Encik Khairy, you have lost your moral right

The president of the independent Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI) has retracted the recent study entitled "Corporate Equity Distribution: Past Trends and Future Policies," which estimated that Malays owned as much as 45 percent of the total equity of the stock market. Following the disclosure, there were much furore from the bumiputras, claiming that the bumiputra equity stake stands at 18.9% over the last 20 years. This was followed by calls for the paper to be retracted with various quarters calling the study as rubbish.

Khairy, the deputy president of UMNO youth, was quoted as having "urged Malaysian academics to be more careful while researching sensitive issues, especially those involving race." He further said that "We should not issue any reports that might trigger the people's anger".

Anyone one following the Malaysian politics will remember that not too long ago this same person Khairy has played the racial card when he accused the Penang Chief Minister of marginalising the Malays. Wouldn't this have triggered the Malays' anger? Coincidentally after these words were said, the Chief Minister was embarrassed and ignored during the official opening of the UMNO Tanjung division.

If the ASLI report can evoke anger in the population, would not the mention of Malay marginalisation cause the same anger? Of course the Malays will be angry if the equity stake is being questioned because if the equity is more than 30%, then the affirmative action policy would have to be ended. Similarly, if the Malays are told that they had been marginalised, wouldn't the same feeling be evoked? So where is the difference between the two incidents?

Come on Khairy. You are an educated person, from a prestigious overseas university. Where are your principles? You cannot follow the tide. If Dr Lim of ASLI cannot raised a finding that may anger the Malays, then the same principle should be applied to yourself. By raising a racial issue that may incite and anger the Malays, you Encik Khairy has lost you moral right to tell others not say things that may incite the people.

Maybe Khairy should learn from Dr Lim, the author of the paper. He stood by his paper and take full responsibility and resigns from ASLI. He distanced himself from the organisation "because of the need to defend the position and integrity of independent and non-partisan scholarship." This is what integrity means.

Sadly, integrity is what a lot of Malaysian politicians lack. Recent examples include Jasin MP with "close one eye incident", and many of the Cabinet ministers who can change their position depending on who the leader is. Sometimes I wonder how Malaysia can do so well, in spite of the government.

Links:
Lim stands by report, quits Asli
Asli report - thunderous silence by MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP, Sarawak, Sabah Ministers