It is so unsettling and upsetting to read of the proposal to grab 20% of leasehold land upon the expiry of lease terms. The immediate question that comes to mind is: is there no end to Umno’s greed?
This proposal earlier this year came from no less than Deputy PM Zahid Hamidi, who mooted the establishment of a “bumiputra land corporation”. He suggested that the 20% takeover would apply if the land area exceeds 20 hectares (50 acres) for agricultural land or eight hectares (20 acres) for industrial use.
The proposal by Zahid, who is also Umno president, no doubt reflects the thinking of his party.
As always, the greed is disguised as a need to help the poor, rural ethnic Malays. In reality, do they benefit in any way?
In the past, transport companies owned by the ethnic minorities were taken over for the benefit of the Malays. Equity stakes of 30% were acquired in companies controlled by the ethnic minorities to benefit the Malays. A string of banks owned by the ethnic minorities are now no more.
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All these policies formulated in the name of the Malays only made a group of wealthy Malays extraordinarily powerful and super rich. Several of them have sizeable stakes in scores of companies.
They have easy access to these opportunities because of their close connections with the powers that be. Their political positions and involvement guarantee them all it takes to satisfy their greed.
How come the poor, rural Malays have not escaped from their poverty? Why are these Malays still trapped in their misery? Why has their fortune not changed?
For this, we must blame a group of rich and powerful Malays who have grabbed so much for themselves. Apparently, they have successfully obstructed the poor, rural Malays from benefiting from these vast opportunities. It is a deliberate policy – it would seem – to keep the rural Malays poor so that even more opportunities can be created in the name of the Malays while blaming the ethnic minorities for the backwardness of the community.
It is time for well-meaning and fair-minded Malays to speak up – some have done so – and expose this insidious ruse. The rural Malays must be made to understand that the minorities are not responsible for their abject living conditions today; rather, their Malay leaders are seen to be primarily responsible for their poverty.
University academics and professors must be at the forefront of championing the cause of the rural Malays. They have influence and their researched views will carry weight. They owe it to the rural Malays, in the name of humanity, to come forward and take a strong stand to help these Malays.
Coming back to the proposed land grab, let’s see how it will affect our economy. It is well-known that 90% of taxes are paid by the ethnic minorities. Even Dr Mahathir Mahathir acknowledged this publicly. It is these taxes that keep the government going; it is these taxes that provide the facilities and services we, as a people, enjoy in this country; it is these taxes that ensure that we are entitled to healthcare services from the general hospitals; it is these taxes that fund our public transport system.
If large leasehold land owners, many of them the ethnic minorities, are forced to give up 20% of their land upon renewal or extension of their leases, not only would they lose 20% of their land, they would lose a lot more. They would lose 20% of their income, which means they would pay 20% less taxes – which is not in the interest of the country. In terms of land value, they would lose all they had invested in developing the land, which could, in certain cases, run into millions of ringgit.
In other words, their total loss would be colossal. Would it be fair for them to suffer so much? This is nothing but daylight robbery!
Where is the conscience of those behind this proposal; where are their ethics; where is their sense of justice? It is horrendous that they could come up with such a proposal without any effort or contribution. It is their lopsided sense of entitlement that makes a mockery of all that is fair and square.
Will Anwar – who has been talking so much about justice and fairness, who has so often promised that all will be treated equally, who has declared that the Constitution will be respected – go along with this insidious proposal? He will be judged on this, and his decision will have a bearing in the next general election.
I hope Anwar will be guided by this quote by Sir Richard Branson: “Play fair, be prepared for others to play dirty, and don’t let them drag you into the mud.”
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
The recent proposal for a Bumiputera Land Corporation, introduced by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi during the 2024 Bumiputera Economic Congress, has generated widespread controversy. The plan suggests that upon the expiration or renewal of leases for agricultural land exceeding 50 acres and industrial land over 20 acres, 20% of such land be returned to the government. This land would then be transferred to the Bumiputera Land Corporation to increase Bumiputera ownership.
This policy a “land grab,” disproportionately affects non-Bumiputera landowners, many of whom are from minority.
Disgusting n shameful. Hope this proposal is shot down by others in govt.
This is nothing [though unjustified and immoral as can be made legal by those in power] compared to the Europeans who came to Americas and grabbed the whole country as in the case of USA Canada Australia NZ and other places and now ban others from coming [though agree that criminals and extremists not be allowed}. All done due to having power to do so legal or illegal. If it goes through then all may be forgotten soon as has been the case of Europeans land grabs of whole continents. Bless all
Greed is bottomless and then when the culture may be to get wealth wlithout having to work then where is the incentive to work at all when hard earned wealth others can be taken by just making laws when in position of power. Wonder from where such ways are thought of or do they follow others. Remember Europeans in positions of power went and grabbed the lands as in now USA whose leaders call themselves land of the free when when their existence may have been due perception [or reality] to genocide of local natives and development on slaves imported from Africa. Bless all
Unfortunately, unlike Robert Kuok, many are unable to just uproot to another country due to the greed of the Malay elites.
But, I don’t think this is going to stop. I can imagine the minorities having to pay the jizyah should PAS gain control of the government.
People like Sanusi will be at the forefront of any imposition of PAS’s religious values. Now it is gambling licences. Who knows what the future holds for liquor licences and pig farms.