Tricia Yeoh

Because what I do at work is so closely linked and intertwined with what I feel at heart, the lines are rather vague. Although this blog is for personal use, I am compelled to share with the world what has been up my sleeve the past couple of months.

The Merdeka Statement was an initiative by the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), drafted in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of Independence, after which we invited organisations (from all cross-sections of Malaysian society) to contribute towards and give their input. To me, this is an accurate reflection of ensuring that as many individuals in society (represented by organisations) are able to contribute to policy development and planning in the country.

The Merdeka Statement therefore represents a collation of views, sentiments, aspirations, hopes, fears for the future of Malaysia, after looking back upon 50 years of our Independence. You can check it out on our website (click on the CPPS word above here). In the meantime, we are officially launching it on 2nd August 2007.

Look out for the Press Reviews and statements, as I hope this will be timely, to reflect upon the numerous problems and issues that have been plagueing the country. This includes issues like the civil service, the NEP, religion in the Constitution, education, national unity and integration, governance, transparency, accountability, human rights, international competitiveness, the economy, foreign direct investment and the list goes on.

In a nutshell, the Merdeka Statement talks about eight thrusts: Strengthening National Unity, Enhancing International Competitiveness, Creating an Innovation Economy, Redressing Imbalances, Strengthening Institutions, Reforming Education, Ensuring Quality of Life (this includes the Environment, healthcare, housing, security and safety), and Enhancing Government and Fighting Corruption.

To me, although many of these things are not new, it is going to be a historical document and a reference point for us in the new generation – we need some sort of central statement and document (apart from our 9th Malaysia Plan and what have you) to refer to, especially one that speaks with conviction and honesty about the direction we want to head towards in the country!

So I really hope the launch goes well. 🙂 Keep your fingers crossed for the 2nd of August 2007, Merdeka month indeed! (btw, Merdeka means independent, for my international friends).

  Last year, Indonesian lawmakers scurried together, working on revising citizenship laws through an “Anti-Discrimination Bill“. Their original law on citizenship was deemed as highly discriminatory, not respecting human rights and gender-biased.

Amongst its revisions, most important was one scrapping discriminatory articles in the bill,  including those that distinguished “indigenous Indonesians” from people from other countries who had become Indonesian citizens.

Slamet said the “indigenous Indonesian” clauses could cause discrimination in society because they treated people differently.

“Therefore, we have now defined ‘indigenous Indonesians’ as those people who are Indonesian citizens without going through a naturalization process,” he said.

Read that last sentence again.

We have now defined ‘indigenous Indonesians’ as those people who are Indonesian citizens without going through a naturalization process.

Now do a quick comparison with Malaysia.  We know the following:

1. The term “indigenous” is not clearly defined in the constitution.
2. The term “Malay” is identified in the constitution as one who speaks the Malay language, adopts Malay culture and is a practising Muslim.
3. The term “bumiputera” is not clearly defined and does not appear in the Constitution. In fact, there is debate as to the origins of this term. Based on Tun Dr Ismail’s book, the term was first introduced in year 1972. (He also says the term was a curse.) Other sources state that it was first used in Parliament in 1965, while debating the act that would create the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), a government agency to preserve Bumiputera interests.

But interesting that the term Bumiputera is defined officially as follows. Based on a blurb in Wikipedia which in turn quotes from “Buku Panduan Kemasukan ke Institut Pengajian Tinggi Awam, Program Pengajian Lepasan SPM/Setaraf Sesi Akademik 2007/2008, by Student Entry Management under Management Department of Higher Education Institution, Malaysia Higher Education Ministry.

The definition of Bumiputra:

1. Peninsular Malaysia
   • “If one of the parent are Muslim Malay or Orang Asli as stated in Article 160 (2) Federal Constitution of Malaysia; thus the child is considered as a Bumiputra”
2. Sabah
   • “If a father is a Muslim Malay or indigenous native of Sabah as stated in Article 160A (6)(a) Federal Constitution of Malaysia; thus his child is considered as a Bumiputra”
3. Sarawak
   • “If both of the parent are indigenous native of Sarawak as stated in Article 160A (6)(b) Federal Constitution of Malaysia; thus their child is considered as a Bumiputra”

The question is this. Malaysian policies initially were crafted to help “Malays and other indigenous communities”. This presumably included the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia, but because indigenous itself was not clearly defined, it is uncertain. In later development plans, the term was replaced with “Bumiputera”. Again based on policy was OA included therein?

Colin Nicholas from the Center for Orang Asli Concerns states that:

the authors of the Malaysian Constitution did not expressly accord the Orang Asli the special status enjoyed by the other Bumiputera communities viz. the Malays and the Natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

Indonesians have attempted to classify all citizens of Indonesia as indigenous, mainly because indigenous peoples were being accorded privileges not enjoyed by all other citizens. This is a concept revolutionary to Malaysians who I’m sure will take a million years to debate on the issue. If ever Malaysia wants to rise to the occasion of instituting a just and fair nation, it should be prepared to consider drafting an Anti-Discrimination Bill, which will admittedly take a long time as it will have to cover a whole lot! But crucial is that anti-race discrimination is focused upon.

Good thoughts to chew upon… (In the meantime, as an aside, Raja Nazrin who espouses much of the same things on ensuring recognition of ALL Malaysians, is getting hitched to apparently really intelligent Zara, chemical engineer! I say they should be model couple for Malaysia and I hope their union will bring upon greater emphasis to walk the talk in creating a better Malaysia…)