Tap the potentials of all races

All races vital in national development

I refer to your report “Mustapa: Recruit non-bumis” (Star Aug 30).

Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed’s call to the public universities to recruit more non-bumiputra lecturers, attract the best brains, and develop a vibrant academic environment is an encouraging sign that the government is finally realizing the contribution of the non-bumiputras to the national development.

It is shocking but not surprising that in Universiti Malaya there is only one non-bumiputra dean among 20. In many of the other universities, there is none. In fact a similar unhealthy situation also exists on all levels of the civil service, police and armed forces.

The over-enthusiastic implementation of policies aimed to restructure society within a short period should be blamed as the single most important cause of the systematic eliminated of non-bumiputras from the civil service, armed forces and public universities.

Many of them who were loyal and dedicated have been denied their rightful rewards and their contributions ignored. Others with great potentials have been put in “cold storage”. The outcome of all this is that the vast majorities of non-bumiputra Malaysians has become disillusioned and are giving up hope of any future prospects in their own motherland.

Many of these intellectuals have reluctantly left for the private sector where their capabilities are not utilized to the maximum. In fact many have to contend with carrying routine substandard work just to earn to live and support the high cost of education for their children in private institutions and even foreign countries.

A significant number of them have even migrated to other countries where their talents are better appreciated. We have a very unique situation where one is able to get better recognition in a foreign country whereas he has become a stranger in own motherland.

I am sure that many belonging to my generation would recall the good old days when we started in civil service with full dedication and enthusiasm to serve our nation till the end but sadly, along the way, we were pushed aside just for belonging to a particular ethnic group. In a way we are becoming strangers in our own land.

Mustapha’s admission that more needs to be done, to attract more non-bumiputras into the civil service, is an encouraging start. I admit it will take time, in fact a very long time, but at least some signs of hope must be seen.

Every citizen, regardless of ethnicity, must be given a chance to contribute towards the advancement of the nation so as to become competitive in a globalize world, where talents and skills are all that matters. Otherwise we may be left behind.

Hopefully this is the beginning of a long process in the recognition of all Malaysians as equal citizens regardless race or creed.

Dr.Chris Anthony