'Non-Malays must remember their promise'

 

UMNO AGM Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has reminded non-Malays to remember their "original promise" which is in the social contract.

In his speech during the wing's general assembly today, he said the Malays had sacrificed in allowing the non-Malays to become citizens when the nation achieved independence.

In return, the non-Malays were prepared to accept the special position of the Malays, the Malay language as the national language and the sovereignty of Malay rulers.

"But why are there are those who still do not respect this agreement.

"If the Malays can accept, and not raise the citizenship (of non-Malays) and acknowledge that we would not shut down vernacular schools, why are there those (non-Malays) who don't hold to that original promise now.

"Why are there calls to abolish the special position of the Malays, the sovereignty of Malay rulers being questioned and there are those who cannot understand the national language," he added.

Khairy said the Malays were not asking the other races to make concessions, but rather to just uphold what was agreed before.

He also highlighted that Umno used to host a number of youths in prominent positions, including Rais Yatim who was the Negeri Sembilan menteri besar at the age of 36, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, who was Petronas chairperson at 35, and Abdul Razak Hussein who was deputy prime minister at the age of 35.

Now, however, Khairy said that he is the only minister below the age of 40, and even that was a recent development.

"I want you and many more of my peers to join me. It is only then that there is transformation.

"It is not that we are greedy in wanting positions or status, but we cannot deny that the generational and demographic shift is happening right in front of our eyes," he said.

Enact anti-discrimination act

On another matter, Khairy also highlighted the socio-economic concerns affecting Malays, such as lower income and drug addiction.

He proposed several measures, which include:

• Ensure that states replace Malay reserve land that have been degazetted and create a Malay Land Trust Council with the involvement of all states to protect and develop it.
• Increase the promotion period for housing reserved for bumiputera buyers by three months from the current six-month period, during which the government can find bumiputera buyers or sell it directly to government-linked companies.
• Enact an Anti-Discrimination Act to stop workplace discrimination, particularly racially biased hiring practices.
• Companies that are only bumiputera-status on paper should be blacklisted. A certification agency should be formed in cooperation with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to ensure this.

Meanwhile, when speaking on household debt and harsh methods that debt collection agencies have resorted to recover it, Khairy also took a swipe at Astro's rising subscription fees.

"I think their bills are excessive. Can we have a spontaneous motion?" he said, to loud cheers from the delegates.

"Never mind if there is competition, but Astro is a monopoly. If we want to watch the best football team in the world, Manchester United, we have to use Astro. If we want to watch the worst team in the world, Chelsea, you have to watch Astro.

"So I propose that we bring forward a motion from the youths - it is bad enough that it is a monopoly, don't burden the people with high fees. Don't raise the fees any more.

"We're finished, Astro Awani is not going to carry news about Umno Youth any more," he said, before continuing to read his prepared speech.

Astro Awani is the a news channel that Astro produces and broadcasts to subscribers of its satellite television service and online.

As a means to reduce debt, Khairy noted that the second largest debt comes from hire purchase, and proposed that the government waive taxes or excise duty on vehicles for eligible youths.

These would allow youths earning less than RM4,000 a month to purchase their first vehicle without paying the taxes or duties, provided that the vehicle is moderately priced and locally assembled.

"Before anyone says they have heard of this idea before, or 'isn't this the opposition's idea?' I would like to clarify that it is unlike the opposition's populist policy, which is tax deductions for all vehicle buyers that will add to the government's debt, increase traffic congestion, pollute the environment and only serve to give a discount to the rich.

"Umno Youth's proposal is based only on the youths, and it doesn't involve all vehicle buyers," he said.