Malaysia rebukes EU envoy over race policy remark

Kuala Lumpur, June 24: Malaysia has accused a European Union envoy of meddling in its affairs after he criticised Kuala Lumpur's affirmative action plan favouring majority ethnic Malays, a newspaper said today.

The European Commission's chief representative to Malaysia, Thierry Rommel, said on Thursday Malaysia should roll back its 37-year-old New Economic Policy (NEP), which gives privileges in businesses, jobs and education to Malays.

Rommel said it was discriminatory and amounted to protectionism.

Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak hit back at Rommel, saying he had overstepped diplomatic boundaries.

''Once we make a comment on the policies of a country where we serve as an envoy, it means we are meddling in its internal affairs,'' the New Sunday Times quoted Najib as saying.

''What he did was against the normally accepted practices,'' Najib told reporters, adding that Malaysia's foreign ministry would consider the next course of action against Rommel.

But the diplomat said he was not trying to meddle in Malaysia's internal affairs. ''Even if it is seen by some as domestic interference, it is not my intention nor rationale,'' he said.

Rommel said on Thursday Malaysia was using the NEP, aimed at helping politically dominant but economically weak Malays, as an excuse to practise ''significant protectionism of its own market'', including the auto, steel and agriculture sectors.

''Malaysia claims these are 'infant' industries that need to be protected but in reality ... it is the Malay-centred policy that drives protectionist policies,'' the daily quoted Rommel as saying in his speech to businessmen.

Malays form just over half of Malaysia's 26 million people, with ethnic Chinese and Indians forming sizeable minorities.

Rommel also said the NEP could complicate the EU's free-trade talks with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Malaysia is a member.

The talks are due to open in Vietnam next month, the New Sunday Times said.

REUTERS >