Discrimination Policy by GLC

It’s not just Maybank
Posted in Malaysiakini by
CH OngMay 9, 07 2:33pm

Maybank issues

Maybank's policy that legal firms must have at least 50 percent bumiputera equity in order to qualify for appointment to it's panel of lawyers is similar to that being practised by other GLCs over the years.

However the other GLCs do not announce their discriminatory policies. They simply implement such policies.

Petronas Discriminatory Policies.
I have not come across Petronas service stations being operated by non-bumiputeras.

I am a non-bumiputera professional in private practice without a bumiputera partner and my professional services are not welcomed by Petronas. Because of Petronas' discriminatory policies I have stopped patronising Petronas service stations. If only all non-bumiputera Malaysians stopped patronising Petronas service stations, then perhaps the Petronas management will rethink their discriminatory policies.

Boustead's property division discriminatory policies

I used to buy petrol from BP service stations but since BP has been bought over by Boustead, I have stopped patronising them. I don't even know what they are called now. The reason is that I found out Boustead's property division also practised discriminatory policies when appointing consultants. In the early eighties, when Sime Darby's property division was headed by a non-bumiputera (an Indian gentleman), I was appointed to provide professional services. As soon as bumiputeras took over, my services were no longer welcomed and required.

Also in the early eighties my company was a customer to bumiputera company. This company was an associate company of Island and Peninsula. However when I approached Island and Peninsula with the intention of getting my company registered as a provider of professional services, I was told clearly that my services were not welcome because my company did not have any bumiputera partners. I then did some research and discovered that generally the so-called GLC property companies being run by bumiputeras practise discriminatory policies. Since then I have never considered buying any property from such companies. All the above are facts which I am aware of. All these GLCs may well be practising other discriminatory policies which I am not aware of and which I shall not speculate on.

I have been a customer of Maybank, for both banking and credit card services, for more than 25 years. Since Maybank has decided to openly practise discriminatory policies, I have also decided to take steps to terminate my accounts with Maybank, and I shall definitely let them know my reason for terminating my accounts. I believe that if all non-bumiputeras let all these GLCs know how they feel about their discriminatory policies, by way of action and not just words, then perhaps they will not be so arrogant.

Gerakan Youth chief Mah Siew Keong's statement: "In many smaller towns, a lot of lawyers are a one-man show. If the 50 percent bumiputera equity (policy) is enforced, then it means all those lawyers operating alone will not be allowed to do any work for the bank," only shows that he is weak and dare not condemn outright Maybank's discriminatory policy.

Is he suggesting that in big towns and cities where most legal firms are partnerships rather than one-man shows, it is then OK for Maybank to practice it's discriminatory policy?

Source:
Posted in Malaysiakini byCH OngMay 9, 07 2:33p
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/66999
The above comment was extracted from Malaysiakini website, Letter to Malaysiakini.

Malaysia Blogger has not verified whether the above claim is correct but it is subjected to the readers to think for themself and make their own judgement.