Report

Affirmative action in Malaysia – Costs and benefits

“Malaysia was shocked into taking affirmative action seriously by race riots in 1969. Their three-pronged approach to affirmative action in ownership, employment and poverty alleviation has been successful in reducing ethnic inequalities while achieving substantial economic
growth over the past twenty five years. Tension now evident between the different strands of affirmative action policy has yet to be resolved. Malaysia should thus be seen as a model for South Africans to learn from rather than to emulate.”