UPDATED
By Neville Spykerman
KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak said tonight the government would introduce purely merit-based public scholarships by next year, and also indicated his administration’s intent to completely do away with race-based quotas in more sectors.
The prime minister’s remarks at a dinner organised by the Chinese community appear to be designed to win back the support of non-Malay voters for Barisan Nasional (BN).
While his announcement was short on details, it also indicates his administration’s efforts at hijacking Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) more multi-racial platform.
The prime minister said tonight that he believed quotas were bad and that he wanted to create a win-win situation for all Malaysians.
Najib’s remarks seem to also suggest that he believes he can control the potential backlash from Malays while wanting to convince the non-Malays that, even if they have misgivings about Umno and BN, they should have faith in him.
Speaking at a dinner organised by the MCA and Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCCIM), he said a new “National Scholarship” would be formed next year. The National Scholarship will be a new category of aid offered by the Public Service Department (PSD).
“These scholarships will be based 100 per cent on merit and those who receive them will be the best of the best,” said the prime minister.
Najib added that he would also soon be announcing a major shift in policy and hinted at doing away with some forms of quotas soon. “I will not let the cat of the bag now but will announce it later,” he said.
Najib’s speech represents his government’s first concrete response to growing unhappiness — especially among the non-Malay communities — with his government.
Recently, there were widespread protests particularly from the Chinese community over the way PSD scholarships were awarded. There also continues to be displeasure over race-based quotas, particularly from the business community.
The uneasiness has grown recently with Umno politicians pushing for unity talks with PAS, in what was seen as an entrenchment of Umno and BN’s racial policies.
Tonight, the PM acknowledged the failure of quotas when he said “Having quotas is not the right way and is not good for Bumiputeras.”
Najib said he was aware of the rent seeking collaboration between Bumiputera and Chinese businessmen which undermined the purpose of the quota system.
“We know what’s going on and it’s not getting us anywhere.”
He said the government wanted to create a mutually beneficial situation which was acceptable to all communities. He added the new policy would remove the obstacles to doing business and address the complaints from the Chinese community about government policy and implementation.
Najib acknowledged that the Chinese community only wanted fairer policies, and are not opposed to Bumiputeras progressing or helping them to get ahead.
He added the government understood the need to address the concerns of the Chinese community, especially in areas such as education, the economy, religion and the rising crime rate, in order to regain their confidence.

written by Fence sitter, June 27, 2009
written by lalaland, June 27, 2009
as far as I know if you hv connections..... you are the first to get...
doesn't matter whether you have money...
written by aka Bulldog, June 27, 2009
Sincerely, I doubt neither you nor UMNO-putras have the will to do it.
Why not save time and effort, let the people's will do it this coming GE13!
written by eillom, June 27, 2009
written by aka Bulldog, June 27, 2009
written by bloghim, June 27, 2009
written by Mutt Rempit, June 27, 2009
written by Paul Ong, June 27, 2009
written by Silence Dogood, June 27, 2009
Najib ni pandai saje cakap kosong, tak payeh modal. Apa salahnya jika nak bayangkan 1Malaysia program tu sebagai sukses...
All Talk, No action.... That's spin my man!
written by jijot ni, June 27, 2009
like i have said before no point if we give scholarship to poor bumiputera if his or her result only 6As or 4As cos or less.
he or she will perform as such at any level and after completion of his or her degree the result is as expected and the money will go to waste.
but if the Bumiputera is scoring 20As and he or her is poor and that is what the government must put a quota and that action is more aceptable by all non bumiputeras surely no objection there.
if ther is 100 people with 20As and only 50 scholarship is available and out of 100 say 75 non bumi and 25 are bumis. so the quota should be if it is 70 non bumi and 30 bumi quota then it should be awarded as such that 75% of 50 should be given to non bumi and 25% out of 50 should be given to bumi.
if out of 100 there are 99 non bumi with 20As and only 1 bumi with 20As then. out of 50 schaolarships 49 will be given to non bumi and 1 given to the actually proven poor 1 person bumi.
how to chose 49 seats from 99 is another problem.
so whatever it is quota system is never good
best is to ensure minimum As scorer and above get the scholarship and if not enough fudn get it from PETRONAS as they reported that they earned close to RM300 billion ringgit so that is where the money should ceom from as it is from the stomach of the land belongs to malaysian and not 1 Malaysian but all Malaysian.
written by dan, June 27, 2009
written by baru nak belajarkah?, June 27, 2009
Masa untuk kamu tutup kedailah.
written by tommy, June 27, 2009
written by MindlessMalaysian, June 28, 2009
looks like we will be treated to some temporary rights and eligibility - only until comprehensive coercive control is secured. After that, it'll be back to regressed racial rights again.
written by Jayenjr, June 28, 2009
1. You talk about 1Malaysia, but then spew out PAS-UMNO only marriage under the guise of malay unity
2. You talk about racial harmony, but then you shake hands with certified racists like Ibrahim Ali. You also continue to tolerate Awang Selamat
3. You release some ISA detainees but you still have 12 fellas locked up there. You also jail people who hold candle - light vigils.
4. You talk about transparency & governance, but you want to appoint Omar Mustapha (your new bag boy to replace Razak Baginda, I presume) into Petronas despite his background and the board's rightly-placed refusal to appoint him.
5. You talk about "performance now" but till today your KPI minister hasn't come out with anything tangible to present as KPI measures.
Lip service ka?
6. You "liberalised" some service industries, but you still want to provide crutches to the IPPs, Proton, which is hurting the tax payers much, much more.
7. You swear on the Holy Quran that you never met "that lady", but you're hiding away from testifying before the Court.
Are you more afraid of men than God?
8. You talk about raising efficiency, but you still maintain a bloated cabinet inherited from our Rip Van Winkel of an ex PM. And to top it of, you have in place an Information Minister who can't seem to tell the difference between a swine & a virus.
Do you really think, that just by dishing out some goodies to the MCA crowd, that you could win over the larger voting crowd? Today's electorate is so much more different than those days when you raised a keris and said to the very crowd that you are preaching tonight, that you want to bathe it with their blood.
To get back on the right side of progress & national development, you need to do more than just producing carrots to the Malaysian audience. You need to revamp the police, the MACC, the AG's office, the Judiciary, the education system, the media, the way public contracts are awarded, and national unity.
You also need to be accountable as to what really happened to Altantuya.
In all honesty however, I just don't see you as the person who's going to do that.
P/S - You know, your dangling of the carrot to the MCA crowd reminds of the time when one ex-ex PM also promised a Chinese education group that he would look into their grievances. Right after the GE though, he labeled them "communists".
written by Aries, June 28, 2009
Then only come back and check the non-Malay support for BN Government.
Then only will the preachings be believable and acceptable.
The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
written by 1.moron, June 28, 2009
written by Selangorian, June 28, 2009
written by Visitor, June 28, 2009
written by serendipity hopeful, June 28, 2009
written by kenu, June 28, 2009
Talk is sooooo cheap...I will still be voting PKR the next time around.
written by WidgetWizard, June 28, 2009
1Malaysia for the win.
written by Pemuda Permatang Pauh, June 28, 2009
written by Jong, June 28, 2009
We are all eyes and ears and it does it mean I will immediately give my vote to this UMNO-led BN. A lot more needs to be done and no time for politicing. Get down to serious work Najib, no time to waste!
written by angryaboutanything, June 28, 2009
Yak yak yak, no action.
written by Ah Chong, June 28, 2009
written by farmer boy, June 28, 2009
No doubt those UMNO rednecks have been pre-informed of this and thats why no backlash from them.
written by laiheng, June 28, 2009
Plenty times said, nothing been done. Hot air balloons floating everywhere these days.
written by zackeye, June 28, 2009
written by My View, June 28, 2009
written by SChan, June 28, 2009
written by ktteokt, June 28, 2009
written by penyokong PAS cina 2, June 28, 2009
written by tsm, June 28, 2009
written by tsm, June 28, 2009
written by Sino, June 28, 2009
Get them done, no need for you to talk. People can see and judge for themselves.
I have a feeling, by you try getting them done, you will not last long as PM.
written by godblessmalaysia, June 28, 2009
written by koon yew yin , June 28, 2009
All Malaysians must have the right to question this. All political leaders must be brave enough to examine the flaws in the NEP and correct the mistakes.
Managing the country is just like managing a big company. Almost all the professors, lecturers and stundents are Malays in all the Government sponsored Universities and Colleges. If you choose 2nd class students and 2nd class professors and lecturers, the graduates can only be 2nd class or worse. That is why Malaysia is performing so badly because all the important decisions are made by 2nd class people. We should have practiced meritocracy in awarding scholarships, in the civil services and in all other economic ventures.
written by Jonah, June 28, 2009
So nothing new or anything to shout about!
written by Robert, June 28, 2009
Please stop playing games with the rakyat. Convert all existing scholarship to merit based and then we will believe you. Creating another category is simply a pandering act.
written by Bluemoon, June 28, 2009
written by Ajajal, June 28, 2009
what will happen even this liar talk on merit. It is in their blood to cheat the people and
rob the nation. One day they will even tell us we are equal behind us they will put us
into ISA . Sorry, crime PM you are a great show man and also a liar.
written by rights for all, June 28, 2009
written by One Malaysia c/w empty Dreams, June 28, 2009
One Malaysia One Dream with One Scholarship but only for UMNOPutra.
All these sweet talk would not convert into votes favour UMNO any more, we are sick of UMNO who betray Malaysian for past 52 years even since independent esp during Mahatir regime.
Even your power to appoint Minister also "Remote Control" by this mamak , what more you say can be trusted.
We trust you no more , Najib
written by CrocodileTears, June 28, 2009
written by otak.Kosong28, June 28, 2009
One with lots of money based on race
the other with little based on merit
that is double talk
written by Talk to Audience in UMNO Assembly, June 29, 2009
Najib , please bring up this issue and Talk in the parliament or in UMNO Assembly see wether your UMNO members strip off your pants or not ????
Talk Cxck only to rich Chinese businessman who did not need any scholarship and MCA who off course say "YES" Boss to you whatever you propose/suggest.
written by non believer, June 29, 2009
The merit system is going to applied for 1 or 2 streams of study not all. So the good streams will be quota controlled. The not so good one will go by merit. Overseas scholarships will be quota controlled.
You think the fella so good... there's always a catch.




