GOM SLIPS ON BANANA PEEL: MORE FIGHTING OVER SHARE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUALA LUMPUR 002133 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE PASS USTR FOR B. WEISEL, J. JENSEN, AND A. MAIN STATE PASS USDA/FAS FOR ITP/AAD TREASURY FOR OASIA COMMERCE FOR 4430/MAC/EAP/BAKER STATE PASS FEDERAL RESERVE SAN FRANCISCO T. CURRAN GENEVA FOR USTR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EFIN EINV ETRD PREL MY SUBJECT: GOM SLIPS ON BANANA PEEL: MORE FIGHTING OVER SHARE OWNERSHIP REF: A. KUALA LUMPUR 930 ¶B. KUALA LUMPUR 1942 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The debate sparked by a think-tank report claiming that Malaysia had exceeded a key affirmative action target for the majority Malay population continues to rage, despite the government's attempts to quell it. By now several methodologies have been floated for calculating the share of Malaysia's wealth owned by each of its three races, a number of different figures have been bandied about, and the government has embarrassed itself more than once with hastily-made, easily-rebutted claims. Speaking to the UMNO general assembly this week, the Prime Minister once again criticized the think tank's conclusions as "grossly incorrect" and reaffirmed his commitment to the programs, but left himself some space by announcing that the "spirit" of the programs would be continued until 2020, Malaysia's target date for becoming a fully developed country. Other UMNO leaders stepped up to the plate with proposals to raise the 30% target for bumiputera (ethnic Malay) ownership and extend the timeframe for the preferences, while railing against all who dare question the Malay entitlements. The UMNO assembly, held by Malays for Malays, is not the place to look for new ideas about affirmative action, but if nothing else the debate this week suggests that awareness for a new approach is growing. End summary. -------------- BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. (U) The fight began in late September when Malaysiakini.com, a local Internet news service, published a brief article on a study published by ASLI, a local think-tank, and drafted by a former World Bank senior economist, arguing that bumiputera corporate equity had reached 45%, exceeding the government's target figure of 30%. The official government figure of 18.9% is used to justify the continuation of preference policies beyond their original 1990 expiration date (reftels). This cable reports on the continuing debate over these numbers and the implications for Malaysia's long-standing preference system for ethnic Malays and other indigenous peoples (the bumiputera program). Post will report other issues debated at the UMNO assembly septel. -------------- HASTY CLAIMS -------------- ¶3. (U) Despite the government's efforts to quell the debate, critics of the bumiputera policies have continued to demand that the GoM's Economic Policy Unit (EPU) disclose the methodology it used to arrive at the 18.9% figure. However, when the EPU finally released its general guidelines and underlying assumptions, it only added fuel to the fire. Press reports quoted Economic Planning Minister Effendi Norwawi defending the EPU's methodology by claiming it was "recognized by international financial bodies such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Asian Development Bank." Former World Bank Senior Economist Dr. Lim, the chief author of the ASLI report, promptly refuted Effendi's claim of World Bank endorsement. This was followed by another article on Malaysiakini.com with the author listed simply as "World Bank Speaks," explaining in some detail why the EPU methodology was flawed. -------------- ABOUT-FACE -------------- ¶4. (U) In a further embarrassment for the government, Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Awang Adek briefed parliament on the dispute and offered his Ministry's calculation that bumiputera equity ownership had reached 36.64%. Effendi publicly reversed Awang Adek's statement six days later, reaffirming the EPU's original figure of 18.9%. The EPU figure is now enshrined as the official government figure. -------------- RULING PARTY UP IN ARMS -------------- KUALA LUMP 00002133 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) As different parties continued to put their spin on the issue, the UMNO General Assembly took up the debate. Press reports include speech after speech addressing the controversy: -- Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi referred to others' calls for a "more transparent, effective mechanism" that was "implemented efficiently, monitored closely, and accompanied by a detailed and comprehensive impact assessment." Abdullah argued that not enough time had passed to achieve the program's goals, called the Asli report "grossly incorrect," and claimed that questioning the methodology was "the same as accusing the government of lying." More reasonably, he suggested the current debate was about "process rather than philosophy and objectives." He announced that the government would "focus on reducing the income gap between the races," which he said was "a prerequisite for sustainable development." -- UMNO Youth Representative Reezal Merican Naina Merican called Asli's research "shallow" and, in keeping with Malay traditions of not questioning leaders, called on the government to ignore the demands of the Barisan National component parties who have "joined in the fray in questioning the government's methodologies," an act which he said "not only insulted us but assumed that the government lied about the figures." -- Dr. Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail, UMNO Kedah Delegate, declared, "UMNO believes that so long as the NEP (the bumiputera preference programs and goals) is not fulfilled, that's how long we will continue." -- Rizalman Mokhtar, UMNO Federal Territory Delegate, lamented that Malays had "always fared poorly" on economy and education compared to other races. He criticized high level mismanagement in government-owned companies, and condemned the "abuse of power with bumiputeras taking advantage of the policies for selfish interests and peronal gains." He called for investigations into corruption and public disclosure of the findings. -- Maulizan Bujang, UMNO Johor Delegate, announced, "UMNO Johor believes that the Malays must be helped without the stipulation of an end to its (the bumiputera action program's) duration. It should also not be limited to just 30 percent but up to any amount." -- Jamius Aziz, UMNO Negeri Sembilan Delegate, complained, "What they (Malaysian Chinese) have is more than us. UMNO must be relentless in pursuing the increase of bumiputera corporate equity. Sixty percent of the population are Malays and bumiputera. We don't have to put an end to the duration or limit the percentage because the Malay civilisation just began whereas the Chinese and Indian civilisations have been around for hundreds of years." -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: By now there has been so much discussion of various methodologies, and so many numbers have been bandied about, that even a few UMNO politicians appear to be in doubt as to whether the original target many have been reached, as evidenced by their calls to raise the goal to more than 30% and extend the timeframe indefinitely. Another alternative some outside analysts are suggesting is to place upper income limits on bumiputera preference programs so that the help actually reaches the needy instead of the powerful bumis who currently are taking the lion's share of the benefits. Finally, there is the approach laid out in the Ninth Malaysia Plan (and largely ignored this week) which seeks to end hard core poverty regardless of race (while noting that bumiputeras experience higher poverty rates than other groups). The UMNO assembly, held by Malays for Malays, is not the place to look for new ideas about affirmative action, but the debate this week suggests that awareness of the need for a new approach is growing. LAFLEUR