THE PUBLIC outrage at Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for his remark relating to the low number of non-bumiputras in the armed forces has yielded some positive responses. First it caused the nation to focus on the well-known fact that there are few non-bumiputras in the armed forces as well as their low turnout at recruitment centres. Last year for instance only 1.2% of the recruits were non-bumiputras. There used to be a time when there was a large number of pilots, engineers, technicians and doctors who were non-bumiputras. What has happened to change all that?
It must be in complete despair that Ahmad Zahid had lashed out with the stinging remark. If only a trickle of non-bumiputras are entering the armed forces there must be a reason especially when we know that they were there in bigger numbers a few decades ago.
Another positive response is that a better attempt is going to be made to recruit the non-bumiputras. While doing so there should, of course, be no compromise on the quality of the recruits. And because of the publicity given to the dearth of non-bumiputras in the armed forces, the whole country now expects them to come forward to be recruited. And they must if the country is to have a fighting force we can truly call national and a force we can all be proud of. And when they leave in a contingent to serve as part of a larger international peace keeping force overseas the whole country watches with pride as they march out to their carriers.
But while the country tries to unravel the mystery behind the low number of non-bumiputras in the armed forces, it must also mull over their scarcity in the other branches of government as well. The racial composition of the civil service, for instance, does not reflect the true character of multiracial Malaysia.
The teaching service could do with a few thousand more non-bumiputras to make it truly reflective of the national service. While it matters in terms of national unity, yet what is more important is the meaningful contribution they can make to education at the primary and secondary levels.
The country’s education standard was certainly better a few decades ago when it was served by a truly multiracial corps of teachers. It is indeed sad that even at the tertiary level there is a dearth of non-bumiputra teachers. We must change the trend. Let’s make 1Malaysia a truly inclusive concept and the way we do things in this country.
