According to statement of the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (as reported in Bernama), there are some 60,000 Siamese in the peninsular, who are categorised as Bumiputeras and enjoy Bumiputera rights like the Malays. Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri further said that the Siamese have been living along the border of Thailand with Kelantan, Kedah, Perlis and Perak and had lived in the country for a long time.
He urged all quarters to understand the Siamese citizenship status and their Bumiputera rights.
In regards the said statement, I would like to applaud the government for recognizing the rights and status of local Siamese in our country. The grant of citizenship and Bumiputera status is certainly justified in view of the local Siamese contribution to our country development after a long time.
On the same note, it is hope that the government would consider categorizing all Malaysians born in Malaysia as “Bumiputera” in the near future, disregarding their ancestors’ country of origin.
Many Malaysian family, such as Chinese and Indian, have lived in this country for more than 100 years. They have contributed to our country’s development, including assistance in liberalizing our country from the Bristish Empire in 1957.
Most of them have not even step their foot on their ancestors’ country of origin and may not even have contacts with any person in their ancestors’ country of origin. To them, the only country associated to their life is Malaysia.
As such, I hope that the government would consider categorizing all non-Malay Malaysians as “Bumiputera” if:-
1. they are born in Malaysia; and
2. their parents and grandparents are Malaysians.
I believe this move would be in the spirit of our Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Tun Razak’s “1Malaysia” concept. The recognition of non-Malay’s status as “Bumiputera” would definitely be the best appraisal by the Barisan Nasional government for the contribution of non-Malay to our country’s development after a long period of time.
In time, the difference of race of Malaysians would no longer be a barrier towards the unity of our country. There would no longer be the issue of any race discrimination in our country.
