Malay "Special Rights"

The origin of the "special rights" of the Malays is also due to the British colonialists who ruled Malaya through the Malay aristocracy. To secure the support of the Sultans and feudal chiefs, the British awarded them huge tracts of land and handsome salaries to replace the "tax" which they had brutally coerced from their subjects.

The policy of Malay "special rights" was incorporated into the Malayan constitution at the time of political independence in 1957, and is carried through to this day. However the reality is rather different. The policy has benefitted mainly the rich Malays constituting only a tiny fraction of the Malay population. This is because the nature of Malay "special rights" is such that only those Malays with some surplus money to invest ie. the middle and upper classes can take full advantages of them. Many peasants, fishermen and workers have no benefit at all, though the few of their children who manage to pass their Secondary school examinations can obtain scholarships, university places and posts in the civil service.

In the commercial field, only the rich Malay will want to apply for business licences and public companies that require Malays on its board of directors, will not select Malay workers or peasants but influential (and very probably wealthy) Malays.

In the Malay reservations, the prohibition of non-Malay ownership of land has actually benefited the Malay landlords and money lenders at the expense of the Malay peasants. Because non-Malay are excluded from buying reservation land, the price of land is effectively reduced because of reduced demand, thereby enabling Malay landlords to buy and accumulate land from the impoverished peasants.

The most striking evidence of the bankruptcy of the "special rights" policy in improving the economic position of the majority of the Malays was the government admission that in the 13 years from 1957-1970, the poorest 40% of the population (most of whom are Malays) had actually become poorer. The incomes of the poorest 20% had fallen by 14% while those of the next poorest 20% had fallen by 3% (^{1, 2}). The policy of "special rights" cannot help to end this exploitation and poverty of Malay peasants (or workers). In fact, in some cases (as we have seen) the "special rights" policy has intensified the exploitation of the Malay poor by the Malay rich.