Friday, March 02, 2007

You say this and he says that....

First and foremost, I am not a racist. I have friends of many races and do visit them during their celebrations. Even when i play golf my flight is sometimes multi racial. I think this issue has been brought up so many times till i've lost track. All I can say is there will always be disgruntled feeling between bumi's and non bumi's. Looking at it, its normal for a non bumi owned company to give preferance to their non bumi staff, and vice versa. I've seen companies that employ only 1 bumi staff, itupun as their tea lady or receptionist. The same goes for a bumi owned company. Usually their finance people will be non bumi.

Let me give you an example. I used to work in the port. The port was (and still is) owned by a non bumi (the only port in the country). I joined as a Management Trainee, the batch consisted of 12 guys. 1 Chinese, 3 malays, 1 mamak and the rest Indians) all were qualified. Had degrees and working experience. In 2 years time the Indians were promoted to Managers, while the rest of us had to go to the process of climbing up the ranks the old fashioned way, naik exec then senior exec then Asst Manager only then Manager. I felt this was bloody unfair, but what can you do? you confront them and that bthey would say they would recieve the same treatment if they had worked in a bumi company.

I'm not saying that if we bumi's work in bumi company we would get special treatment, thats a misconception. I've suffered working in a bumi company and I have enjoyed working in achinese company. Or is it because we as bumi's have the right to get a fair deal? Then how do we solve this issue? Is it even solvable? Sometimes I dread what kind of future my kids are going to have.

He says this...

Umno Youth slams Fong over neglect of Bumi grads

01 Mar 2007



SHAH ALAM: Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn was lambasted yesterday for neglecting unemployed Bumiputera graduates.

Umno Youth Public Complaints Bureau chairman Datuk Subahan Kamal said many graduates had resorted to driving taxis as they could not find employment in the private sector.

He said the ministry had to assume responsibility for their plight.

"We have highlighted the matter to the ministry before but officials have chosen to sweep the problem under the carpet," he told reporters after highlighting allegations of discrimination against Bumiputera employees by Giant Hypermarket in Shah Alam.

He said the ministry should enforce a 30 per cent quota for Bumiputeras at all levels in the private sector and ensure that locals were given preference over foreigners.

Workers at the hypermarket complained that foreigners were being favoured over locals and that locals received lower wages.

They had also claimed that there were few opportunities for career advancement in the company.

The letter, sent to the Prime Minister’s Department, also alleged there were no Bumiputeras in top management positions in the company.

Giant Retail (M) Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Datuk John Coyle, who had earlier met Subahan over the matter, told reporters that 80 per cent of staff in the company were Bumiputeras.

He said there were 123 Bumiputeras in lower and middle management with three in top management positions.

Coyle said the company had to resort to foreigners for menial jobs.

However, the company was committed to increasing the number of Bumiputeras at managerial level.

Coyle added that 80 per cent of Giant’s customers were Bumiputeras and there was no discrimination against them.

"We have always preferred Bumiputeras over foreigners."

Subahan said his meeting with Coyle was fruitful and that some of the complaints raised by staff were unfounded.


And he says that.....


Bumi grads not left out, says Fong

02 Mar 2007



PUTRAJAYA: The Human Resources Minister has defended his efforts to help jobless Bumiputera graduates, and described criticism from Umno Youth as "unfair".

He said most of the students enrolled in retraining schemes are Bumiputeras. And Bumiputera youth also receive the highest number of retraining loans given out by the ministry’s Skills Development Fund.

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn said the ministry had done its "level best" to help unemployed graduates through retraining schemes, industrial training institutes and by offering loans.

"We don’t distinguish between Bumiputeras and others, but it so happens that the vast majority of those who take up our retraining programmes and loans are Malays," he said.

Fong said that about 50,000 people have attended retraining programmes in information technology, English proficiency and other skills since 2001, and 96 per cent were Malays.

Some 500,000 youths had received loans from the Skills Development Fund, of which 95 per cent were Malays. And more than 90 per cent of applicants to the industrial training institutes each year are Malays.

"At our job fairs, the interviews we organise for job-seekers are largely attended by Malays," Fong added.

"The criticism is unfair, but I will ask my officers to hold a dialogue with Umno Youth to see what exactly they are unhappy about."

He was responding to comments by Umno Youth Public Complaints Bureau chairman Datuk Subahan Kamal, who said the ministry was not doing enough to help jobless Bumiputera graduates find jobs in the private sector.

On Subahan’s call that the ministry impose a 30 per cent quota for Malays at all levels in the private sector, Fong said setting quotas did not come under the ministry’s purview.

"It’s not our responsibility to impose quotas," he said, adding that although there was no policy on Bumiputera employment in the private sector, the vast majority of workers in places like hypermarkets were Bumiputera youths.

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