'Do you honestly believe that the Malays join the army out of sheer patriotism, not out of economic necessity or social conditioning?'

Chinese and Indians 'not patriotic enough'

Neders: Zahid Hamidi, how did you become the defence minister? You haven't a clue about the reality on the ground. I am an old boy of the Federal Military College (now Royal Military College) and many of my non-Malay contemporaries joined the armed forces.

Sure, a number worked their way up to become colonels and even a sprinkling became generals (you stood a better chance to be one if you were prepared to sacrifice your prepuce). This was because they were of a calibre that was hard to ignore.

However, a larger number got stuck at the ‘major' level and were overtaken by Malay officers many years their junior. Also, the intake into the RMC progressively became so lopsided that the ‘nons' became discouraged and later disinterested. Why would I want my sons to join the armed forces when their chances of fair promotions stand as much as that of a snowball in hell?

I dare tell you in the face never to question our patriotism. You are the one who created the situation and now blame the ‘nons' for the problem.

Ranjit Singh: Patriotism or racism? Do you want me to lay the facts out about the selective recruitment process under Dr Mahathir Mohamad where mostly Malays were hired in all public sector under the New Economic Plan (NEP)?

Seriously, imagine such a statement from a minister. What more can I say? This is the quality of people we have in Umno. Doesn't that statement speak for itself?

AJ: I can speak of my experience in RMAF (Royal Malaysian Air Force). I joined in the early years of Mahathir's reign. The higher allowance went to the aircraft mechanics as they came in with higher school grades and did better in the aptitude tests. Malay to non-Malay ratio was almost 60-40. No one had to worry about promotions as it was a very fair process.

As the years past, the non-technical support staff allowance was adjusted to that of the technical staff's. Now there was no need to be smarter or start off with a higher aptitude. Moral and pride began to slip. Soon Malays, who were juniors and those who were left behind because they did not excel in their work, were promoted.

When questioned, those who did the appraisals showed us that promotions were race and not merit-based. It was a government directive and beyond their control. Non-Malays subsequently left the force in droves.

Rick Teo: Zahid, which school did you go to? Chinese and Indians don't want join the army because your kind will always bully the non-Malays in the army. Promotions do not go according to merit but kulit-fication.

Anonymous: Chinese and Indians are very practical. Why would they join the army when they will be marginalised and denied promotions? By the way, Chinese and Indians are patriotic in a different way, they contribute to nation building by paying the most taxes. Every race has different way of contributing to the nation.

Zahid, use your head before you say things.

OMG: The minister should be sacked for such an incendiary statement. It is pure rubbish. The Chinese and Indians don't join the army because they are passed over when it comes to promotions and are marginalised. The same goes for the civil service.

Xiao Zhu: Zahid must have his brain in the knee-cap. So many quotas and restrictions are imposed on non-Malays, and the government intentionally does not recruit non-Malays, and this practice applies to all government-linked companies. Look at past records in the Defence Ministry - how many non-Malays were serving the country in the past as compared to now?

Open the floodgate without quota and restriction, then let's see how many non-Malays will apply for the job.

Singa Pura Pura: You are grossly mistaken for saying so, Minister Zahid. Do you honestly believe that the Malays join the army and police out of sheer and wilful patriotism, not out of economic necessity or social conditioning?

The Chinese and Indians are ‘prevented' (for want of a better word) from joining the civil service and innumerable other government-controlled services and companies. Yes, BN and Umno prevent and hinder the Chinese and Indians from being ‘patriotic' Malaysians. That is the ‘form' in which the regime wants to keep the ‘nons' out.

In any case, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin says ‘Malaysian' should be second after one's ethnicity. So don't even dare talk about Malaysian patriotism. There is only ‘racial nationalism' in the insidious guise of ‘national patriotism' under Umno, whichever way you choose to interpret it.

Swipenter: Before Mahathir started deliberately to Malay-nise the civil services, police and armed forces, there was a good mix of all races in all government institutions. After discriminating against the non-Malays by putting up glass ceilings and quotas for close to 30 years, this good-for-nothing defence minister is demonising the non-Malays as "not patriotic enough".

Nuckins: Not patriotic enough? Based on what studies and evidence? Can you please show us your source, minister? If you cannot come up with the appropriate studies or facts, then are you trying to destabilise our country's inter-ethnic relations by shooting off your big mouth? If this is not seditious, I don't know what is.

Pak Kulop Miko: In most countries of the world, accusing certain sectors of the population of being "unpatriotic" would have resulted in the minister being raked over coals.

What evidence has he adduced to support his view? This kind of reasoning (hell, it is not even reason) is typical of BN leaders - they shoot from the hip, never ascertain any facts, consult nobody and never bother to improve their intellect.

Hamisu: I'll admit openly I am not patriotic. I don't wave the Jalur Gemilang on Aug 31. So what? Dumb ministers and government officials still can't figure the real reason why non-Malays are not that patriotic.

What's there to be patriotic about when we are not even treated as equal citizens. There so much discrimination from the day you are born to the day you die under the Malaysian sun. Does the phrase "I love my country as much as my country loves me" ring any bell?

The government, and especially this really moronic minister, still expects non-Malays to be patriotic. Make some real changes that treats non-Malays as equals, instead of labelling non-Malays as ‘pendatang' (immigrants). Then you will see patriotism instilled by our own parents rather than the government.

Hello: What about the lack of numbers in the civil service? Are the Chinese and Indians also unpatriotic in not going there? This simpleton of a defence minister has come up with very simplistic reasons.

Why not look into the manner the applicants are recruited? The promotion opportunities offered to these non-Malay recruits? The hidden agenda of ‘ketuanan Melayu', the watchword of Umno?

All this alleged unpatriotism lies with the policies of Umno with the silent support of its lackeys - MCA, MIC, Gerakan, etc. When you have fair recruitment and promotion opportunities, you will find the non-Malays applying in droves.

Meranti Kepong: Indeed, if the Chinese, Indians and other minorities are truly giving a stake in the country and treated as bona fide Malaysians without prejudice and discrimination and not as ‘squatters' and ‘immigrants', then they would be prepared to not only defend the country but to become true warriors of the realm.

Yang: I am shocked. Who is to say I am 'not patriotic enough'?

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