Time to Get Your Hands Dirty: PM Mahathir Calls for Bumiputera Self‑Improvement
On Saturday, September 1, 2018, Malaysia’s long‑time Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad delivered a stirring keynote at a Bumiputera forum. He challenged an entire generation of Malays to ditch the government’s “spoon‑feeding” and start working to shape their own futures.
Why “Cash Aid” Isn’t the Answer
- BR1M (1Malaysia People’s Aid) – a monthly cash handout first introduced in 2012 to 4.1 million recipients at RM 500 each.
- Raised to RM 1,000 in 2016, then RM 1,200 in 2017.
- Mahathir warned that “cash aids like BR1M will only weaken us.” He urged people to “put in our own effort” rather than wait for handouts.
He likened it to muscles and brains: “If we don’t walk, our muscles weaken. Likewise, if we don’t use our brains, they’ll dull.”
New Economic Policy Re‑examined
On July 25, the government announced it would revisit the New Economic Policy (NEP), a centuries‑old affirmative‑action plan instituted after the 1969 racial riots. Economic Minister Azmin Ali said the goal is to “align economic policies with needs, not race.”
NEP perks include:
- Cheaper housing for Malays.
- Scholarship quotas for Malay students.
- Preferential government contracts and shares in listed companies.
Although Malay household incomes have grown fastest since NEP’s launch, they still lag behind in absolute terms.
Construction Sites: A Sad Reality
Mahathir shared an unsettling observation from his visits to construction sites, including the Twin Towers: No Malay workers were seen on the ground as engineers or laborers.
He asked: “Is it that we can’t or we simply don’t want the ‘dirty’ job?” He expressed disappointment, stating, “I’m really sad… I don’t see even one Malay working there.”
According to the PM, opportunities abound but “you can’t force a horse to drink.” He insisted this is not a call to mess with any race, but a call to self‑improvement.
Looking Ahead
Mahathir’s message echoes across the nation: trimming the tide of inducement, refreshing the wheel of progress, and boosting the Bumiputera workforce by putting effort into the grind. The nation faces a choice: remain passive or take the reins of growth.
