Malaysian Malays far behind those in S’pore: Former KL minister

KUALA LUMPUR — Malays in Malaysia are “first-class citizens at least on paper”, but many have not been able to reap the benefits of first-class treatment because they do not have a good government with honest leaders, unlike what their counterparts enjoyed in Singapore, said a former federal minister yesterday.

“No one wants to see Malays marginalised and poor — certainly not me. Malays should be given the best opportunities to improve and they deserve much more than what they currently have,” wrote former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Zaid Ibrahim, in a blog post yesterday.

The former minister compared Malaysia’s treatment of Malays with those in Singapore and said those in the island-republic did not receive any “special treatment” but seemed to enjoy a better qualify of life because their leaders practised transparency and meritocracy.

“In Malaysia, Malays are happy to let their leaders make all the money as long as they promise to ‘defend’ bahasa, bangsa and agama,” he said, using the Bahasa Malaysia words for “language, race and religion”, respectively.

“I can’t wait for Malays here to be like Singaporean Malays,” he added.

Last week, former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that if Prime Minister Najib Razak stays in power, the Malay community could become marginalised just as he claims their Singapore counterparts have become. In response, Mr Zaid had posted on Twitter: “Sorry Tun (Mahathir), if under Najib, Malays here will become like (Singapore) Malays I will give him full support. Malays under Najib will be Talibans.”

Mr Zaid’s latest post was an attempt to correct a report by a news portal that had incorrectly interpreted his tweet, suggesting that the former minister did not mind Malays in Malaysia being marginalised like their counterparts in Singapore as long as they do not become extremists like the Taliban.

He clarified that he meant Mr Najib is making Malays to be like the Taliban, but if Malays here grew to become like Malays in Singapore, then Mr Zaid said he would be happy to support the embattled Prime Minister.

“Our leaders are free to sell government assets cheaply or expensively depending on how they have arranged the ‘take out’.

“If discovered, they can say it was for the party, for elections or even fisabilillah (“for the sake of Allah”),” he said, in an apparent reference to debt-laden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which has come under scrutiny for alleged impropriety in its transactions and reportedly amassing a RM42 billion (S$15 billion) debt pile.

As Finance Minister and chair of 1MDB’s advisory board, Mr Najib has also come under fire for the firm, most notably by Dr Mahathir.

Mr Zaid said Singapore’s leaders are clean and its transparent system of government means it is a lot more difficult to siphon off public money for private use. “That’s what Malays here need. Good government with good, clean and honest leaders.” AGENCIES