Preferential vs Discriminatory

In the book "In Good Faith" by Zaid Ibrahim (the former de facto law minister, who resigned as minister after the detention under ISA of Sin Chew's reporter Tan Hoon Cheng, Teresa Kok and RPK), there are these examples which clearly show the difference between Preferential policies and Discriminatory policies.

Discriminatory Policies

1) 5% discount for Bumiputera or Malay purchaser in a housing scheme is discriminatory

2) The requirement of a 51% equity stake to be held by Bumiputera or Malays in law firm before they are eligible to carry out work for a bank.

3) Requirements that companies must have 51% or 100% shares held by Bumiputera or Malays before they are eligible to bid for government contracts.

4) Only Malays can be promoted or hold certain positions in the civil service.

5) Only consider application for licenses of transport company comprises "X" number of Bumiputera employees or has "Y" per cent of Bumiputera equity.


Preferential Policies

1)Quota for recruitment of Bumiputera into the civil service is permitted under the Federal Constitution. However, if the Malays already make up 85% of the civil service, the present quota becomes untenable and unreasonable.

2) It is permissible, for the purposes of bringing more Malays into the civil service, to have lower admission criteria.

3) If there is a need to increase Bumiputera participation in the transport business, more licenses should be granted to Bumiputera