Well, w...ill, with hesitation, decides to write a few provocative lines and a few nonprovocative ones. I will check on this place on and off, but will not post for I have already said too many things despite of my very very limited knowledge about Malaysia.


In a serious debate, when people get too politic, a lot of difficult issues are made to sound too unsensitized and would not get deserved attentions; when people too irritated, then problems and attitudes are more and more shown but solutions seem to be further away. In between the two ends are all moderate kinds. I would rather bring up some strong opinions, even if they can be biased, from those who are not heard enough in Malaysia, to see that many damages have been being done to too many people, including many very young people. Psychological damages can be more serious than physical...


I do not know a lot of details or stories like any of you, but I know where a few things related to race go wrong in Malaysia.


A large picture. Classical capitalism had jungle rules, then some communism or socialism factors (or maybe influences) were introduced later on. Wellfare systems, affirmative actions, nationalizing some private assets to some degree, etc etc. Social balance, justice, stability, balance, j...s... Many things are largely unchanged for long. But NEP...largely unchange for TOO LONG...TOO SLOW...no execuse.

The "temporary" NEP or "possitive" discrimination policies were expired but it has been STAYING for 16 MORE YEARS already. Its validation period is to double...see no end of the tunnel...not a lot of lights...to triple? (I am an atheist.) Buddhism has three crucial promotions: truth, compassion, and tolerance. I think that the last promotion "helps" the NEP existence in its current form. Aslo, the Indonesia riots put more or revive fears into many people, to "justify" it. ("Let's look at the darkest side.") WAIT for the mostly unwilling UMNO change, while so many people's real personal life are seriously affected? It seems that even most Malays have no better option than waiting for the government to make changes for them. "Dream on...they will come...wait..."


Because not much improvement can be done and expected in a short time (maybe 4, 8, 12 years?), most people can only hope or criticize. Maybe some more pressures, domestic or international, can be built this way. Maybe even more people, even UMNO, will begin to listen or even act. The criticism may add to hope and action...so people can actually move on and feel better...


Let the blame game continue.


NEP is a monster because it is too much based on race or ethnicity, or (shall we say, since the Malays and Muslim seem to be unseparable, and since non-Bumis seem to be non-Muslim) religion. Bumi is written all over the place in NEP policies. Till someday, a-uMMMMno-dictated-or-dominated Malaysia officially talks about discriminations based on race and religion, progressess regarding the racist policies will continue to be too slow for the discriminated people who unfortunately have a very significant population (even percentage wise).

For Orang Asli, the poorest of the poor though a small population, their situation easily tells how racist NEP (or should we say, OEP) is.

"Orang Asli also lack the special privileges that the Constitution guarantees to Malays and Native Peoples of Sarawak and Sabah on the grounds that they are indigenes (bumiputera) (Malaysian Government 1982)..."

http://www.magickriver.net/ethnocide.htm

(Even an unbalanced article can have some valid points, right?)

Ironically, the Malaysian communists (with a significant number of Malays in it) were once actually against the interests of the upper or upper-middle classs who happenned to be mostly Chinese, and a government and military force which had significant Chinese presence. Today...nearly a Malay government or millitary force. (A Chinese Malaysian once told me that a popular saying among the Chinese is "a good man does not get enlisted in military." Hao3Nan2Bu4Dang1Bing1. But many Chinese were in millitary before! Why the change?)

The world becomes less and less racist. This will be more so, with the globalization. Malaysia has to follow the trend to achieve economically in a long term. WTO's has been promoting to significantly cutting, if not getting rid of all, tariffs. Its members will meet again in Dec. Malaysia has to have competitive institutions and working forces to sustain its growth in a long term. If it just wants to reach the NEP goal at the great expense of its non-Muslim minorities, it is just too short-sighted, in time and in space. Malays will lose in this process, dearly, even they might achieve the NEP goals (which are just aritificially made in the first place).

Affirmative actions of US have another factor in addition to religion: gender. Malaysia still allows the backward practice of a Muslim man allowing to have 4 wives. (Why can't a woman take 4 husbands? :-) 10% of the Muslim men have multiple wives. Not a small number. Such an imbalance only makes the general status of a woman bad. If Malays want to go up relatively, the Malay women have to be liberated a lot lot more. Women can be 50% of the contributing force. If they are not "utilized" to their full potential, they are "wasted". In some societies, they are wasted a lot more than in other societies. In US, women became a big factor during WW II. They refused to hand over their jobs and return home, after many men returned from Europe and Asia. Look how "noisier" and more powerful they become ever since. US economy is largely helped by them. NEP goals would be easier to achieve if more attentions are paid on women, but not on race/religion.


NEP is focusing on wrong areas and looking in a wrong direction. It is dividing the peoples and societies. It needs a radical and QUICK change. Affirmative actions in US have a lot of problems too and need to be imporved, but they try to help under-priviledged people (like women, most blacks and American Indians) or lower-income people (including some whites) based on NEEDS but not on race/ethnicity. Malaysia should change its racist policies so that their focus should be on NEEDS also.

(Affirmative actions in US should improve so that laziness should not be encouraged. This is similar to any wellfare policy.)




Now something not quite related.

I remember that you mentioned your job application. Here is how an applicant should or shoud not do in the US. I am quite sure that these do not work compeletely in Malaysia, because of cultural or social differences.

1. Do not apply for too many positions. Your time or attentions are too divided if you do. Focuse on what you really like or even love. (If you don't like a position, you will have difficult time performing very well.) Definitely not over 15 applications at any given time.
2. Do not make any unreasonable execuse about your shortcoming. Your explaintions about something must be reasonable, or don't say much. "I can improve myself."
3. Always be positive and sociable. You are going to work with other people. A possitive attitude help morale of a group as well as yours.
4. Be straighforward if possible, for you only have limited time to present yourself.
5. Think in a very long term when selecting a position for application.
6. Listen attentatively to the interviewers. Don't interrupt unless you really have to.
7. Be reasonably confident. "I can do." "I am willing to learn. I can learn."
8. Be enthusiastic about the position you apply. "I love the position. I am eager to work on the project."
9. Show your appreciation for the time of the interviewers spent on you.
10. Ask specific questions about the positions, show your interest in details and expertise, knowledge, or skills that may help the work meaningful to the position.
11. Be calm. It is just an application. If an application fails, you can still find it elsewhere.
12. The first impression is extremely important. Let the interviewers have a great one on you.
100. Get very angry if you really think that your are a great candidate for the job. Somone did get a job at my friend's company: after an argument over rejection, they accepted the guy. "What on the earth makes you think that I can not do the job? ..."

My wife's success rate is over 70%. I spent a lot of time on finding potential applications for her, then she did the rest. She has worked for 3 companies so far. She applied for about 15 or 8 positions for the last two job huntings, and filtered her applications to only about 7 to 5 after the first interviews (usually over phone. "thanks for... I would have to look at other opportunities..." Some could have rejected her, but we never know.) Job application here is about 40% attitudes and learning abilities. My wife did need to pick up a lot of things for each job. Her current job was the most challenging one (colleagues in her group being all from top 10 engineering schools). So, do not be scared to show that you can take on a challenge.

Good luck for your job hunting.

^ good.. you didn't fade away.. and Thanks for your tips..

Malaysia getting stronger in economies, high-end niche markets, including bio- and nanotechnologies, micro-electromechanical systems and other technology-related services. Malaysia lately also expand the service for construction, health care and education overseas.

Kudos for Malay! getting their country in much better performance in economy, Industries, Service, technology and High-Skill engineer workers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/HF30Ae01.html
Malaysia is one of Asia's most export-geared economies. Between 1970 and 2000, exports as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) rose from 73% to 202%, ranking Malaysia as the fourth-most-open economy in the world. In the Asia-Pacific region, only Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan still rank higher than Malaysia in the World Competitiveness Yearbook.

Buoyed by strong exports, Malaysia's GDP is on course to grow well over 6% this year, a marked improvement over last year's 5.3% showing. That performance is renewing foreign kudos for Malaysia's economic stewardship. European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson last month praised Malaysia as a "showcase for rapid industrialization". The International Monetary Fund, meanwhile, expressed its view that Kuala Lumpur's handling of the economy was "skillful and pragmatic".

When Malaysia controversially slapped on capital controls in the wake of the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, the country's economic management was called into question by a wide array of international commentators. Through heavy state intervention, Malaysia weathered that economic storm. Now, Malaysia is being looked upon as a regional model for how best to deal with China's rapid economic rise as the world's leading low-cost manufacturer.

As China entered many of the same low-end industries that fueled Southeast Asia's extraordinary growth in the 1980s and 1990s, many commentators predicted a large number of Malaysia's exporters would be driven out of business. Indeed, Malaysia's previous comparative advantage in unskilled, labor-intensive manufacturing has gradually been eroded by China's low-wage policies over the past decade.

However, Kuala Lumpur has managed to move many of its industries quickly up the value-added ladder into more high-skilled, technology-intensive manufacturing. In recent years, the government has led an investment spree into science and technology resources. It has also enhanced its already well-developed education system toward producing more skilled technicians and engineers.

As Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi recently aptly remarked in a speech: "Having First World infrastructure won't produce the desired results if coupled with a Third World mentality."

Profiting from China
Although electronics manufacturing is still Malaysia's most important economic sector, the country has astutely avoided industries that China is heavily invested in, and has moved into more high-end niche markets, including bio- and nanotechnologies, micro-electromechanical systems and other technology-related services.

At the same time, Abdullah's government is aware that while high-tech products and services are the country's future, traditional economic sectors must also be revitalized and improved. The recently promulgated Ninth Economic Plan lays particular stress on modernizing the agricultural sector.

The application of technology to agriculture - as some Western countries have achieved - is the key to expanding the sector and boosting its small and medium-sized enterprises. If effectively implemented, this approach signals a new holistic perspective and follows Thailand's example of trying to boost domestic demand through more globally oriented grassroots production.

Malaysia's relative success makes a strong argument for innovative state-led economic policies. The country has historically been criticized for the sometimes too cozy relations between industry and government, ties that Abdullah has vowed to break. But the government's past emphasis on maintaining the global competitiveness of national enterprises has contributed largely to the country's rising living standards and overall economic prosperity.

With government help, Malaysia's service providers are now expanding overseas, including in China. Construction, health care and education services have been identified by Minister for International Trade and Industry Rafidah Aziz as priority sectors for expansion into China.

Malaysian companies are now angling to win construction and management contracts for wastewater treatment plants, water supply works, and city gas-distribution projects on a build-operate-transfer basis in China. Malaysia is also in the process of partnering with United Kingdom and Australian universities to offer foreign university courses and degrees to Chinese students at cut-rate prices.

The country is also leveraging its expertise in electronics production to make more business inroads into China. SilTerra Malaysia, the country's leading semiconductor wafer foundry, is leveraging its expertise to join forces with emerging Chinese foundries. The Malaysian group excels in the highly competitive high-voltage and mixed-signal/radio frequency (RF) semiconductor markets, and its management stresses strict covenants on intellectual property protection - an area in which most Chinese companies are sorely lacking.

Malaysia's most successful and globally known enterprise is still its national oil-and-gas corporation, Petronas. Mahathir Mohamad, former prime minister and Petronas adviser, recently announced the group's record US$22 billion profit for the fiscal year ending March 31. Soaring oil and gas prices are helping Petronas expand its global operations and the company is angling to help sate China's growing appetite for fuels. The ambitious industrial policy outlined in Kuala Lumpur's Ninth Economic Plan includes upgrading various technology-oriented industries, and a portion of Petronas' profits are expected to be mobilized for that cause.

I wondered about that too.

Without stirring anybody up, the question I would ask is why non Muslims need more background information on Islam? Being the majority religion, I would assume virtually all non-muslims would have been in contact with Islam and therefore have a fairly good knowledge regarding the religion. If the "moral education" class was about understanding and tolerance, then I assume it would be better to educate the Muslim students on the minority religions which chances are most of them would not have been in contact with and therefore not know anything about.




I would assume this is only the case because there are 700 million Indonesians which is higher then all the populations of the other SEA countries combined. The truth is is that there is only 2 countries as far as I know that speak Bahasa Malysia/Indonesia.

Well.. we actually really start concetrating in economy in 1970s where the communist threat isn't big anymore.. between 1957 until 1970s, billions of ringgit were wasted for hunting the communist.. in 60s, nearly half of gov. income were spent for Kg. Baru (not Kg. Baru K.L) project, armies equipment and millitary stuff and so on..

Singapore started their economy development once they parted with Malaysia.. And she just a small island that easier to manage.. About the oil, Malaysia only fully utilised this resource when Petronas come into business which is in 1974..

So, i would say that Malaysia really start concetrating on economy only in 1970s.. which means that its only has been less than 30 years..

Oh shush.

This year Malaysia is in 23rd position according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006, already ahead of several countries such as Germany (26th), Thailand (32nd), France (35th), South Korea (38th) and Italy (56th).

Good job malay!

M'sia Aims To Be Among Top 20 In Global Competitiveness

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is aiming to be ranked among the top 20 countries in global competitiveness, says International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz.

She said that Malaysia's ranking in global competitiveness has improved from 28th position to 23rd position according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2006.

"This ranking has placed Malaysia ahead of several countries such as Germany (26th), Thailand (32nd), France (35th), South Korea (38th) and Italy (56th)," she said when launching the Malaysia International Trade and Industry Report 2005 here Tuesday.

Rafidah said the government's continuous efforts to further improve the operating environment for businesses have contributed towards enhancing Malaysia's overall competitiveness.

Malaysia, she added, has to compete with developed countries and will continue to improve the environment for businesses in order to be ranked among the top 20 countries in world competitiveness moving forward.

Meanwhile, Malaysia's total trade is expected to hit the RM1 trillion mark this year following the positive outlook in the global economy and global trade, and growth in the economies of major trading partners as well as fast-growing potential markets.

For the first five months of 2006, Malaysia's total trade increased 11.5 percent to RM420.9 billion compared with RM377.4 billion in the same period 2005, Rafidah said.

Export were valued at RM230.7 billion and imports at RM190.2 billion, she said.

Investments approved in the manufacturing sector from both domestic and foreign sources totalled RM10.9 billion, involving 372 manufacturing projects for the January to May 2006 period.

In the first quarter of 2006, exports of services amounted to RM17.5 billion and imports totalled RM20.1 billion with the main export components being travel services and transport services, Rafidah said.

She said investments in manufacturing-related services continued to increase with 66 companies given approval to set up regional establishments in Malaysia for the January to May 2006 period.

On the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand, Rafidah said the talks were expected to be completed this year.

She said the negotiations were comprehensive, covering tariff reduction and elimination on goods, liberalisation of the services sector and investment regime as well as cooperation programmes for capacity building.

She also said that Malaysia has started a joint feasibility study for a possible FTA with Chile.

-- BERNAMA

whatever la..
all i know is we are abit richer den taiwan and korea back at the late 60s... we even have Merc-benz as our taxi during that time....
now they seem to leap frog us and become wayyy ahead of us...
and we have to happy just because we overtook mexico and the few other countries? compare ourselves to the best la.. den only we can improve...


edit: and one more thing that i see is happening in malaysia. The malays sees the arab culture and hold it with even higher regard then their own culture... sad case indeed...

^hehe....what if the Malays are too westernized..is it OK then .It's the same thing.

The South Korea and Taiwan poor than Malaysia in the 60's is subjective.True that South Korea and Taiwan which is under constant threat of war performed wonderfully...but we must include other factors that requires thorough examination.

The chinese businesses are truly the economic backbone of malaysia success

If you disagree, then you are living in denial

I wish peace and prosperity coming to Malaysia and ASEAN countries.

Let's work together to make ASEAN Union become a reality for our future generations.

Purnomor once said....we are too different and a union can never happened

I kind of agree with him

I said:"(Some of you maybe do not like Jews. But even many Palesteinians have some respect for the Jews in there.) "

So, you understood it in your way?

It is a non-malay person's choice to remain in a country and faces discriminations all his life, and to be unable to do much about them.

It is other people's personal freedom to emmigrate, and change their remaining years of their lives.

MORE FREEDOM in many other places!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially for females.

Guys, talk to non-Malays who have left for years, to learn how they feel. Think about your kids (even if you don't have one now).

It is a sad story for both Sabah and Sarawak for joining Malaysia. Just look at Brunei and Singapore to see the answer.

Sabah and Sarawak is being raped by Malaya till dry, all the oil and timber from the two states is being used to finance all the failed projects and also to feed all the Umno zealots.

Ask the Iban and Kandazan, they are being marginalized. Now the government even want to make the country into an Islamic state, did Sabah and Sarawak agree to join an Islamic state in the first place?

September 16 is a day for mourning, a day of shame for Malaysia.

According to Corruption Index 2007: Chinese and Indian, and many more countries in Asia far more corrupt than Malays, Malays in same level position with Koreans at score 5.1 this year but below Japanese, improving than last year.

That's perhaps the reason why chinese keep coming and stay in Malaysia, because these chinese could not live properly under the rule of their own people which very corrupt, they have to live under Malays system and management then they can live properly.

http://www.transparency.org/news_room/in_f.../cpi_2007_table

This is a rediculous statement.

Do you not see Malaysia as being Multiracial? Do you think Malaysia is only made up of Malays? If you want to compare a predominaltely Chinese country that Malaysia should be compared to in terms of global positioning, and length of independence what about Singapore? And if you think race has something to do with the level of likely corruption, why not compare to Indonesia? Afterall Malays and native Indonesians are the same race aren't they?

Singapore is just city-size country, very small. Compare it with Brunei, still Brunei is bigger size.

and Brunei beat Singapore in term of wealthy, and Brunei is Malays country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...nal)_per_capita

But you were talking about corruption and not wealth besides Brunei is just one big oilwell, they are not rich becasue of good economic management.

The point I'm trying to make, though not very well from reading my previous posts, is that why do you worry so much about race? The first thing to be concerned about is what you do for your country, then where your country stands in the world, it doesn't matter if you are "better" then someone, it matters less if your race is "better". Which is more important, race or nationality? Do you feel a stronger attachment to your "brothers" in Brunei and Indonesia or do you feel closer to your other Malaysian counterparts?

Good enough. but need to do better!

dude don't revive old threads

That data above was 2005, in 2007 Malaysia gdp per capita (nominal) has reached more than US$6100, soon Malaysia will prosper like Brunei or United Arab Emirate or Japan.

Forget it ,the GDP have nothing to do with prosper ,with no veto power in UN and Nuclear power ,China and India will overtake Malaysia youUMNO Malay shall remember Chinese and Indian are backbone Of Malaysia and Malay are Need China and India to protect you from USA invasion since the Malaysia army are 1 of the Asian weakest ,Without Chinese and Indian here you umno i Malay guy get no ASTRO Ria .

GDP may not have anything to do with prosperity, such as China and India, both these countries have high gdp due to gigantic masses of population, in reality 50 - 80% of the population are in dirt poor and crawling in poverty.

Yet GDP/CAPITA is a good indicator of prosperity. Do differentiate between GDP and GDP/CAPITA.

Using GDP makes little sense in comparing people's life in different countries.

Purchasing powers should be used instead.

China's PPP is about $8000-9000 now. With 20% of the humanity, China is over 50 times as populous as Malaysia is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_count...P%29_per_capita

Even as the most pupulous, China is growing among the fastest. So many of the arguments here can be out of date as fast too.

I agree GDP PPP is the best, it reflects how rich you are in your country which best reflects levels of poverty. GDP per capita only gives you bragging rights but in real terms mean little.