Why aren't more Malays successful despite NEP? Dr Mahathir compares culture to centuries of 'wealth-chasing' by Chinese

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today attributed the failure of the country's affirmative policies to produce more successful Malay entrepreneurs to a lack of "wealth-chasing culture" that he said the ethnic Chinese have benefited from.

Responding to common misperceptions of more successful Chinese businessmen than Malays during the National Development Policy (NDP) which he introduced, Dr Mahathir explained that it all depended on one's capabilities when given the opportunity to succeed.

"I selected people who have shown talent and they are given the opportunity but they did not succeed as the Chinese because they have just familiarised themselves in this field.

"The Chinese have a culture spanning some 2,000 years to chase wealth and success. The Malays just entered the fray when we had the new policy introduced. If I provide the opportunity for success to someone who has never experienced success, there is a big chance they might fail," he said in the Keluar Sekejap podcast.

The NDP was meant to replace the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1990 but continued to pursue most NEP policies of affirmative action for Bumiputera Malays.

While denying the NEP was a total failure, he admitted that it failed in the aspect of promoting entrepreneurship but argued that it still successfully empowered the Malays with knowledge to succeed.

“The model is alright but the culture of the Malays is difficult to change.

“That is why even though we introduced various policies to develop them, they are still influenced by their (apathetic) culture,” he said of the Malays culture of “lacking enthusiasm to work hard and (being) content with what they have”.

He also conceded it was impossible to allocate all resources to just the Malays and neglect others such as the non-Malays as it would doom Malaysia to a failed state.

“We need to give opportunities, but we have to admit that they (non-Malays) had far more success when given the chance,” Dr Mahathir said.

When asked who were the most outstanding Malaysian entrepreneurs in terms of success, Dr Mahathir named Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Shah Albukhary.