Quora Answer: Will Singapore Love It if Malaysia Ends the Ketuanan Melayu Policy?

The following is my answer to a Quora question: “Will Singapore love it if Malaysia ends its Ketuanan Melayu policy?” 

Ending Ketuanan Melayu would benefit Malaysia.  This could spur Malaysia’s development, and that would benefit Singapore.  However, this development is not a given since the consequences of Ketuanan Melayu, such as endemic corruption, this warlord culture in politics, and nepotism will not be automatically dismantled.  It is a start, but it is not enough. 

In the meantime, however, Ketuanan Melayu has actually benefited Singapore.  Ketuanan Melayu is a stupid policy.  It needlessly disenfranchise a large segment of the population.  This has lead to a brain drain of non-Malays, and Singapore has directly benefited from that over the last 60 years.  Many of our foreign talent came from Malaysia, Indians, Chinese, Eurasians and others.  This has lead to a stagnation of national development, and the more ambitious among the Malays have also come to Singapore. 

In summary, whether Ketuanan Melayu continues or ends, Singapore will find a way to benefit from it.  Malaysia can be a partner in ASEAN where we can work towards common goals, or it can choose to remain a sick man, and picked over for the choicest parts.