going to get the business. That is a level playing field, putting a first class contractor vs someone who doesn't know what their doing and giving both of them equal chances of getting a contract makes no sense.

thanks mr koon for such a good article.
actually it all sums up in namewee's songs. he should write a song on this too.
it's just strange how mahathir can still proudly call this all his success and how he gathers so much support despite the bumi's current state compared to our neighbours. these guys are really in the wrong world. please wake up.

is it ok if i said the first thing non bumi think when they wake up is how to cheat people today to get more money coz money is god even, where to get drunk later and when to start looking for whore for the night as their spouse look ugly? if u don't like to be generalize so did others and don't put your statement without think of the consequences and please don't play the race card .

[.[/quote]In business race doesn't come to play I have good bumi business friends and lousy bumi business customers(who dishonor the credit that we grant to them). In business the right business attitude is important. The question of how to choose equal tender price from Bumi or non Bumi, is business sense prevail. If the bumi contractor feel that he may loose out to non bumi in that sense then he already self defeating. If he feel that he may be loosing out to a non bumi contractor then he have to take initiative to apple polish the contractor(normal business EQ), frequent mingling withe the developers is important. Bearing in mind that the same stiff competition goes amongst non bumi contractors. You see in business we can not just expect some one to pick you as their darling contractor without reasons. You have just to work it out and makes things happen. That's all. If one get used to hands out, he will expect the same treatment in the real competitive business world, then he will ends up with a lot of disappointment. In short no one owe you anything in the course of seeking success, only you yourselve. This is right business attitude! Others saw your good performances will compliment your success with action. This is what we deemed it as "help"![/quote]
hi,
if all people think and act like what you said, then there will be no issues but reality bites. Until what extend you go for so called 'apple polishing'.At the end it defeat the purpose of honesty in biz.I've been there in the biz negotiation to determined the subcontractor, at last the 'know who' and bumi/non bumi come into play regardless it government or private contract. So to say that bumi contractor is not competative etc is not fair. Let the playing field level then you know the truth. Good bizman/contractor will not go 'apple polishing' too much coz he know it will lead to corruption. However bumi can learn good biz ethic from others.
Don't tell me bumi contractor are always bad and non bumi are always good.There will always two side of coins as long as you don't start blurring your view with prejudice.

I tell you what the bumis like. They like to sit on their fat ass, looking arrogant and collecting rent.

In business race doesn't come to play I have good bumi business friends and lousy bumi business customers(who dishonor the credit that we grant to them). In business the right business attitude is important. The question of how to choose equal tender price from Bumi or non Bumi, is business sense prevail. If the bumi contractor feel that he may loose out to non bumi in that sense then he already self defeating. If he feel that he may be loosing out to a non bumi contractor then he have to take initiative to apple polish the contractor(normal business EQ), frequent mingling withe the developers is important. Bearing in mind that the same stiff competition goes amongst non bumi contractors. You see in business we can not just expect some one to pick you as their darling contractor without reasons. You have just to work it out and makes things happen. That's all. If one get used to hands out, he will expect the same treatment in the real competitive business world, then he will ends up with a lot of disappointment. In short no one owe you anything in the course of seeking success, only you yourselve. This is right business attitude! Others saw your good performances will compliment your success with action. This is what we deemed it as "help"!

I'm a bumi and had been in the construction industries for the last 20 years. My partner is a Chinese and a simple man. He treats everyone fair.

From what I have experienced, it's not those Bumis who were sincerely making a career in the construction industry to be blame for failures in some of govt projects. Rather, it's those who obtained projects through UMNO patronages, negotiated projects. In most cases, the projects awarded are to undeserving bumis companies. No need to say more.

I don't own a Porche or Merc though been in the industry for the last 20 years. Just own a 4 wheel drive. All the projects awarded are thru open tenders.
Period.

I would to add some other unnoticed damages by this “wasteful mission of nation : Bumiputra Contractors??? by Ir Koon. There are something called: country growth opportunity and investment for future!
Every nation will go thru capital evolution; the economy capital will evolve from 1 capital to another up the value chain. M’sian used to be in commodities capital in the sixties and early seventies, these were the time the tycoon are in commodities. Then came the man-made capital, the industrialization and modernization in the eighties, where construction companies were in the growth sectors. We somehow lost connect to the next capital, we are neither high value capital nor low cost capital now, the World Bank confirm this.
The points is this, look at Korea, what is the core business of Samsung? What is the core business of Hyundai? You will find that most of these companies started from construction in Korea. They invest in their future, they look ahead on future capital and get prepared. Today, Samsung is in the rank like Intel, a semiconductor giant. Hyundai other than vehicle, they have hand-phone and other market leading products. They probably have a clear clue what will drive the market 20years down the road and they invested in it.
Back to our nation, we have not only wasted the public money, more importantly we have wasted the opportunity to invest into future. Because of these racial and suicidal policies, we have somehow disconnected from next growth capital. Even we have petronas, the goose that lay golden eggs, still we are not sure if this is a blessing or curse in long run. Let’s wait till the goose could not lay anymore golden egg to make that conclusion.
Albert Einstein once compare the infinity of the universe and human stupidity, his takes is :– comparing the universe with human stupidity, universe might be finite, but unsure on human-stupidity. Malaysian has confirmed the theory of Einstein, the existing regime is totally ****ed, our future is dimming away, yet the regime keep voted in year in and year out. Malaysians are stupid! And our stupidity are infinite.

This is the type of no-holds barred discussion that needs to be brought up, and I applaud Mr Koon for telling it like it is, that everyone in the country can see so clearly but dare not speak out in case "kena lock-up" under ISA. I do not disagree in gov't trying to help the majority group. Come to think of it only Malaysia has affirmative action for the majority group, and not the minority group as in other countries. Well, that is besides the point. Everyone knows that the current policy is unsuccessful, as giving fish, is different from teaching how to fish. A person will continue to be dependent for hand-out as long as he is not taught how to fish. And just like any easy handouts, this becomes a culture of dependency, almost like a drug craving, that will be difficult to get out of. The longer this policy continues, the more the nation will be left behind to the rest of the world, until it is too late to change. The only thing that we are lucky so far is the rich natural resource that we have, mainly petroleum $$. But that won't last long. I used to remember when Singapore and Malaysia used to have the same exchange rate, but now it is > 2 to 1, and it achieved First World status a long while back. Malaysia, with its natural resource and I am sure its "stolen" human resource shld have been ahead of Singapore in achieving 1st World status, instead of the other way round. As long as this current gov't policy continues, u will get the same results. There's a quote that says, if u do the same thing over and over again and expect different results, is a sign of insanity.

Every contractor knows that you have to go thru a ali-baba bumi co. to get govnment jobs.Sad to say that many bumi cos. are just not keen to learn the trade but sell the project for quick bucks.Its time the associations of both come together and work out a cooperation between the bumi and non-bumi cos.so that the bumi cos.will learn the trade or whatever trade.Ali-baba cos should be closed down.

DON'T ROB ANY JOB EVEN FROM A MOB

Let's follow the principle of best person for the best job
When things are not so simple as plucking a maize cob
Let's have original thinking and not that of any extreme mob
So that there's fair play all around without anyone to rob

(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 181109
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Wed. 18th Nov. 2009.

a fish is bad by looking at its head.in system or process,rubbish in is rubbish out!this is the entire problem with malaysia and this 'cancerous disease'has been plaguing us for the past 50 years.umno has been the head since independence.unless we can cut this head off,soon the whole fish is destined into the garbage bin!!the so-called bumi quotas are tools used by umno to SYPHONED malaysian tax-payers hard earned money for their own coffers..and this is no secret and everybody knows it!umno doesn't give a damn to uplifting the bumiputra status.all the ho ha are just part of the politico-hypocritico mind-game.CHANGE WE MUST and being a muslim it has become a must (wajib)!malays,chinese,indians,dayaks,kadazans,etc etc...together we can do it to stop the rot!!

get your facts right. class F contractor only can do works up to 200k only and they may be can have only one job a year except for the cronies who might have more. anyhow still the downstream beneficiary is still the suppliers and guess who are they?
the guys who got millions of contract thru negotiated terms normally are big players and if not there are always big brothers behind them coz negotiated contract needs a lot of 'lubricant' to make it sucessful. who do you think have a lot of 'lubricant'? again no price for guessing.
just check what is the latest ranking for malaysia in corruption index, and again who like to play this type of game?

This is indeed a good article. True that there are some good bumi contractors and a lot of bad ones. Somehow ;) the bad ones seem to get a lot of the big projects. Then they start what I would call a 'tango'. 'A' would sub to 'B' who would sub to 'C'...until the last one who took it would eventually die of heart failure. The good bumi contractors would get the projects through the honest way. They never get involved in 'negotiated' tender and even though they don't get big projects, they still do get projects that keep them rather busy. Similarly there are good and bad non-bumi contractors too.

The practice of giving out thousands of big and small projects annually costing hundreds of millions of ringgit to Class F Bumi-contractors is immoral. In fact it is a corrupt system practised by the Government.
It is like an "annual bonus lucky draw" where Class F Bumi-contractors line up to draw for projects. Lucky ones get big projects costing millions, others get smaller jobs. Every contractor is a winner.

Gov need to look at the role of CIDB. How does it contribute to the industry? Where have all the money gone?

no, i'm not telling stop trying but look at the real world and i'm not saying that the are no good bumi contractors and i personally knew a few of them but if really tomorrow they close up these quota things, a lot of real bumi contractor will suffer.the real culprit is 'bumi know who'contractor who hijack the contract and pass it to non bumi to execute since non bumi can give them better profit margin due to reason i stated earlier. at the end it back to square one.but please answer me honestly, if there are two contractors, one bumi and one non bumi tender for say drainage projects from non bumi developer with similar pricing who will get the contracts? if u can answer this sincerely and honestly, then i might consider my view.
let the playing field at least almost level for everybody to play fairly.

As usual, Bumiputeras will be quick to point to the so-called control by Chinese suppliers of construction materials. Chinese businessmen go for the money, so if there is any discrimination in terms of price, any novice regardless of race has to pay the price of learning the trade and source out the best prices for the necessary materials. Even Chinese bosses who are content with sitting in the air-conditioned offices will have to pay the price of being duped by their employees.

Just the other day, I was discussing with my wife about some of the up and coming businessmen - supplier of fertilizers (started as sundry shop, still does) who still drive a lorry to deliver to customers; contract palm fruit harvester who now owns more than 100 acres, who still drive a lorry when necessary; and a few years ago, my friend drove an empty bus (though one-off occasion) and his father as attendant when they were director and chairman of a public listed company then!

Such hands-on entrepreneurs deserved to be successful and we don't feel envious over their success.

Zali,

You mentioned that bumi cannot compete because the whole sector already control by the non bumi. Does that gives you justification to stop trying? Tak serik di makan tajak, esok lusa ke bendang juga.

I am a small businessman myself. Frankly I tell you if you got no money, no matter what race you are, no supplier going to entertain you.

If you think this non bumi charging you too high, then keep on looking for cheaper alternative. No is just not the answer.

The protectionism policy to nurture Bumi contractors have definitely not met its original objective.

For over 52 years since gaining independence from the British, there would have been at least 2 full generation of Bumi contractors being groomed(assuming the average guy work 26 years in this sector since age 20+) and the second generation would have been able to compete internationally.

Export our Bumi-contractors skills, expertise. The global benchmark just does not adjust lower meet to local standards, as the building will have to stand for 50+ years.

Look at the KT Stadium, the leaking Parliament ceiling, just to recall a few.

Good analysis, Mr Koon

You lamented the poor performances of the Bumi contractors and engineers attributed to institutional racism. But you being a former member of Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM) just wonder how did you pass those Bumi Engineers who underperformed or unqualified and yet now they having P.Eng at the back of their names ?

If you are honourable, principle and qualified as you put it , how did these engineers became Professional Engineers or P. Eng when you were in BEM or IEM??

Isn't that a sore point in your career when you see newly built bridges , stadium roofs collapsing ? with IR and P.Eng that you have participated in granting ?

Look here, Malaysian engineers are not well sought after overseas because they lacked qualifications and their P.Eng were obtained by just an interview. The civil engineers do not know how to design to earthquake codes of other countries because there is no earthquake in Malaysia.

Hence you are also a party to be blamed for awarding P.Eng to undeserved engineers or Bumi engineers for that matter.

I totally agree with the writer, the government should spend the taxpayers money wisely not on Half-baked contractors

Indeed what you have articulated is true. It takes time, passing, hard work to succeed. There is just no shortcut.

The rich bumiputera contactors (who happen to make it big) continue to rely on government hand outs (contracts). They seldom use their new found riches to develop their own chain of supply lines which will in turn make them more competitive and profitable in the open market. This is a mistake on their part.

This can still be corrected. They think that their good fortune will never come to an end. They are being too optimistic. They are being irrational. They are unwise.

analisa amat penting. saya bersetugu dengan syor syor yang dicadangkan oleh Encil Koon.

Sila kemukakan laporan ini kepada pemimpin UMNO

This is the most insightful article on the problems in contracting business in Malaysia. I hope the govt will take note.
Otherwise, we keep throwing away good money.