When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Some of you reading this article probably know my Auntie, Raja Fuziah. And those of you who know her probably do so because when you went to university she was the one who gave you your MARA scholarship. Could not my father's own sister who had given out scholarships to tens of thousands of total strangers not also give her own nephew a scholarship?

Posted By: Raja Petra Kamarudin

Malaya gained independence or Merdeka from Britain in 1957. But the British Colonial masters would not willingly grant Malaya independence. It took a decade of haggling before the Union Jack could be lowered and the new Malayan flag that almost looks like the flag of the United States of America could be raised in its place.

One of the issues that delayed the granting of Merdeka was the matter of what to do with the Indians and Chinese once Malaya becomes independent. India had already gained independence from Britain earlier and China had turned Communist. No doubt the British had brought the Indians and Chinese to this country from the mid-1800s to about 1920 to work the tin mines and rubber estates, but there was no way they could be sent back to their 'homeland', in particular the children of the original immigrants who had been born in Malaya.

The British refused to consider Merdeka for Malaya until and unless the Malays, Indians and Chinese sat down and worked out a solution. Merdeka would be granted only when the three races come to an agreement on what to do with the 'immigrants' who after about 100 years were not only third or fourth generation 'Malayans' but had in fact become more Malays than the Malays -- at least some of them like the Mamaks and Babas who no longer spoke their mother-tongue but spoke better Malay than some Malays.

The British knew that a hurried Merdeka without resolving the citizenship issue would just result in a blood-bath when one race, in this case the Malays, would claim sole-ownership of the country and the 'pendatang' get evicted from their land and homes. The religious diversity would also pose a problem as the aftermath of the independence of India had proven when brother fought against brother just because of religious differences. What more when it involves a diverse set of races who were also of different religions.

Finally, wisdom and common sense prevailed and the founding fathers of the nation called Malaya came to an agreement, or maybe a compromise, on what would happen on Merdeka Day. The Indians and Chinese would be granted citizenship, unless they chose to return to their homeland, but the Malays, for 'sacrificing' their 90% or so majority, would be accorded certain rights and special privileges, to be reviewed after 15 years, meaning some time in 1972.

But something happened before 1972, and that was the race riots of May 1969, and to address the discontentment of the Malays who felt they had been left out of the economic race, the New Economic Policy was agreed upon by the leaders of the three component members of the Alliance Party -- Umno, MCA and MIC. Invariably, the rights and special privileges of the Malays were not reviewed in 1972 as originally intended. Instead, the NEP became the new policy which in a way 'strengthened' the rights and special privileges of the Malays even more. But this was supposed to end in 1990 -- which meant that the 15-year review would be reviewed after 33 years instead.

But the NEP was more than just about Malay rights and special privileges. It was a two-prong attack (serampang dua mata) aimed at reducing the disparity amongst ALL the races as well as to reduce the gap between the haves and the have-nots. In other words, the NEP was about helping all the poor and unfortunate, regardless of race. And that was when the term 'Bumiputera' came into being. But Murphy's Law says that anything that can go wrong will go wrong and the Bumiputera issue was exploited to become an Umnoputra policy. And Umnoputra did not just mean Malays but anyone who serves Umno -- Indians, Chinese, Kadazans, Dayaks, etc., included. In fact, as far as the corporate world was concerned, the non-Malays benefited more than the Malays who were reduced to mere 'rent-seekers' and commission agents who earned a small fee for fronting for the non-Malays and for selling their permits and quotas, in particular to the Chinese.

The Umnoputras, of course, did not totally lose out in this 'Ali Baba' arrangement as they still had some meat on the bones that were thrown their way. But the Indians, except for a very small handful, did not even get any bones, with or without meat attached to them. But it was the fault of the Indian leaders actually. Why did they not demand their share? Why did they not demand that at least one or two FELDA settlements be allotted to them like what the Malays got? After all, the Indians were the original estate workers so they would know how to grow palm oil, rubber, cocoa, etc. Instead, while the Malays became estate workers with the help of the government, the original Indian estate workers got displaced as estates got turned into townships and golf courses and in the process the Indians not only lost their homes but their livelihood as well.

It is not that the government did not set up funds and place money in these funds to help the 'retired' Indian estate workers. It is more that those 'elite' Indians entrusted with the task or managing these funds embezzled and misused the money. In short, the Indians had cheated their own kind, as did the Malays and, to a certain extent, the Chinese as well.

No doubt, for being relegated to second- and third-class citizens, the Indians and Chinese are carrying grudges against the Malays. But is it really the Malays who are to blame? Okay, maybe Umno can and should be blamed. But Umno is Umno. Umno is not 16 million Malays. It is not even 6 million Malays. MIC and MCA too have misbehaved. Should we hang 10 million Malaysian Indians and Chinese from the tallest tree just because of what MIC and MCA have done? The Indians and Chinese would get upset if we blame them for the sins of MIC and MCA. What makes the Indians and Chinese think the Malays too would not get upset if they are blamed for the sins of Umno?

If you want to find someone to blame for your troubles, don't look in my direction. Sure, I am Malay, but I am not Umno. I never voted for Umno. I never even obtained a government scholarship to send all my kids to England. In fact, my father, who was then the son of the Governor of Penang and cousin to the late Agong, did not have money to send me to England and he refused to get a government scholarship to pay for my education. I mention this fact that he was the son of the Governor of Penang and cousin to the late Agong to demonstrate how easy it would have been for me to get a scholarship since our family was so well-connected.

Some of you reading this article probably know my Auntie, Raja Fuziah. And those of you who know her probably do so because when you went to university she was the one who gave you your MARA scholarship. Could not my father's own sister who had given out scholarships to tens of thousands of total strangers not also give her own nephew a scholarship? No, my father would not allow it. That is dishonest. That is corruption. It would have been better if my father had not been Raja Kamarudin Bin Raja Tun Uda. Then I could have got a scholarship. Instead, my father sent me to Volkswagen to do an apprenticeship on a starting salary of RM105 a month.

At first Pak Arshad would not take me because I was 'over-qualified' and the pay was too little. But my father insisted and Pak Arshad relented. Sure, that was in 1970. But even in 1970 RM105 was pittance. And I slogged it out for three years learning the trade under a Hakka mechanic whose every second word was a four-letter word. And my 'training' involved the first six months in the washing bay where I had to wash the cars before and after they were serviced. That's right, I started my working life as a tukang basuh kereta.

But I did not mind. My father promised that if I passed my apprenticeship exam he would send me to England to do Automobile Engineering. So I studied hard. I was going to get distinction in my AMIMI exam. Automobile Engineering was kacang (peanuts) for me anyway. I was already tuning my own motorcycle and in 1968, at the age of 18, had participated in my first Malaysian Grand Prix. I could soup up an engine without having to even go to school to learn how to do it. I could make my 100cc motorcycle go as fast as a 250cc. I could ride from Kuala Lumpur to Penang in under three hours even before we had the PLUS Highway. Automobile Engineering was not a career. It was a passion, in fact a 'religion' as far as I was concerned. And I took my religion seriously.

Halfway through my final exam my father died of a heart attack. He was only 46. I got distinction, the only one out of more than 100 students who sat for the exam. The 'second best' student got only a 'B'. I brought my results home to show my mother. She looked at it and broke down and cried. I did not know why she cried but I cried as well. Seeing my mother cry makes my cry and barely two months since my father died I suspected that must have been the reason.

But that was not the reason. My mother cried because my father was not able to see my exam results before he died, and he missed it by only a couple of months. “Your father was worried about you,” my mother explained. “He did not want to send you to England because he was scared you would just 'play the fool' and not study. He wanted you to prove that you are serious about your studies before sending you to England. And now you have proved it but he is no longer around to see it.”

Then my mother cried again. “I have no money to send you to England. But you deserve to go and Daddy promised you if you passed your exam he would send you.”

“I don't want to go to England,” I told my mother between sobs. “I want to stay here and look after you.”

I framed my exam results and hung it on my bedroom wall and then went to work for a company at RM250 per month. RM250 a month is not a king's ransom even back in 1973 but that was all I could get. My exam results were of no use unless I wanted to go back to Volkswagen and become a car mechanic. It was supposed to be my 'passport' to England but my father was no longer around and sometimes plans have to change to suit changing situations.

Two of my 'best friends' went to university though. My Indian friend went to Singapore University and my Chinese friend went to England. But I repaired engines at RM250 a month because my father was the son of the Governor of Penang and cousin to the late Agong and he would not allow me to 'abuse' this 'position' by getting a government scholarship.

Yes, in 1957, Malaya gained Merdeka from Britain and the Indians and Chinese were granted citizenship. Then, in 1970, the New Economic Policy was launched and the Indians and Chinese became second- and third-class citizens. But at least as second- and third-class citizens they went to university. I, the 'first-class' citizen, had to start from the bottom and work my way to the top because I hated being at the bottom and longed to get to the top.

I pity the Indians and Chinese who have to accept being second- and third-class citizens and cannot do anything about it. I certainly know what it is like because that was where I started as well. But I have never grumbled about it. I don't blame the Indians and Chinese for how I have 'suffered'. I don't even blame Umno or the Malays. And I would certainly never blame my father for having too much principles; and maybe pride as well. I just drove from Kedah down to Johor and up to Kelantan, with my baby sleeping in the back seat of the car, to sell my engines so that by the age of 40 I can send all my children to England for a university education without having to run to Umno or the government for financial assistance.