PKR Youth ticks off KJ for saying quota system is an insult to Malays

PKR Youth ticked off Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin for saying that the quota system was viewed as an insult to Malays.

PKR Youth deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin said the quota system and affirmative action were intended to help those in need.

He added that it only became an “insult” when the system was abused by the ruling coalition.

“The insult to Malays is when there is widespread corruption, abuse of power and Umno leaders using the quota system for their own benefit as well as the leakages in the Umno-BN government.

“I stress that uplifting the Malays, particularly the needy, is not an insult but a necessity in maintaining and developing the country.

“A honest Malay agenda is an agenda that uplifts the Malays to be on par with the others,” he said.

Khairy had reportedly said at a Transformasi Nasional 2050 dialogue on Wednesday that the quota system should be viewed as an insult as it created the notion that Malays could only advance with it.

The minister envisioned a day where Malays could advance without such a system.

However, Afif said Khairy’s view was “shallow” and “inaccurate”.

Afif said the affirmative policies were created with the intention of promoting social justice and ensuring just economic distribution.

“Unfortunately, this wisdom, when managed by the corrupt and greedy, meant that this goal could not be achieved.

“Therefore it is inaccurate to say the quota system is considered an insult to Malays and bumiputera,” he said.

He emphasised the affirmative policies were to help the marginalised regardless of race or background, in the pursuit of happiness.

Afif said Khairy would do better to look into scandals such as 1MDB, Felda and Mara, which he said was the real insult to Malays as well as all Malaysians.- Mkini