The national policies and the revival of
the NEP (Flashback Part 4)
By Chua Jui Meng
The
National Development Policy (1990-2000)
The
deliberations and findings of NECC-1 resulted in the formulation of the
National Development Policy (NDP) that ran from 1990-2000.
Although
the 2 (two)-pronged policy of the NEP i.e. poverty eradication and social
restructuring continued, NDP was FAIR AND LIBERAL TO ALL RACES resulting in
PLENTIFUL ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.
This
resulted in increased foreign direct investment (FDI), spurred domestic
investments and created strong economic growth.
This
liberalised environment caused the non-Bumiputera community to give
overwhelming support to the BN, giving us decisive electoral victories in the
1995, 1999 and 2004 General Elections.
The
National Vision Policy (2000-2010)
In
1999, the then Prime Minister convened NECC-2 which came up with the
recommendations that resulted in the National Vision Policy (NVP) – once again
a policy that was fair to all races. The rakyat
rewarded the BN’s fairness and the new Prime Minister’s promise to fight
corruption with an extraordinary election victory in 2004 where we secured 91%
of all parliamentary seats.
The Revival of the NEP – A Regression
In
2004/2005, Umno Youth called for the ‘REVIVAL of the NEP’ which I opposed. I
was invited by TV3 to a public debate with Khairy Jamaluddin to articulate my
opposition on behalf of the Malaysian Chinese community.
During
the debate, I pointed out that before the NEP was to be ‘revived’, the
Government must first establish a multiracial committee of independent experts
such as senior accountants, actuarists and economists to analyse the national
economic data to determine the actual economic achievements of the Bumipeteras
and non-Bumiputeras to ascertain whether the Malays in particular had achieved
the 30% corporate equity target. Khairy agreed to this.
This
is crucial as studies, including those undertaken by Professor Fatimah
University Malaya and Dr Lim Teck Ghee, formerly of ASLI, confirm that the
Bumiputeras have already achieved the 30% target.
Unfortunately,
when the 9th Malaysia Plan (9MP) was announced, the Cabinet agreed
to revive the NEP and to extend it till 2020, without convening NECC-3 and
without an assurance that the NEP would be abolished at 2020.
This
was a major policy shift in the middle of the NVP, AFFECTING ALL RACES and
sweeping away all the work undertaken by the MCA and the BN in the 1980s.
From
then on, the support of the non-Bumiputera community began its slide downwards
until the 2008 General Elections.
The
Bumiputera community also grew increasingly discontented as they perceived that
the negotiated tenders of the 9MP projects were benefiting only a select number
of Bumiputeras.
With
allegations of corruption on the Internet left unanswered, and with the
Opposition parties seizing the moral high ground in seeking to terminate the
NEP, the BN brought upon itself the political tsunami in the 2008 General
Elections.
Establish
NECC-3, End Restructuring of Society in the NEP and Restore the Constitutional
Rights of all Malaysians
MCA
must once again rise to the challenge, as it did once in 1988.
We
must guarantee the rights of the rakyat
as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
As
President, I will ASK FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NECC-3 IN 2009 TO BRING CLOSURE
RO THE RESTRUCTURING OF SOCIETY IN THE NEP and DELIBERATE A NEW NATIONAL POLICY
CONSISTENT WITH THE RIGHTS OF ALL MALAYSIANS AS DEFINED IN THE FEDERAL
CONSTITUTION.
We
will maintain only the poverty eradication aspect of the NEP, but ensure that
it is sensitive to and blind to race and religion.
What
Malaysian needs now are POLICIES THAT WILL PROMOTE THE MALAYSIAN RACE –
POLICIES THAT GUARANTEE EQUAL ACCSS TO A FREE MARKET ECONOMY, LEGISLATION THAT
MANDATES FAIR ACCESS FOR ALL EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, PLANS TO
UNITE ALL THE COMMUNITIES and take advantage of all our unique linguistic and
cultural heritages for the greater good of Malaysia in the global arena.
I
believ
E
that a fair and open economic policy will bring in greater FDs, stimulate
domestic investments and recreate the strong economic performance we had in the
1990s, and restore the confidence and support of the rakyat.
Upholding
Freedom of Religion
Article
11(ii) of the Federal Constitution guarantees every person the right to profess
ad practice his religion and, subject to State and Federal Territory laws, to
propagate it.
However,
the Courts have interpreted the law differently and now abrogate their right to
hear the cases of Muslim converts who wish to reconvert to other religions,
giving these converts no other recourse but to endure being subjected to the
Syariah Courts and possible detention for rehabilitation.
This
is a violation of the clear provisions of Article 11(i) which provides this
ABSOLUTE RIGHT to ALL MALAYSIANS.
As
Malaysia continues to mature as a multiracial community, the increased
interaction between the races and religions will lead to intermarriage and
conversion of religions.
This
exchange will continue to build a unique and united Malaysian identity.
However,
it is imperative to protect the religious right of family members of people who
have converted to Islam and to uphold every Malaysian’s right to convert in and
out of any religion.
This
is an important issue and a proper definition of the jurisdiction of both the
slamic Syariah court and civil court will help tremendously in this issue.
Religion
will always be a sensitive issue and has the power to cause deep divisions and
frictions between people of differing faiths.
Therefore,
it is imperative for MCA to fight for BN to RESOLVE DIVISIVE RELIGIOUS ISSUES
to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, all Malaysians.
Restoring Independence to the Judiciary
In
1988 Parliament amended Article 121 of the Federal Constitution, taking away
the Judicial Power of the Federation from the High Court, contained in the 1957
Constitution.
This
VITAL JUDICIAL POWER MUST BE REINVESTED IN THE HIGH COURTS to ensure the
independence of the Judiciary as the 3rd Pillar of Government and
the separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative and the Judicial
Branches of Government.
NEXT:
Guaranteeing Equal Access to Educational Opportunities (Flashback 5 – Final)
