YOURSAY | Elites exploit Article 153 to plunder nation

YOURSAY | ‘It has impacted Malaysia’s growth, stunted economy.’

COMMENT | Proposal for Article 153 review 'fair and reasonable'

Kim Quek: After 67 years of independence, Article 153 of the Federal Constitution continues to be misinterpreted and exploited to form the major stumbling block to genuine nation-building and economic progress.

How many have genuinely read through Article 153 and understood its true intent and meaning? Very few, I am afraid.

Perhaps to the surprise of almost everyone, Article 153 was not discriminatory and certainly not racist.

Read in conjunction with other articles in the Constitution, it is merely an affirmative policy, and the entire Constitution certainly qualifies as egalitarian.

Because the Constitution was written at a time when the Malays’ participation in the economy was tiny, the inclusion of Article 153 was meant to protect them from being swarmed over by other races, hence the modest scope of exclusive demands for the Malays (this word Malays also embraces the natives of Sabah and Sarawak after the formation of Malaysia in 1963).

Article 153 is certainly not intended nor is it empowered to create a privileged race, hence the complete absence of the words “special privileges” or “special rights” or even “Malay rights” – not only in this particular Article but throughout the Constitution, signalling its consistent egalitarian nature.

Or else it would have conflicted with many other parts of this Constitution.

What went wrong is that the ruling elite has been exploiting the mass ignorance of Article 153 to rule and plunder the country with an iron fist through the spread of racist ideology.

For a more thorough understanding of this issue, please read my article “Special rights: Getting to the bottom of Article 153”, published in Malaysiakini in 2004

Kilimanjaro: This cannot go on indefinitely. While most of the world is moving forward, we have either stagnated or have even started to regress.

The Malays holding on to power are in no mood to change. Why would they want to give up? The general Malay populace is in no hurry either.

If it is not Umno, there is always PAS and PN. So, the story will continue or manifest in forms to retain them.

I see the decline beginning in 2028. Most probably the next election may be in 2027. And are the ordinary Malays ready for that?

We are not talking about the likes of ex-ministers Daim Zainuddin or Khairy Jamaluddin. It is about ordinary people.

A racial Malaysia had parted ways from the spirit that held us together in the early years.

All racial parties will be doomed in the next 10 years. The early casualties had already happened. It was the kamikaze for the MCA, Gerakan and MIC.

If anyone is noticing, the Malay parties are also heading for doom. If anyone thinks PAS has done well, what is quite apparent is that it has cornered itself.

Before the end of 10 years, the DAP will be almost in the hands of Malays. As for the Indians, they should come to grips that they have to stand on their own feet.

Every Indian party is a sham. As long as the races continue bickering, there is no hope for this country.

Every race will lose, but the greatest loss will be for the Malays.

Trapped in a wrapped-up mindset, the squabbling among the races will pull down the country. And I am pretty sure that I will see this before I leave this mortal earth.

HOYOHOYO: Article 153 is the monster in the room. It has weakened our social, economic and political systems.

Only a handful of those in the elite class were enriched while impoverishing the majority. No citizens want to discuss it. None of the elites dare to dismantle it.

The nation continues to regress. Our educational systems are substandard.

Industries became uncompetitive, bogged down with high costs. Political elites stole billions, bloated civil service expenditures and burst annual budgets.

Unsustainable national debts of over RM1.5 trillion are saddled by the next generations.

Ketuanan politics will prevail with more corruption. Islamic fundamentalism will create more falsehoods.

Hordes will cross the causeway to work for a living. Illegal foreigners will work and remit their money home. The monster remains in the room after 67 years.

Constitutional supremacy: Thank you, Zaid, for your views.

It is hoped that you will carry on giving your views as above without fear or favour and help guide Malaysia on the moderate and constitutional path.

Be a voice for moderate Malays and Malaysians and help to check the extremists - especially their rhetoric about race and religion.

Article 153 was only envisaged as a temporary measure. This is clear from Reid Commission report no 167 where a recommendation was made for review of Article 153 after 15 years.

After the May 1969 riots, Umno grabbed power and carried out the amendment.

As you rightly pointed out, special privileges are given to the minorities in the rest of the world and never to the majority. Thus, special assistance should be given to minorities and not be hijacked by the majority and that too illegally as is happening in Malaysia.

Man on the Silver Mountain: Politically, PKR lawmaker Hassan Abdul Karim and former law minister Zaid Ibrahim, will not go far with the Malay electorate with this kind of stance.

However, times are changing, he may very well get a bigger audience though. This article is self-explained, and I should say very well-articulated, but maybe that’s because I am holding to the same view.

The Malays who are allergic to this should note that he cautioned that “special privilege” not only impacted the economy but stunted the nation’s growth in all walks of life in our young country.

Kudos to him for mentioning that Article 153 is not only about the Malays and others but also about Malays with other Malays, which led to some being “more special” than others.

So, perhaps that’s the reason why the more special ones are so afraid to talk about it.

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