Who Benefits from NEP?

The NEP has classified the three races of Malaysia into Bumiputra (Sons of Soil) and non-Bumiputra. In its implementation, the government has always highlighted the Bumiputra interests. Despite repealed assurance from the government that in the implementation of NEP, "no group would feel a sense of loss or feel being deprived", non-Bumiputra still feel a sense of loss and deprived in view of their diminishing opportunities in education, employment and promotion, commerce and industry etc.

At this point, one should take a close view to find out which are the sectors or groups of Malay which have benefited most from NEP.

"'Tengku Tengku, Tan Sri Tan Sri, Datuk Datuk itu Bumiputra, kami Melayu bukam Bumiputra."

The above is a popular quotation among the poor Malays. It ridicules the efforts of the government to help Malays, which have only benefitted a handful of rich Malays and not the poverty stricken Malay masses. This is because only the rich Malays from the middle and upper classes (eg. from the aristocratic class, influential Malay bureaucrats and rich Malay businessman) can take full advantage of the present Government's policy.

These rich Malays are the groups who have the surplus money to apply for business licences, to bid for government contracts or to buy the shares held for the Malays, just to quote a few of them. Also, it is the influential (usually rich) Malays, who have the opportunity to obtain a place on the boards of public companies. The poor Malay peasants, fishermen and workers have not benefitted at all, though the relatively small number of their children who managed to pass their secondary school examinations, have obtained scholarships, university places and posts in the civil service.

However, the class bias of the present education system has benefitted disproportionately the rich Malays when comparing the actual numbers. According to the Murad Report of 1972, children from rich families enjoyed nine times higher chances of continuing their study beyond the age of 15, compared with poor families. Since most Government scholarships, college and university places, civil service and military posts are only given to those who have passed at least their lower secondary school examinations, it is clear that Malays from rich families received the full advantage of the Malay special privileges