Fighting for Malay supremacy doesn’t tackle real Malay problems

 

At a recent forum on the lack of old-age security in Malaysia, a representative of the Employees Provident Fund did not mince words when she said the future for many private sector retirees looked bleak, based on the savings they held with the fund.

She said she felt like weeping when looking at the figures, fearing a serious crisis ahead with Malaysia’s population ageing at a rate outpacing retirement savings.

The figures showed the group most affected by a lack of savings was the low-earning Bumiputera community.

Bumiputeras aged 55 and below comprise 65% of the EPF’s 15.8 million members. But they contributed just 40% of the RM930 billion in total savings that the fund held in this category prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As of May this year, the figure had dropped to only 34% of the current total savings of RM1.06 trillion in this category.

The data also showed that support from children to parents in all families averaged out at just RM150 per month. Indian retirees fared poorly, too.

The total savings of the Chinese aged below 55, on the other hand, shot up from 51% of the total prior to the pandemic to 57% today.

It appears the so-called champions of Malay supremacy are completely ignoring this dangerous trend in their greed for power. At this rate, the Malays will make up the bulk of those dependent on their children and on government handouts after they retire.

Harping on about unfounded fears that Malays are losing their land or political power will not make any difference to the millions who will have to depend on others to live a dignified and comfortable life in their twilight years.

This issue has been left to fester under the noses of Malay leaders. Umno led the country through much of its history, with Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the frequent and vocal defender of Malay rights, at the helm for decades.

Security of later life has only worsened over the past few decades despite the political control the Malays have enjoyed in the government and civil service.

Malay supremacy will not feed an ageing population – only able leaders who can plan strategically can do that, if we can find them.

Drug addiction

Last week, deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed concern at the level of drug addiction in the country. He said the latest estimates show that there are 1,097,408 addicts, 328,640 of whom are under 30 years old.

Previously, the government had revealed to Parliament that Malays form more than 80% of all addicts.

Malaysia’s governments have been Malay-led, but none have yet loosened the grip that drugs hold on the community. Zahid, for all his concern, must remember he held key portfolios in the government for decades, including being the home minister.

Don’t these leaders who are harping on about race and religion understand the help their community really needs?

Corruption needs checking

A former officer of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission recently said that during his time, most of those nabbed for receiving bribes were Malay-Muslims while givers were mainly non-Malays.

Shamshun Baharin, who is now president of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Organisation (Pakar), said 47% of bribe takers came from the civil service.

“In the past five years, the MACC has identified the group involved with the highest number of corruption cases to be civil servants,” he said.

Every community needs help but the fact is, Malays and Indians need it most. Leaders like Mahathir, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang and Kedah menteri besar Sanusi Nor could do far more to help the Malays rather than fight for some abstract vision of supremacy on a daily basis. - FMT

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