Private sector rife with racial discrimination too

 

Yesterday, in writing about the “Malaysia Racial Discrimination Report 2021” released by rights NGO Pusat Komas on March 21, I said racial discrimination has become institutionalised in the nation.

I said systemic discrimination was the biggest elephant in the room.

But I wish to make one thing very clear: racial discrimination does not only exist in public institutions it also exists in the private sector.

The public sector, because it involves tax-payer money, gets the brunt of criticism when it comes to racial discrimination in Malaysia. We can point to any number of policies and processes – stated and unstated – that clearly are discriminatory.

This fact stares you in the face every time you interact with the civil service and with local councils. These are overwhelmingly made up of one race.

What doesn’t get as much attention, or even escapes attention, is the systemic discrimination that is practised in the private sector. Here too we find one race dominating.

Discrimination can and does happen overtly in the work place. In terms of employment, we are all aware of the racial biases at play. Failing to hire or promote a person of a certain race even though he is competent, for instance, is a form of discrimination.

But more often than not, it is concealed or is practised in a subtle form – sometimes even without the perpetrator being aware of it – due to stereotyping, bias and prejudice.

For instance, someone of a certain race may be subject to excessive performance monitoring if a biased boss doesn’t like his face, or he or she may be picked on frequently for mistakes made.

Negative stereotyping is one of the biggest problems we have when it comes to employment or property tenancy or even in social engagements. Regardless of individual differences, people of a certain race are clumped together and the same assumed negative characteristics are attributed to all members of that race.

We all fall prey to this at one time or another.

Stereotyping can lead to racial profiling by law enforcement agencies. This happens when, say, policemen consider race, religion or place of origin rather than plain reasonable suspicion in stopping or questioning someone. We have all heard of people being singled out for greater scrutiny simply because of their race or religion.

Recently, instances of people being denied tenancy because of their race have been highlighted in the media. If you were to look at advertisements for houses or rooms for rent, you are sure to notice some house owners stating clearly their racial or religious preference.

While individual discrimination based on race or religion or place of origin is bad enough, systemic discrimination is an abomination.

One example of systemic discrimination is where very few or no members of a certain race or group are represented in positions of leadership. You can find this both in the public and private sectors.

Another is where policies, decision-making processes and practices are designed in such a way that they take the dominant culture as the norm, or the needs of the dominant race as the norm, disregarding minority groups and their cultures. It applies to both the public and private sectors.

And I’m sure you’d agree that this is quite prevalent.

A small example of this from my own experience is where you attend an official event and the host serves beef or pork for dinner, disregarding the fact that some of those in attendance do not eat beef or pork. And, as a vegetarian, I can tell you that almost no one – whether in government or the private sector – prepares food for vegetarians and vegans.

In Malaysia, private companies are largely controlled by or owned by a particular race. Although some of these firms abhor racism, by and large it is the experience of those of other racial backgrounds that many of them do practise discrimination.

I have relatives and friends who have told me tales about how the top posts and promotions on the employment ladder are often reserved for those of one race.

I know of someone who worked in the private sector with two different companies over the years – one owned by members of one particular race and another owned by members of another race. Both reserved the top positions for “our people” and practised subtle forms of racial discrimination.

Years ago, I was told of a meeting held by senior officials of a private company owned by a particular race-based party where a plan was drawn up to replace all those in top posts with people of their own stock within 10 years. And the plan came to pass.

What has happened in Malaysia, I fear, is that as one race fortified itself in government and government-linked companies, another fortified itself in the private sector, to the detriment of national unity.

As I said yesterday, we need to dismantle systemic discrimination. We need to see ourselves as human beings with the same basic needs despite our racial, religious and cultural differences.

We need to recognise that if we are to progress as a nation, we have to draw from the strengths of the diverse populations that make up this nation.

We need to recognise that while putting “our own people” first may bring some benefit to us and them in the short term, in the long run it may be detrimental to the nation, especially if these people are incompetent or indolent.

There is nothing wrong in giving a leg up or supporting members of our own race or group but the key criteria should be competence, cooperation and creativity, not membership in the tribe or group.

Having said that, I need to add that racial discrimination is not peculiar to Malaysia. It is to be found almost anywhere although systemic discrimination may not be as widespread.

The United Nations has even designated March 21 as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The theme for this year is “voices for action against racism”. The UN says this year it aims to highlight the importance of strengthening meaningful and safe public participation and representation in all areas of decision-making to prevent and combat racial discrimination; reaffirm the importance of full respect for the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and of protecting civic space; and recognise the contribution of individuals and organisations that stand up against racial discrimination and the challenges they face.

The UN declares that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and have the potential to contribute constructively to the development and well-being of their societies.

“In its most recent resolution, the General Assembly emphasised that any doctrine of racial superiority is scientifically false, morally condemnable, socially unjust and dangerous and must be rejected, together with theories that attempt to determine the existence of separate human races.

“The United Nations has been concerned with this issue since its foundation and the prohibition of racial discrimination is enshrined in all core international human rights instruments. It places obligations on states and tasks them with eradicating discrimination in the public and private spheres. The principle of equality also requires states to adopt special measures to eliminate conditions that cause or help to perpetuate racial discrimination.”

At least 179 countries have ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). Unfortunately, and shamefully, Malaysia has not. When the Pakatan Harapan government tried to ratify it in 2018, it got into trouble with certain groups and subsequently then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad dropped the idea.

My fear is that if we don’t ratify ICERD, others may interpret it to mean that Malaysia supports or practices or condones racial discrmination.

Unless younger, more enlightened leaders come to the fore, Malaysia will remain one of the very nations that refuse to ratify ICERD.

The current cohort is more interested in staying in power and dominating the national narrative for personal or group interests than in ensuring fair play, justice and competence, which are cornerstones for a united and progressive nation.- FMT

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.