THE government has to be prepared to take criticisms from scholars openly to show there is positive change, said Universiti Malaya lecturer Prof Kamal Salih.

The academic from UM’s Economics and Administration Faculty said the former Barisan Nasional government had often buried criticism whenever their decisions did not deliver the desired results.

“A government needs to be able to take criticism. The last government tried to bury criticism. When the statistics showed numbers in the negative, they said don’t publish them.

“But it was all for change. Whatever that is not right, we have to accept it and find ways to solve it. We must tolerate criticism.

“The role of intellectuals, academics and scholars is to criticise the government. The goal is knowledge,” he said.

Kamal was speaking to the media after a discourse series on shaking up the mental revolution of the Malay-Bumiputera at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi today.

He said there should not be a New Economic Policy (NEP) that focused on one race in its current form.

The policy, he said, should focus on the needs of the bottom 40 that earned less than an average monthly income of RM3,860, regardless of their race.

“To me, the NEP should not exist in its current form. It should not be race-based but needs-based, meaning the B40 group regardless of whether they are Malay, Chinese or Indian.

“We have to focus on everyone. The gap between the poor and the rich has to be addressed because failing to do so can lead to political instability,” he said.

On the mental revolution of the Malay-Bumiputera, Kamal said the mentality of the race was still restricted and negative, even though from other aspects the Malays are seen to be open.

“Why are we – from the mentality, attitude and mindset point of view – still restricted and insecure? We have no courage, we blame others and not ourselves… everything is negative.”

Kamal questioned why there were still issues of morality, ethics and racial relations.

“So this mental revolution needs to be restudied. What worked and what failed and where are we heading?”

However, he also noted some positive changes like how Malays are accepting global issues more openly, and have ventured into various occupations.

“There have been changes, like how Malays are willing to go into business. In the past, they didn’t.

“When they wanted to find work in the past, the Malays only had two choices – work for the government or join the army. Now the Malays are more open.” – October 10, 2018.