why can’t the Malays be more like the Chinese?

Tun Dr Mahathir’s father was born in India.

90% of the tax is paid by the non-Malays and 10% by the Malays, says Tun Dr Mahathir.

But 10% of the scholarships must go to the non-Malays and 90% to the Malays. And when they propose to change this to 40% for the non-Malays and 60% for the Malays, the Malays raise a hue and cry.

When asked, after he had retired on 1 November 2003, what was his greatest regret; Tun Dr Mahathir replied that his greatest regret is not being able to change the Malays in the 22 years that he was Prime Minister of Malaysia. Tun Dr Mahathir once lamented: why can’t the Malays be more like the Chinese?