THE MALAY DILEMMA

EVEN THE MALAYS DON'T BELIEVE IN THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

I was recently approach by a large Malaysian steel manufacturing company to conduct a training programme on Cost Reduction and Control. Before accepting, I request for the details of the participants and was told that they are supervisors and production personnels, largely Malays. I was inform to converse in Bahasa Malaysia because most of the participants are weak in English, which I believe would not be a problem as I do speak reasonable good Bahasa Malaysia.

When I was told that I should prepare the notes in Bahasa Malaysia, I inform the sponsor that it is not advisable as many of the terms could not be intepreted in Bahasa. I believe, that we should make an attempt to provide the Malay participants an opportunity to learn English and at the same time, if they did not understand, I would interpret in Bahasa to help them understand. To my astonishment, the HR of the organization commented that "their people are quite stupid and won't learn." I told her that we should not look down on our own employees but should make every attempt to educate them and make them better and prepare them to meet the challenges that they would have to face eventually.

I am saddened by the attitude of the management people of that organization who do not believe in its own people especially, most of them are bumiputeras. Why can't the Bumi managers give an opportunity to the fello Bumi subordinates to learn and enhance themselves. If the Bumis' can't believe on their own people, how do you expect others to help them? I take pride in making attempts to help educate the Bumis, but can the Bumis' also do it for their own? I do believe not all Bumi managers behave the same way as this particular manager and I do hope that the management of this steel mill will take action on those managers who despise their own employees. That steel mill is losing a lot of money and I can understand the reason as they have such kind of managers. God bless the boss and the shareholders who are Malaysians. I think the Govt of Malaysia is also a majority shareholder. I won't comment! GLC shit!!!!! We change CEOs of Telekom, TNB, Khazanah - those that are still not too bad in terms of return on investment. What about those GLC and Quasi-GLC, those who are on the brink of failure and closure???? Pak-Lah, are you seeing the big picture, the right picture?