One of the reasons for the scepticism surrounding the government’s affirmative action policy in Malaysia is its very label. The perceived racial bias in the policy is exacerbated by the constant reference to bumiputera or Malay rights by politicians from all sides.

The fact that the policy addresses the needs of the other underprivileged communities and ethnic groups is lost in the discourse of racial politics.

The noble objectives of the affirmative action policy formulated by our founding fathers to honour Article 153 of the federal constitution affirms the special position of the Malays (kedudukan istimewa orang Melayu dan bumiputera mana-mana Negeri Borneo ) while recognising the rightful interests of the other ethnic groups ( kepentingan-kepentingan kaum-kaum lain ).

Lately, the rhetoric of Malay rights and political dominance ( ketuanan Melayu) and the ugly emergence of racist sentiments among the political parties has contaminated what is a balanced and honest approach to the nation’s multiracial predicament.

The federal constitution is clear in specifying that the Malays and other bumiputera groups are to be given a fair allocation of positions in the government, scholarships and other aid in education and training as well as permits or licences in trade and business.

It does not specify the allocations for the other ethnic groups but Article 153 (9) states that in reserving opportunities for the Malays and bumiputera, Parliament does not have the right to jeopardise ( menyekat ) business or trade, presumably for the other communities.

While the spirit of the federal constitution is indeed fair and its objectives noble (that is to correct the unequal and inequitable distribution of opportunities and wealth among the country’s citizenry) its interpretation has been skewed along the way by political lobbying.

At the implementation level of the affirmative action programmes, it must be admitted that the predominance of the Malays in the government and government agencies has resulted in a biased slicing and apportioning of the country’s educational and economic cakes.

In Malaysia, government policy in helping the underprivileged groups is seen to be biased because the government - which is predominantly Malay - is doling out aid and opportunities to the underprivileged rural groups, the majority of whom are Malays.

In the US, for instance, affirmative action is applauded because a white government is providing aid to its marginalised non-white population including the American Indians.

It can be said that effective lobbying by Malay political groups has managed to put the interests of their community above the others.

The corollary to this is that non-Malay political lobbies have not been quite so successful in championing the causes of their respective groups.

It is time the political discourse in Malaysia take on less racial undertones and political parties argue out their respective positions rationally and objectively.

It is time the racial card is replaced by a trump card which is unspecific as to its colour and specifications.

Affirmative action in Malaysia must revert to its original name and spirit.