Ridhuan backs Dr M, tells Malays to change mindset
MalaysiaKini.com
Sept 30, 2014

Former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad had recently drawn flak with his scathing indictment on the Malay race, branding them, among others, as lazy.
 
And now Ridhuan Tee Abdullah has also broached the issue.
 
In his latest column published in Sinar Harian, the controversial academic said he did not wish to lend credence to the argument that Malays are not hardworking.
 
“But experience proves this, (they) want to be rich but are lazy to work. The Malays must take the step to change (themselves), if not they would suffer in their own land.
 
“The Malays are not only lazy, but forget themselves easily and their identity,” he added.
 
Therefore, Ridhuan said it comes as no surprise that numerous Malay companies now have non-Malay names.
 
“Back then it was Kedai Telekom, now it is called TM Point.
 
“In the past it was Bank Bumiputera, now CIMB, and there are many others,” he added, lamenting that Bahasa Malaysia is not given prominence in these GLCs.
 
Ridhuan said it appears as if using a Malay name is considered not commercial or “unglamourous”.
 
“The Malays must change, they chase after glamour. When I asked a Malay why you ‘merempit’ (indulge in illegal racing), he answered because he was challenged,” he said.
 
Posing a rhetorical question on whether the Malays are lazy, Ridhuan answered: “I guess not. Allah would not be fair if he made a particular race hardworking, and not the others.”
 
What must be changed, he added, is the attitude and mindset.
 
Citing the importance of ‘Emotional Intelligence” as a factor to succeed, he named Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft’s Bill Gates as examples.
 
Ridhuan also said that he does not believe in stereotyping Malays as being lazy, or that other races are more hardworking and better at doing business.
 
“I have met people of other races who are also lazy,” he said.
 
Dad became rich because of Malays
 
Delving into his family history, the Chinese Muslim convert said his grandparents came from China with nothing and settled in a Malay village in Perak.

“Not long after that, our lives changed. With a little bit of capital saved up, my father opened the only grocery store in the village and became very rich.
 
“The wealth increased when the Malays became fond of buying on credit. When the debts could not be repaid, aide given by the government such as fertilisers, seeds for planting and so forth were sold cheaply.
 
“Some even pawned their land with my father. In the end, my father became very wealthy while the Malays were ‘temporarily’ rich,” he said.
 
“Just like bribery. Other races bribe the Malays, and the latter are drawn by the money put in front of them.
 
“When the case is proven, the Malay goes to jail, while the person who gives the bribe goes free and get rich with a not-so-significant an amount in bribe.”

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