SHAH ALAM: The Malays should drop the “excess baggage” hobbling them, such as the thinking that they are “special” and deserving of certain privileges, says Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
Instead, she said they should move forward by nurturing themselves with a recalibrated mindset.
Speaking at the launch of a book titled Liberating The Malay Mind by author Dr M. Bakri Musa, Rafidah said that the excess baggage of the Malays included the obsession that the community was special and more privileged than the others, in an ideal that was bolstered since the formation of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
“We (Malays) have been taught that we are special and privileged. But, we must know that the NEP was introduced because we were so far behind in knowledge and economy, and we needed assistance.
“It was not because we deserved it, nor was it that we must have it because the Malays were special,” she said in her speech.
Rafidah said it was a shame that after all these years, the Malays were still imprisoned by the thinking that they were special and deserving of certain privileges.
“It is shameful that we still want the “crutches” although our legs are fine, or still want to depend on the special status when we are able. It is our mindset that is stopping us from moving forward.”
Rafidah called on the Malays to face the future by eradicating the narrow thinking as well as their over admiration on foreign culture.
“All Malays are Muslims in Malaysia. So, be a Malaysian Muslim. We are not Arabian, we are Malaysian first.
“We must realise that we are an integral component in Malaysia.
“It is necessary for us to nurture the younger generation with good universal values, such as integrity, trustworthiness, responsibility, accountability, discipline and respect for others.
Otherwise, we will be stuck in a time warp and end up going nowhere, she added.
Sources: The Star/Asia News Network
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