'It's like reading the constitution based on Article 153 alone, while ignoring every other clause. And many Malays seem to buy this idea.'

Law expert pokes holes into Gaps' argument

David Dass: It is reassuring for Malaysians to have outstanding law academics like Abdul Aziz Bari and Azmi Sharom speak up on issues affecting the nation. We may not agree with all of their views but they bring scholarship and intelligence to the public discourse.

Views expressed by people like Pembela's Yusri Abdullah, Perkasa's Ibrahim Ali, Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria and now Gaps leave us gasping in horror and incredulity, and we are fortunate to have these views off set by the learned opinion of these experts.

Positions taken by the so-called champions of Malays and Islam are expressed as if we are all engaged in a zero-sum game where the winner takes all. That is not how a nation is built and how a civilisation advances.

Gaps is wrong in their interpretation of the constitution. The constitution does not say that non-Malays will not be given scholarships. It specifically says that Malays will be entitled to special assistance to secure their position in the country and some of the ways would be through scholarships and quotas for civil service appointments.

One must remember the context in which these provisions were negotiated and agreed upon. The non-Malays were then about equal in number to the Malays. The Malays were mainly rural dwellers and did not have the same access to English language schools that the more urban Chinese and some Indians had.

And the fear was that the Malays, without protection, would be excluded from everything. These provisions were not meant to exclude the non-Malays. It was to address the handicap the rural Malays faced.

Groups like Perkasa, Pembela and now Gaps will have to face up to the fact that non-Malays are equal tax-paying citizens of Malaysia.

Jiminy Qrikert: Many prominent Malay academicians have already accepted that there has been an evolution of 'Malay special position' to 'Malay special rights' to 'Malay special privileges' and now to 'Malay supremacy'.

Abdul Aziz is just one amongst the Malay intelligentsia who have accepted that this is blatant discrimination against the non-Malays and they are trying to help Malays see that the continued denial of more equitable rights to non-Malays will eventually lead to Malays losing out as the country suffers a rapid increase in brain drain of not just non-Malays but also good Malays as well.

Dark Archon: This is a hopeless cause. It's like reading the constitution based on Article 153 alone, while ignoring every other clause. And many Malays seem to buy this idea. To many non-Malays, this is just disheartening.

Frankly, I guess the brain drain will just keep happening till the day where there are few non-Malays left. By then, I hope all Malays out there are happy because they will be ‘supreme' in this country alright, ‘supreme' over no one else.

Lynn: I really believe that our lawmakers must be given a thorough lesson in the constitution for some of them appear to have a gift of making up their own versions. Sad.

Big gap in Gaps' logic on scholarships

Anonymous: Isn't it time the Malays learn to stand on their own two feet? Why indeed should our tax money go only to scholarships for the Malays? This is ridiculous.

If so, I agree with a comment to have separate income tax so Malays can pay their own and non-Malays likewise. Taking non-Malays' money to pay for the Malays is like ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul'.

We are all Malaysians. What we want is fairness and a Malaysia for all. Is that too much to ask? We have every right to be here as anyone else. Enough of double standards.

The more the Malays are protected and spoon-fed, the more helpless they will be. They must learn to fish and not be given fish daily. Remove the crutches and they will be strong.

Don't underestimate their strengths. Treat them like invalids and they will stay invalids forever.

Fairplayer: While the ‘special position' of the Malays/bumis was mentioned, I don't believe that was meant to be carried out at the expense of those who do well, be it academically or otherwise.

The ‘special position' is not a licence for the Malays to lord it over the non-Malays. Neither is it a licence to oppress/suppress the non-Malays who have worked hard. The hardworking Malaysians deserve their dues, regardless of their ethnicity. Gaps, go get some education.

Wfworker: By begging for out-right cash assistance, this is prided as ‘maruah' and ‘ketuanan' as defined by Gaps.

Even as a reader, I feel ashamed. It only reflect how far down the Zimbabwe way we have gone. Remember the police officer who was jailed for using Robert Mugabe's loo. This appear the very thinking of such characters, and we all know the leadership behind this.

If the majority of this nation still support such people, then this nation deserves to go down the road that Zimbabwe has taken.

BTN: Gaps and Perkasa is making the Malays malu (embarrassed) by their demands, even though majority of Malays are not associated with them. They are telling the world that because they are Malays, they are entitled to this and that.

Unless they say ‘tak nak' to these groups and reject them openly, they will never be respected in the world for what they have achieved.

Ablastine: If really the Umno government follow Gaps' suggestion of giving all scholarships to Malays only, I am pretty sure that the non-Malays will immediately stop paying taxes to the government.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .