One wonders what ordinary Malays think of people like the Rural and Regional Development Minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob. He, like other Umno Baru politicians claim to protect the Malays. Instead of striving for excellence, Ismail pushes Malays in the race to attain rock-bottom standards.

He puts Malay youth at a disadvantage. He lowers standards so that Malays are not prepared for the real world of business. He does not allow the Malay mind to be stretched. All he does is to damn their future.

Early last month, Ismail suggested that the burden of bumiputera businessmen be reduced. He wanted Malay-owned businesses to be excluded from the strict requirements for obtaining a halal certificate.

Is he really so obtuse? The fact that a Malay firm has 100 percent Malay workers does not necessarily mean that the firm practices halal methods. Ismail is both reckless and irresponsible.

On one hand, we have the rapid Arabisation of the Malays, which has resulted in a dilution of the Malay culture. We cover ourselves with metres of material to protect our modesty, get the religious police to snoop on errant unmarried couples, and worry about statues being used as altars.

Malay children attend religious classes both in school and after school, but are excluded from attending moral classes. And yet, it is the Malay youth which is allegedly involved in drug crime, petty theft, and the dumping of unwanted babies.

The Malays are strictly controlled, and the minutiae of their behaviour is scrutinised. Along comes Ismail to declare that Malays who manufacture halal goods need not adhere to high standards. Provided that they religiously observe the rituals, the strict certification processes can be compromised.

Contrast the performance of the non-Malay businessman who applies for halal certification. He will have to stretch himself, perhaps struggle to learn about the methods demanded during manufacture. He may have to invest in new technology, or new equipment.

He goes over all sorts of hurdles, then learns from his mistakes and perfects his technique so that at the end of the application process, he has achieved his target, the halal certificate. His aim is to provide halal goods and services, to better serve the Muslim public. He may have spent much time and money, but has gained much from the experience.

Malay firms, according to Ismail, have limited capital and will find it hard to comply with the strict requirements. He also said that the strict regulations set by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) are a deterrent for Malay firms wanting a halal certificate. Is Ismail suggesting that the Malay trader need only employ a completely Malay workforce to get his halal certificate?

So, after decades of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and billions of ringgits pumped into affirmative action schemes to help the Malays, very few of them are inclined to apply for a halal certificate because it is burdensome. People like Ismail do not think that the NEP has failed the Malay.

Heavy emphasis on rituals

Remember the syariah-compliant airlines Rayani Air? Female cabin crew covered up and group prayers were diligently said before the safety briefing. There was heavy emphasis on rituals, but behind the scenes, Rayani had not paid its workers and allegedly did not observe the safety regulations.

Umno Baru’s policies have destroyed the Malays. Some teachers allege that the pass mark for Malay students is lowered in exams so that they can gain entry to the next tier of education.

The Malay family may rejoice at their child’s ‘success’, but in reality, the child is being lied to. He thinks he is good, when he isn’t. We are cheating the child of his future. He attends an overseas university and when he competes with others, including non-Malays and non-Malaysians, he finds he is not so brilliant, after all. Many suffer a breakdown. They are not used to competition, because all their lives, they have been told they are simply great!

The ordinary Malay family is given bog standard education. The Umno Baru élite send their children to be educated at an international school, or overseas. The children of the élite can build their mental capacity, stretch themselves, and learn to think. They also have the advantage of being fluent in English, unlike the local student who is afraid of speaking English, because of peer pressure.

Dumbing down the Malays can also destroy their reputations. Silent whispers accompany the Malays who do succeed on their own merits. Others will assume that the Malay got to the top not because of his own hard work, brains, and determination, but because he had the right cable, or bribed his way to the top.

The dumbing down of standards harms the Malays, and robs them of a bright future.

MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army and president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, Twitter.