From DEB to TEB – it’s back to square one after 53 years

 

It’s funny how some national policies of the past which failed to meet their objectives have now been repackaged by the government with new names, with just some words tweaked to give them a new look.

Surprisingly, instead of moving away from the suffocating affirmative action policies that have been troubling the nation, the unity government is treading the same troubled path of its predecessors.

That should not be a surprise: it appears to be an attempt by Anwar Ibrahim’s unity government, which does not enjoy majority Malay support, to show its fangs in a bid to woo the Malay votes.

Non-Malay voters are of least concern for Anwar; he thinks a substantial number will stick to the unity government because of the fear that a PAS-led Perikatan Nasional will turn Malaysia into an Islamic state eventually.

But he had better not be too sure.

For example, take the bumiputera economic transformation policy (or TEB using the Malay abbreviation for transformasi ekonomi bumiputera) unveiled on Feb 29 at the 2024 Bumiputera economic congress.

Its launch comes 53 years after the implementation of the first New Economic Policy (or DEB, for Dasar Ekonomi Baru) which we all know failed miserably.

The preamble of the NEP focussed on bridging the socio-economic gap between the haves and have-nots, a term that eventually became twisted to mean non-Bumiputras and Bumiputras.

No one can deny that the five decades of the NEP saw serious digressions that resulted mainly in the Bumiputeras benefitting at the expense of others. In addition, all the governments that have ruled Malaysia so far have acknowledged that the NEP had unwittingly helped mainly to enrich Bumiputeras in the higher echelons of society.

Now, that policy has morphed into one of economic transformation. For DEB, read TEB.

But just like 53 years ago, the focus is mainly on defending the interests of one community, although the new agenda also intends to end “Ali Baba” joint ventures between Bumiputera entrepreneurs and others, ventures described as “most non-genuine” by deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The new TEB, which also claims to be a policy based on socio-economic justice, calls for a national endowment to help low income Bumiputeras gain access to education and health services, and for a specific entity to increase ownership and manage Bumiputera lands.

Zahid said another goal is to ensure that the agenda results in national prosperity because when the Bumiputera community, which forms more than 60% of the population, does well, everyone benefits.

What’s new here, compared to the NEP? Nothing, actually.

Over the years, Malaysians have been taught to believe that the nation can progress only if the majority of Bumiputeras are successful, comfortable and hold the top positions in the government.

This appears to be a false notion. Bumiputeras have held the top positions in the government over the last five decades. What did we see? The country lost its competitiveness and progress in many areas over the period.

Over the last three decades especially, bigoted politicians have poisoned the minds of many Bumiputeras that only supremacy in all aspects would guarantee a great nation ahead.

Never mind that the best brains are not appointed to key positions to move the country forward.

As much as many Malaysians want to see a successful bumiputera community, there is a dire need to uplift every other Malaysian community at the same time. Each and every Malaysian must feel that they have an equal and safe place under the sun. This is the only key to success.

The major cause of dissatisfaction among the non-Bumiputeras over the decades has emanated from the overzealous implementation of the NEP, which deprived talented Malaysians of opportunities, leaving them sidelined from the mainstream.

No one can be sure if the TEB can succeed where its predecessor with the same objectives failed. The outcome of the NEP has been a terribly fractured nation struggling to unite.

One thing is for sure. If we refuse to move ahead together as a united nation by having a Malaysian economic transformation policy, the country is doomed to fail. - FMT

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