Should Malaysia’s Bumiputera policy be scrapped?

Half a million people are expected to take to the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia's biggest opposition party, UMNO, is organising a rally in protest against a UN convention the government has considered ratifying. It's known as ICERD, or the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Malaysia is one of only 14 nations that have not ratified. That’s because in 1969, economic disparity led to deadly riots between ethnic Malays and Chinese. In response, the government introduced what it called the New Economic Policy. It gave preferential treatment to ethnic Malays, known as Bumiputera, and is a source of ethnic tensions today. After the Chinese-led Democratic Action Party entered government earlier this year, there was talk of introducing full equality. But standing in its way, is the Malay-dominated party which led the country for almost six decades - UMNO. Guests: Charles Santiago Member of Parliament for the Democratic Action Party Keith Leong Political analyst and the Head of Research at KRA group Lokman Adam UMNO Supreme Council Member #Bumiputera #Malaysia #MalaysiaDebate