KPIs for MACC advisory members

Columnists

Written by Koon Yew Yin

Saturday, 25 July 2009 16:04

Commentary by Koon Yew Yin We can see clearly that the Government is getting worried about the views of Malaysian voters on the highly suspicious death of Teoh Beng Hock. However, the announcement by the Prime Minister of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) with limited terms of reference and the convening of a coroner’s inquest is, in my opinion, still not sufficient to address the many worries and concerns that the ordinary citizen has, especially with regard to the MACC’s independence and integrity. Various options have been put out by civil society leaders on how to correct the fundamental weaknesses of the MACC, including a radical proposal that the advisory members of the MACC resign en masse. This is to show to Malaysians that advisory members take responsibility for the death and to send a strong signal to the Government that they are not willing to be party to the wrongful conduct of a disreputable and untrustworthy organization. The proposal by Dr Lim Teck Ghee that the MACC advisory members resign en bloc seems to be based on the principle of civil disobedience and moral protest which has a tradition in some countries but not, apparently, in Malaysia. In the blogs and websites, we can read that the great majority of readers agree with Dr Lim’s proposal. According to this majority view, these resignations would also convey a powerful message to the government and the public that these MACC panellists are not prepared to be used as a cat’s paw in political machinations aimed at preserving power by all possible means – especially when it leads to the death of an innocent young man. I have observed that the few members of the advisory bodies who have spoken out in public on the tragic event have maintained that they still have an important and continuing role to play in reforming the MACC. In my view, the distinguished members cannot avoid taking a proactive stance in light of the broad swathe of negative public reaction. It is salient to note that the public harbour expectations that these members – as public watchdogs – have a duty to take steps independent of the Government’s stance. All Malaysians will agree that with high status comes great responsibility and hence it is incumbent on the advisory members to act promptly and vigorously. Failure on their part to take the initiative will be construed as an act of subservience to the Government and impact on their integrity and good standing in the public eye. In a worst case interpretation, the public at large will conclude that this unwillingness of the MACC advisory members to act is symptomatic of an acceptance of what is perceived as an attempt at cover up and protection of the MACC. To help the advisory members out of their dilemma, and recognizing that they (as with all of us) do have limits to their patience, I have prepared a list of deliverables or in the popular parlance – KPIs, which are badly needed. For the uninitiated, KPIs refer to key performance indicators. These are goals with target dates that organizations set for themselves so as to reflect the success or failure of the organization. We have been reading a great deal in the newspapers of the way in which KPIs are being used to assess and track the progress of Prime Minister Najib’s administration. Hence this proposal should be perfectly appropriate for the MACC advisory members to adopt. Implementing the suggested KPIs below will help convince me and many other members of the public that the advisory members are not warming their council seats solely due to self-interest. KPIs for MACC Advisors: 1. Seek a suspension from duty of the key officers of the Selangor office as well as the national level office that sanctioned the investigation of the case against Ean Yong (Beng Hock's boss) and his staff. 2. Ensure that no interrogation of witnesses or suspects be permitted by the MACC without a lawyer being present. 3. Ensure that no interrogation be permitted outside of working hours (8am to 5pm) to hinder the use of sleep deprivation which is a form of torture. 4. Ensure that all interrogations be videotaped (a practice common in most developed countries). 5. Ensure that investigations are initiated on the basis of trustworthy information that is not politically tainted or motivated. 6. Review the use by MACC and related law enforcement agencies of ethnicity as a factor in conducting stops, searches and other investigative procedures. 7. Establish clear parameters for MACC investigation of cases (individuals or organizations) so that the MACC does not concentrate its investigations on ikan bilis or political opponents of the ruling system solely but goes instead after the ikan jerung or sharks/powerfully connected who have clearly amassed wealth/assets/resources through dubious means or have engaged in big-time corruption affecting national interests. All these KPIs are urgently needed because for now, there is very widespread public perception that the MACC is acting as a shield to protect the hingh ranking corrupt elite whilst at the same time engaging in destabilization of the opposition. Besides this list above, I am sure that the advisory members will have their own list of proposed reforms of the MACC, drawing on their hard work since their appointment as members and especially following the traumatic events of the last week. Members of the public will also have many useful KPI suggestions for the MACC advisory members to consider and perhaps a telephone hotline can be manned for the duration of a week to record public feedback. Finally, it is not clear how the RCI to be established can play an important role in determining the reform measures needed to ensure that the MACC does not function as a rogue institution. It is absolutely critical that the RCI has relevant terms of reference and the best possible membership to ensure that it is not compromised even before it begins its work. I realize and appreciate that the advisory members have close links to the Government which provides them with the opportunity to help influence the setting up of a credible and effective RCI. Hopefully, this commission can bring about the reform of the MACC which all previous efforts seem not to be able to do so. Finally, we should all recognize that the tragedy of Beng Hock's death has far-reaching implications for the nation as a whole. Each and every one of us must help to put right what is wrong. The distinguished advisory members are uniquely placed to play a vital role and I respectfully suggest that they show some accountability.

Understanding the State of the Nation!

The Preservation of Democracy and the Rule of Law in Malaysia
By Zaid Ibrahim
July 10, 2009

(Speech at The Oxbridge Malaysia Dinner Dialogue Series, hosted by the Oxford & Cambridge Society, Malsysia.
Date: Thursday, 9th of July 2009 Venue: Bankers’ Club, Kuala Lumpur.)

Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for your invitation for me to speak today. When I accepted
your kind offer, I was ‘party-less’. But things have now changed. I have drawn my line in
the sand. And I have chosen sides. Today, I am a proud member of Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Today I am persuaded by the argument that for Malaysia to have democracy and the Rule of
Law, we must have a new government; a viable inclusive government of the people; a
government for all Malaysians. Today I am dedicated to the cause of securing the success of
Parti Keadilan and Pakatan Rakyat, and ensuring that it galvanises the best talents and
ideas to form a robust alternative Malaysian political force to lead the nation, to deliver true integration and nationhood.

Ladies and Gentlemen, This country was established as a secular multicultural and multi-
religious democracy ala the Westminster model. The Constitution however provides for a
special position for the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. They unfortunately omitted
to include the Orang Asli in this special category, although they were naturally the first
original inhabitants of this country. All they got was a Jabatan Orang Asli. The special
provisions for Bumiputras under Article 153 do not make them more special than other
citizens, for the fighters of independence did not envisage an Orwellian society where some
are more equal than others. The acceptance of equality of rights as citizens is central to the success of our Malaysian journey.

When the PM announced his 1 Malaysia slogan, I asked if that meant he would make a
declaration that all Malaysians are equal. The answer was not forthcoming till today. All he
said was rights must be understood in the context of responsibilities. Another fuzzy reply.
When critics asked if 1 Malaysia meant that the cultural characteristics of the diverse
racial groups would be assimilated to a new design called 1 Malaysia, he quickly denied that
it was an assimilation plan. So therefore I assume that 1 Malaysia is an affirmation of the
rights of ALL the citizens under the Constitution, an affirmation of the multicultural and
multi- religious nature of our country; and that the principles of Rukun Negara will continue to be the mainstay of our society.

My detractors say that my views are fodder for the egos and insecurities of those who detest
the constitutional position of the Malays. They say I work too hard at being a Malaysian and
by doing so, have forgotten my roots and responsibilities to the Malays. And that no right
thinking Malay, who truly understands what is at stake, would ever support me. I know my
heritage, I know my humble beginnings, and I know my roots and my responsibilities as a Malay. They are wrong. To them, let me say this.

UMNO — being hidden in a cave for so long and concealed from the real world — have almost
abandoned the idea of a shared and common nationhood. They believe that for so long as the
MCA and the MIC remain with them as partners of convenience, that is sufficient to build a
nation. They think it’s sufficient to forge a new nation by electoral arrangements. The MCA
and the MIC also think it’s sufficient for nationhood if they remain business partners of UMNO.

A new united Malaysia can only come true when UMNO changes and abandons racial politics and
the politics of racial hegemony. Or, when the Malays can be made to understand that
patronage, authoritarianism and nationalist extremism, which underpins UMNO’s style of
leadership, does more harm to the community and the country than good. That Malays
themselves must break from the shackles of narrow nationalism so that they may realise self
-actualisation and emancipation. The first is difficult to achieve but I take it as my responsibility to try and achieve the second.

Let me now get into the subject of the speech by giving you an understanding about how UMNO
ticks. This, to me, is critical in order for you to appreciate what hope we have for the preservation of the Rule of Law and Democracy in Malaysia.

At the heart of UMNO’s philosophy on leadership is a conviction that there is an inherent,
almost ‘divine’ right to retain power at all costs. This is so for two reasons: Firstly,
because they assume that they are the only political force, by way of Barisan Nasional, to offer a workable power-sharing leadership of this nation.

And secondly, because they believe that the Malay hegemony that UMNO maintains is necessary
to prevent the Malays from becoming marginalised. It is these beliefs that are at the centre
of UMNO’s self-indulgent sense of indispensability and self-importance that is today causing
them to steer the nation to an authoritarian rule. It is this sense of self-importance that
is accountable for the authoritarianism in leadership and government. It is this that has
helped justify in their minds their right to quell anyone who threatens the status quo,
whether it be a group of politicians or activists protesting against abuses in government, or a group of Indians protesting against their treatment and lack of opportunities, or a
previous deputy prime-minister who was no longer in step with the ‘Big Boss’. It does not
matter. Self-preservation demands expedience at all costs to resolve any impending threat.

But there is more. Since the hegemony is protected by policies that benefit the elites and
other powerful forces, this sense of self-importance becomes even more dangerous. Because it
justifies why real checks and balances against governmental abuses can be done away with. It
justifies trampling on fundamental safeguards in the Federal Constitution in the last 20 years.

But there is more. If you are on the cause of preserving the rights of the elites, the
oligarchs, then it brings you no shame to have a former UMNO lawyer as Chief Justice; in
fact, you become proud of that achievement. Even if the Attorney General had committed many
errors in the discharge of his functions and duties, a well-known fact amongst the legal
fraternity, you will not change him; nor would you change the Chief Of Police despite so
many reports of transgressions committed by him. All for the ‘Malay cause’ they would say!
And if you are on the Bench writing your judgement on the Perak fiasco; you can tailor it to
suit your master’s political interests, and you will be lauded for that. The ‘Malay Cause’
is everything. The Constitution can wait; sound legal reasoning can wait, justice can wait.

But there is more.

Many in UMNO see the hegemony as a ‘be all and end all’, with the power sharing between
component parties as being a means to an end. Ketuanan Melayu, a mantra of Malay supremacy,
has gained ground instead of receding over time. More accurately it is Ketuanan Elit Melayu
as the majority of the Malays have found out to their dismay.

What is the price that we ultimately pay as a nation, if this pernicious doctrine is
embraced by many? Clearly to start with, we would continue to be cursed with a non-
transparent government without the capability of functioning in a way that respects the rule
of law. We will be cursed by having laws that oppress, that curtail and suffocate the basic
freedoms of the people. We now have a set of rules for the elites and one for the rakyat, one for Barisan Nasional and one for Pakatan Rakyat.

If the public believes that the government is not beholden to a set of commonly revered
values and principles, and its actions are tainted by racial biases, there will continue to
be physical and emotional segregation of communities, regardless of how may times we change
the slogans to break such divisiveness. The notion of creating a free and democratic Malaysia therefore becomes unachievable.

The ultimate price that the country suffers from the present political culture is that the
Malays and non-Malays will continue to be denied a sense of ownership of Malaysia’s nation-
building journey. And instead of become partners in this voyage to mature nationhood they
continue to bicker and remain suspicious and distrustful of one another. Because of this
segregation, the government is unable to set a new direction of the country. Because of
racial polarization the people are not ready to accept a multiracial dimension of this
country. As a result, we are not able to enact or even discuss comprehensive national
policies whether it is regarding the police, education or judicial and civil service reforms
.The distrust of the communities will prevent objective appraisals and solutions to the
problems. Ethnic interests take precedence over national interests. National interests
become a strange and fearful concept. And there will continue to be a brain drain of
Malaysian talents who would have decided that they would rather make their home elsewhere.
This is a high price that the country can ill-afford to pay given the increasingly challenging global outlook.

Authoritarianism, patronage, and nationalist extremism from any quarter destroy the key
ingredients necessary for the Malaysian community to really build on and retain that wealth
and knowledge. Competitiveness and true economic and scholastic success, is a function of
instilling in the hearts and minds of beneficiaries a set of new behaviours, around the
capacity and desire to take personal accountability, to trust one another, to be achievement
oriented, to develop a sense of curiousity, a sense a solidarity that go beyond your own
ethnic clans and groups; so that together, we are to be able to build this country. We must
do away with unprincipled politics, with Machiavellian methods, but instead seek to change
with reforms that encourage the development of a viable democracy and a prosperous country for all.

The government says it hopes to amend up to 33 laws, which involve discretionary powers to
the Home minister, beginning with the controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), in the next
Parliament session. Let’s hope and see if this will bear fruit. Authoritarianism in
government will continue albeit in a different guise, unless the whole of the ISA, Official
Secrets Act, The Sedition Act and similar such laws are abolished. This would be an example
of good governance. However, authoritarian policies will most likely continue while
corruption is rampant, when the elites need protection from their misdeeds. Najib will not
be able to change any of these.

Perak State Government The whole cloak and dagger story of intrigue about the overthrow of
the Pakatan Rakyat government gave rise to much suspicion about Najib’s style, well before
he took office. He could have allayed the fears that he would not be one to resort to under
-the-belt tactics in his leadership, by calling for fresh elections. Najib’s unwillingness
to dissolve the Perak Assembly has gotten the country deeper into a political quagmire. By
doing so he will also help the Federal Court judges from having to come up with a convoluted
legal reasoning, like that of the Court of Appeal, to please the Prime Minister.

Malay Unity Talk This is again Najib’s idea to strengthen himself. If PAS were to support
UMNO under the guise of a unity government, a viable alternative to Barisan Nasional at the
next elections will be seriously undermined. Najib wanted the internal difficulties between
Pakatan Rakyat parties to continue and fester as the mainstream media went full steam ahead
to ensure Pakatan’s demise. Let me assure you that that such a scenario will not happen.
Pakatan will only get stronger. Pakatan has its weaknesses but we do not have the culture of
hegemony. We do not suppress dissent. Hence you will hear of occasional disagreements. You
will hear of occasional flare-ups; but PAS, Keadilan and DAP are committed to finding ways
to strengthen their partnership. They will not break up. Instead, they will form a
formidable coalition that will be ready to provide an alternative government to the people.

Today, Malaysians are suffering the deleterious effect of a stagnating world economy, and
the GDP will contract by 4.4 per cent according to the World Bank. FDI’s continue to fall,
while talent is being lost. The standard of education and the skill sets, including the
command of English, necessary for the work force to remain globally competitive continues to
fall. Now after spending billions on teaching Science and Maths in English in the last 6
years, the Government has announced the reversal of the policy effective 2012. One wonders
if the farcical National Service programme, which is neither a national service nor an educational programme will be scrapped too. .

Crimes and home security issues have increased since 2003 and these remain major concerns of
the people. In the 1998 case of Anwar Ibrahim, allegations by the investigating officer
himself of tampering with evidence by the IGP and the AG have not been answered satisfactorily. Of course the government had formed a certain panel comprising three ex-
judges deliberating in a secret place. Not surprisingly the Panel cleared them. The findings
of the Royal Commission in the Lingam case have not been acted upon in satisfactory manner.
And many high profile cases reported to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)
remain unattended. Such is the state of the Rule of Law in Malaysia. Will Najib attend to these issues? Certainly not.

All he can do is to announce the scrapping of some outdated policies that he had little
choice but to do it anyway, as part of the demands of the international and ASEAN trade
agreements. After decades of the NEP, the 30% equity requirement in companies listed amongst
the 27 services sub-sectors are taken away. Also, the Foreign Investment Committee
regulating investments in Malaysia, have been scrapped. The reasoning of the government,
which is disputed by many Malays, is that the Bumiputra participation in the relevant
services sub-sectors are satisfactory and hence the removal of the quota requirement. Whilst
the move has made Najib popular in the short term, it will come back to haunt him. Economics
and social justice require him to address the larger question of disparities in income of
the rakyat. The plight and grievances of ordinary people will not be redressed by one or two populist policies.

On the question of the preservation of the Rule of Law and Democracy, he did nothing and
probably will continue to do nothing. He should have acted as if he has only 100 days before
his reign comes to an end. He should have embraced Roosevelt’s dictum, ‘There is nothing to
fear but fear itself’, and embarked on far reaching policies to give back judicial power to
the Courts, to give back integrity, trust and respectability to governmental institutions
like the Police, the Attorney General’s Office, the Election Commission; that of which
Malaysia desperately needs. In doing so he can show the people he was prepared to sacrifice
his neck if that is required of him.

He should not have started the Perak debacle but since it had already got under way, he
should have had the courage to win back the support of the people by allowing for the
dissolution of the Legislative Assembly. Instead of embarking on the inane idea of UMNO-PAS
unity — confirming the suspicion that he is like his Deputy who only understands UMNO-PAS
unity at the expense of everything else — Najib should have called for a national debate
amongst all leaders of major political parties for a serious discussion on key and core values for the country.

The problems in our country are not race or religion based, but BN has worked very hard to
make them so. It’s always about the Rakyat against the elites or the powerful oligarchs that
run and control the country’s institutions and wealth. The Rakyat, for too long have becomes
pawns in this political game where the race and religious issues are being played out to divide them.

Najib should have started his administration with pushing through a Race Relations Act that
will punish racism and racist speeches and writings from all quarters, even if it’s from
leaders of his own party and from Utusan Malaysia. The single greatest impediment to
Malaysians being united and working together for the common good, is racist politics in
Malaysia. Racism here is not the same kind that the Anglo Saxon whites have over blacks and
coloureds (or vice versa) for many years. It’s not the apartheid kind of racism where whites
generally believe they are superior to blacks and coloureds in genetics and all spheres of
life. Our racism is driven more by ethnic distrust and ethnic rivalry for the economic cake.
They are mainly economic and cultural in nature, based on the fear that the wealth of the
country will be taken away by the Chinese, and vice versa. But it’s just as divisive and
dangerous. It refers to both institutionalised racism and those exhibited by individuals.
Malaysia needs to combat this problem because it’s particularly acute. Because we have three
major races that did not have the luxury of time for natural assimilation or the time to gel
and live in harmony, we need legislation and governmental support to push through the unity
factors and manage the divisive factors found in the community.

To bring about a truly united 1 Malaysia, our PM must not always refer to the deprivation of
the Malays suffered under the British. No amount of wallowing of the past can change
history, nor can we just tell the Chinese and the Indians how grateful they should be for
events taking place 100 years ago. Equally, he cannot just be happy that he has the MCA and
MIC taking care of the non-Malays. He has to do more to make sure the non-Malays are equally
responsible and generous with the Malays. Will they open their businesses to the Malays?
Will they give credit on the same terms they do to their own clans?

But at the same time the people, including the Malays, must be convinced that democracy and
a functioning bureaucracy is good for them. That they have a better chance of realizing
their potentials and benefiting from their rights and privileges under a government that
respects just laws. They must resist corruption by all means at their disposal. The notion
of Bangsa Malaysia will not detract or take away anything from them, but instead they become
a part of a larger and more diverse community where they too can experience the generousity,
beauty, strength, and richness of Malaysian cultures. They will benefit from the solidarity
of people from all walks of life, and their worldview will change to make them stronger and
more confident of themselves.

A PM of this country must not succumb to the idea that force and repression will prevail
over the people’s will. The PM of this country must not suffer from the delusion that the
Police, the Army, the Courts, the Election Commission and the Attorney General could strike
fear in the hearts of the people to the extent that they will retreat. No leader in ancient
and modern times has survived the outrage of the masses. Today we have witnessed a new sense
of outrage; outrage against the abuse of power, against inequality, outrage against the
continued persecution of Anwar Ibrahim, and outrage against the policies of divide and rule.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The winds of change have never blown so strong. Today, the rakyat has
spoken and they want their voices heard. They want a new beginning, so that this country,
which we all call home, will be transformed into a dynamic, open and vibrant democratic
sanctuary. A sanctuary where we live without fear of police harassment, without fear of
wearing black or yellow, without fear of detention without trial, without the nausea of
reading newspapers whose editors have to toe the line to keep the papers alive. We will make
this country such that we have room and space for all of us to have our dreams and hopes
come true.

But the window of opportunity has opened for one central reason. And that is because the
people now have a choice; between the establishment that has led the country over the last
50 years, or a viable alternative in Pakatan Rakyat that can inclusively carry the hopes and
aspirations of all Malaysians, no matter they be Malay, Chinese or Indian. For without this
alternative, the self indulgent and delusional sense of self-importance of UMNO and its
cohorts in Barisan Nasional will continue to impose itself.
No doubt, Keadilan is a new party, and Pakatan Rakyat is in its infancy, and the coming
together of different political parties to find a common thread with which to build
meaningful solidarity to work together, is a long and arduous journey. Let us not kid
ourselves. Many challenges lie ahead to make it a truly viable alternative political force
to Barisan Nasional and acceptable choice to all Malaysians. And the traps and snares to
trip up this fledgling alternative are being laid everywhere; the Unity talks being just one.
My colleagues and I in Pakatan Rakyat must be cautious, and yet courageous, patient yet
purposeful, tolerant yet principled, to ensure that Pakatan Rakyat steers clear of these
traps, and that we build a truly robust and secure alternative from which the electorate can
choose to form government. We must desist from any temptation to go back to the ways of the
past, in which opposition parties represent their own narrow factional interests, only to
grant a walkover victory to the status quo. At for Parti Keadilan Rakyat, it must soldier on
come what may, as a party that will protect the people regardless of race and ethnicity. The
Special position of the Bumiputras and Islam as mandated by the Constitution will be
honoured but will do so in an open transparent manner; as a democratic multiracial party
that observes the Rule of Law will be obliged to do. Keadilan will not champion racial
politics and will not seek racial hegemony. We are a lot more humble than UMNO. But we will
be fearless in the defence of the rights of the Rakyat against powerful oligarchs and vested
interest groups. We will make the public institutions in this country respectable and full
of integrity. These institutions will regain the respect and the trust of the people.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We do not live in a world of black and white. We live in a world full
of different colours, shades and textures. No truer is this than in Malaysia. I can stand
here and tell you of my immense sense of pride and affection in being a Malaysian, just as I
can do the same about being Malay. And I believe that we all are just as capable of feeling
that way about being Malaysian, and yet similarly proud of being Malay, Chinese, Indian,
Kadazan or Iban, no matter who we are.

And it is this mix of seemingly conflicting values, which when blended and tempered with
courage, tolerance, good faith, and framed by universally held moral and civic values, that
makes the canvas of Malaysia so rich, so powerful and so full of potential. Let us preserve
this living piece of art, and ensure that it continues to beautify and enrich our personal
lives, as private citizens.

For if we fail, then the providence with which we are blessed today to make a breakthrough
change, will disappear as quickly as it came, and we will be back to square one. Our future
and that of our children and their children, depends on our success. Failure is not an option. God favours the brave.

Thank You.

............................................

An Epilogue of short Note by Yin Ee Kiong :

"Thoughts that flashed through my mind:

Cast out the beam in your own eyes before you try to take out the mote in your brother's eyes - to paraphrase the Good Book. The non Malays must take stock of their role too in bringing about a united Malaysia.


There are Malay leaders who are genuine about a united Malaysia unlike Najib's bogue 1Malaysia. But the non Malays must take an honest look at themselves . . . have we not been too rapacious and even disdainful of the Malays in the past. It is not uncommon in many non Malay families where the Malays are talked about in condescending tones. Even today there are non Malays who boast about how 'clever' the non Malays are. And especially in the past the Malays are talked about as culturally inferior - this is so especially among the Chinese with their air of cultural superiority (5,000 years of civilization etc).
The BN Government policies (espy during the Mahatir years) have cleaved the racial divide and continue to do so. The result is each community became more chauvinistic - culturally, socially, politically and economically.

Malay leaders like Zaid, Tunku Abdul Aziz, Syed Husin, Nik Aziz , Anwar and even Razali (who in his latest speech talked about a "fair and equitable political and economic order founded on equal citizenship) are the best hopes for us getting out of this racial rut. The non Malays must do their part. Like Zaid said in his speech, will the Chinese open up their business to the Malays? Have you ever noticed that there are virtually no Malay SMEs and no retailers? Almost every sen spent goes through Chinese hands. Unless the Malay masses feel comfortable and are assured that they will not be swamped by the non Malays there will be no unity - whatever people like Anwar and Zaid try to do.
The non Malays must do their part - be less disdainful of others (espy the Chinese with their cultural arrogance), understand that meritocracy has its limits otherwise it will be 'survival of the fittest' which is the law of the jungle. The Orang Aslis and natives of East Malaysia and to a lesser extent the Malays, need help - through genuine affirmative action policies. They need a hand up which the non Malays should not begrudge them.

It is time for introspection - honestly, have we (the non Malays) not brought this unholy mess upon ourselves by our attitude towards the Malays? Today I still hear so called liberal non Malays talk about the Malays in derogatory terms. While this has been exacerbated by the BN's racial policies it's no excuse. Yes there are those who deserve it but by and large they are like most of us - decent people who want to live in peace and earn a living."

The Great Malaysian Brain Drain

Columnists

Written by Koon Yew Yin

There is a boy I know who scored 10 A1s. His mother is a primary school teacher and Andrew has two younger brothers. His father, a civil servant, had already passed on by the time the son sat SPM in 2006. Armed with his excellent result, Andrew applied for a scholarship to study mechanical engineering. The government rejected his application. Petronas rejected his application too. Can you imagine how disappointed and frustrated he was? As soon as I learned of Andrew's difficulty, I offered him financial assistance to do accountancy in Utar. He has been scoring top marks in every exam to earn a scholarship from the university. Although Andrew is now exempted from paying fees, I still bank him RM400 a month to cover cost of living. I have given assistance and allowances to more than 40 poor students to study in Utar in Kampar, Perak. Andrew is typical of their calibre; he prefers to get what is his due on merit, and his university has deservingly waived his fees. On my part, I expect nothing from those that I've supported except for them in future to help young people in similar circumstances, and to hope that they will all stay back in Malaysia so that they can lend their talents to building up our nation. Asean (mainly M'sian!) Scholarships: Our brains, their gain There are others that have deeper pockets who have extended a helping hand to our youngsters. One of them offers the cost of school and exam fees, hostel accommodation, RM5,800 a year for expenses, RM1,200 settling-in allowance, and transport/air ticket. Furthermore, the recipient is not bonded. Or in other words, the giver asks for nothing back. I'm talking about the pre-university Asean scholarship extended to Malaysians by 'the little red dot' Singapore. Of course, Singapore is not doing it for purely altruistic reasons. The country is giving these much coveted Asean scholarships to build up her national bank of talent. Some Malaysians accuse them of 'poaching' the creme de la creme of our youngsters. I don’t look at it as poaching. Their far-sighted government is doing it in their national interest. And why not? Singapore can afford it. It has three times our GDP per capita. On another comparative note, the GDP per capita of Taiwan and South Korea are 2.5 times and double ours respectively. Before the NEP's introduction in 1970, the four countries were at parity. The big question is why are we surrendering our assets which Malaysian parents have nurtured but the state neglected? Tens of thousands of young Malaysians have left our shores on the Asean scholarship. I am not sure if Singapore is willing to give out the figure. But I am pretty sure the Malaysian authorities do not give two hoots about this, whatever number they may have arrive at. If they do, there seems to be no policy change to stem the outflow. Malaysia is optimistically indifferent to the continuous brain drain, little caring that it is detrimental to our aspiration of becoming a developed country (I hate to say this) like Singapore. Behaving like a failed state Consider this startling statistic: There are more Sierra Leonean doctors working in hospitals in the city of Chicago than in their own homeland. More Malawian nurses in Manchester than in Malawi. Africa's most significant export to Europe and the United States is trained professionals, not petroleum, gold and diamond. The educated African migration is definitely retarding the progress of every country in Africa. Today, one in three African university graduates, and 50,000 doctoral holders now live and work outside Africa. Sixty-four percent of Nigerians in the USA has one or more university degrees. If we carry out a study, we are likely to find a very large number of non-Malay graduates emigrating to Singapore, Australia and other countries that is proportionately similar to the African exodus. However the compulsion is different, seeing as how some African countries are war-torn and famished which is certainly not the case with Malaysia. The push factors for our own brain drain lie in NEP policy and this needs to be addressed with urgency. State Ideology: Be grateful you're Malaysian Try putting yourself in the shoes of an 18-year-old. This young Malaysian born in 1991 is told that Umno was very generous in granting citizenship to his non-Malay forefathers in 1957. Thus as a descendant of an immigrant community – one should be forever grateful and respect the 'social contract'. Gratitude is demanded by the state while little is reciprocated. Under the NEP – and some say this policy represents the de facto social contract – every single Vice Chancellor of every single Malaysian public university is Malay. Promotion prospects for non-Malay lecturers to full professorship or head of department are very dim, hence we have the dichotomy of non-Malays predominant in private colleges while correspondingly, the academic staff of public institutions proliferate with Malays. The civil service is staffed predominantly by Malays too, and overwhelmingly in the top echelons. The government-linked corporations have been turned into a single race monopoly. Hence is it any surprise that almost all the scholarships offered by government and GLCs seem to be reserved for Malays? Youngsters from the minority communities see that Malays are the chosen ones regardless of their scholastic achievement and financial position. Some are offered to do a Master even though they did not even apply (but the quota is there to be filled, so these disinterested Malays are approached). Our lesson today is ... How the government apparatus conducts itself and the consequences of its policy implementation will upset an individual's innate sense of justice. The government pays about RM1.8 billion in annual salaries to teachers. A child is taught moral studies in class but he learns in life that adults condone and conspire to immorality by perpetuating the unfairness and injustice which impacts on Malaysia's young. On the other hand, the favoured group is given more than their just desserts without either merit or need. When one is bred to think that privilege is only his rightful entitlement, we would not expect this young person to pay back to society in return. Our Malaysian education system has been flip-flopped, pushed and pulled this way and that until standards dropped to alarming levels. The passing mark for subjects in public exams have fallen notoriously low while the increasing number of distinctions have risen fatuously high with SPM students notching 14As, 17As and 21As. With top scorers aplenty, there will not be enough scholarships to go around now that the Education Ministry has decided to put a cap on the SPM, limiting takers to 10 subjects. The human factor It's unrealistic that the education system can be effectively overhauled. Even tweaking one aspect of it, such as the language switch for Math and English, created havoc. It's not that our educational framework is so bad as after all, a lot of study and planning did go into it. It's only when the politicians dictate from on high and overrule the better judgment of the educationists – Dr Mahathir Mohamad being case in point – that we slide deeper into the doldrums. The politicization of education and the hijacking of the country’s educational agenda has clearly cost us heavily in terms of policy flip flops and plummeting standards, and the loss of a good part of our young and talented human resources. Matters become worse when Little Napoleons too take it upon themselves to interfere with teachers. For instance, the serial number assigned candidates when they sit public exams. Why is a student's race encoded in the number? What does his ethnicity have to do with his answer script? There is further suspicion that the stacks of SPM papers are not distributed to examiners entirely at random (meaning ideally examiners should be blind to which exam centres the scripts they're marking have originated from). A longstanding complaint from lecturers is that they are pressured to pass undergrads who are not up to the mark, and having to put up with mediocre ones who believe they are 'A' material after being spoilt in mono-racial schools. Letting teachers do their job properly and allowing them to grade their students honestly would arrest the steep erosion of standards. And unless we are willing to be honest brokers in seeking a compromise and adjustment, the renewed demonizing of vernacular schools is merely mischievous. Either accept their existence or integrate the various types of schools. But are UiTM and its many branch campuses throughout the length and breadth of the country, Mara Junior Science Colleges and the residential schools willing to open their doors to all on the basis of meritocracy if Chinese, Tamil, and not forgetting religious schools, were abolished? Not open to a token few non-Bumiputera but genuinely open up and with the admission numbers posted in a transparent manner. Finally, there are teachers genuinely passionate about their profession. There are promising teachers fresh out of training college who are creative and capable of inspiring their students. It's not only Form 5 students who have been demoralized. Teachers are human capital that we seem to have overlooked in the present controversy. Conclusion: Ensuring fairness for the future well-being of our young A segment of Johoreans cross the Causeway daily to attend school in Singapore. Many continue their tertiary education in Singapore which has among the top universities in the world. Eventually, they work in Singapore and benefit Singapore. Ask around among your friends and see who hasn't got a child or a sibling who is now living abroad as a permanent resident. I can't really blame them for packing up and packing it in, can you? It's simply critical at this juncture that we don't let our kids lose hope and throw in the towel. The system might be slower to reform but mindsets at least can be changed easier. It starts with the teachers, the educationists and the people running the education departments and implementing the policies. Please help Malaysian youngsters realise their full potential. Just try a little fairness first. Personal Note: Readers may be interested to know that I have four children all of whom are accomplished in their respective fields. Three of them are part of the brain drain and have elected to settle down abroad; only one is back in Malaysia. My son who has double degrees in civil engineering and chartered accountancy is an investor in Canada. He could be here to create hundreds of jobs to enrich Malaysia but he has been so disgusted with our policies and their implementation that he has chosen not to return. I am sure that there are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of similar young Malaysians that our country has lost, no thanks to our short-sighted education and NEP policies. And yet the Government is so keen to attract foreign investors. Where is the logic and rationality?