Image tarnished by a policy.

Do you know who suffered the most as a result of being part of a community given special privileges?

You know, those of us who made it, doing well physically, academically or financially, on our own steam without any privileges given truly or implied, stand tall and proud of our achievements. Not only that! Friends and people who see our success recognise it as our own effort and we are given sincere due praise. Take me for example. As a Malaysian Chinese, I come from a poor family which ought to be helped or aided by the government's National Economic Policy. None was given Even an application for a low cost house was not granted to my parent and the reason given was that my father's pay was too low and uncertain to be able to afford a low-cost house. So, when I was young it was always a rented house or room. And my father worked to the bone with the assistance of my mother and their children. And that was how my brother was deprived of an education at form two level despite him being fairly intelligent and capable academically. So, when despite all the obstacles placed in our path, I managed to be chosen to enter the Penang Free School on my own steam, without any tuition, I was and still am proud of my capability. Eventually, without the financial backing for further education, I entered teacher training where I did very well in the subjects and areas I was involved. I am one of those teachers who can claim a 100% passing rate in form five art and craft each and every year. That is another of my pride. (Today it looks like I have to brag a bit.) So, everything I possess is the result of my own effort and ability as I had no economical assistance from either my parents or the government, not that I did not need it but help never came just because I am not a bumiputra (This is translated into 'Prince of the soil', in this case the Malaysian soil. This word is used in Malaysia to refer to the Malays.) although I was born and bred here and this is definitely my country. I was never given any special treatment or privileges and therefore all my success is to my credit.

Back to the poor fellows who suffer the most as a result of being in a community given special privileges. You know, I realised this long ago, pitied the guys who had to suffer for it but then when people fight for it almost everyday in the media, I suppose people cannot but believe that whatever success achieved by a bumiputra must be because of those special privileges even when it is not true.

In Sungai Petani, for example, there is this Malay doctor in a private hospital. He is very good and has shown himself to be capable and skillful in his profession. Unfortunately, the stigma of the special privileges is always present and whenever people who have never had any professional contact with this doctor heard the doctor's name recommended, the perception is that it is a doctor who reached where he is because of the special privileges that he is entitled to, meaning that he could not be very good. With that his good name is indirectly tarnished by the fact that special privileges entitled some not so good students to qualify for places in the universities and every opportunity is made to have the students concerned pass so that there will be a certain quota achieved.

Whether it is true or not that not so good students made it in the public universities, who is to know except that it is a fact that a good number of our graduates could not get jobs in their particular field of study and most of them could not even write a simple letter in English although there was at one time no lack of jobs. Some of the graduates had to be taken into professions not in their field of study to stop graduate unemployment.

Sad it is to know that some bumiputra who are very capable have to be burdened with an image which is obviously not of their doing. And it is for this reason that many citizens are ready to accept the fact that scholars be chosen based on merits and help given to the truly needy. In fact help does not go to the rural Malays or the poor because this help is often extended to the already well-to-do who use their position to still demand special privileges so that they can become richer. They know that when economic aid is to be given to the needy which ought to be the case as the money comes from the citizens, they will not fall into that category and so will not enjoy the chance for greater wealth. Such shameless demands will always be around as long as the conscience allow it.

It happens when conscience become blunt and people shamelessly take what ought not to be theirs. I know of so many well-to-do Malays and Chinese owning low-cost houses or lots, low cost because the houses and lots are subsidised with other buyers' or citizens' money.

These shameless people enjoy while there are some who get their image or name tarnished all because of a not well planned policy.