Business is an interesting topic, because it really haunts both the government and UMNO. I remembered the days when those entrusted to help Bumiputera business doesnt know much about the nitty gritty of business. Then i remembered how new townships effectively allow business among bumiputera to flourish. Then i recalled the success of Arkam in stimulating their economic organ to its climax and we all know the recipe for success in business. with Arkam, it is support and tenacity.
I do understand how they try the strategy of positive intervention. I single out shah alam. To make life easier i focus on visible business, where goods, services and money change hands.
There i see markets filled with Bumiputera traders. Yes they sell fish, vegetables, sundry goods and foods. They serve certain portion of people spending. A household may spend like RM300 a month. A market that serve 2,000 houses will see RM300x2,000 or RM600,000 changing hands, and that much money will be shared by the 20 to 30 traders as their turnover.
There i see restaurants. Of course the Bumiputera lose out to Mamak. Quite understandable because mamak has been in this business for a long-long time. They have operated in some form of franchise, where as the Bumiputera hasnt. A family may spend lets say RM300 a month on eating out. Again RM600,000 will change hands.
There i see workshops, where vehicles are sent for regular repairs and services. At RM300 a month, again RM 600,000 will go to traders.
There i see a school, where uniforms and t-shirts are bought new every year. I know millions of ringgits change hands.
There i see government and factory workers wearing uniforms. I know that cost millions of ringgit just to paint naked body of workers white, green, blue or red.
There i see insurance bill board along the road. I know the millions drained from that community.
I was discussing with a friend about setting up a factory recently. It should be up soon. During the discussion we were estimating the number of flags small and big sold. We smile at our estimate because it was huge!
Back to the so called economic drive for bumiputeras; personally i reckon class F license failed to capture the essence of trade or business. It make me sad to know that billion dollar developmental expenditure continuously fail at grooming real and die hard business people or simply traders. For a simple rule of thumb, dont forget to look at where money change hands whereever they are.
