In Malaysia, ex-Proton CEO’s self-reliance sermon spurs backlash: ‘spare us’

The man who once presided over one of Malaysia’s most heavily protected companies has told Malays to stop relying on the state

A call from the former CEO of Proton for Malays to abandon a “mentality of waiting for aid” has been met with ridicule online, with social media users pointing to the national carmaker’s own long history of government support.

Speaking on Sunday at the inaugural Musyawarah Nasional (National Discourse) dialogue platform founded by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Tahir said Malays needed to replace this perceived reliance on handouts with initiative.

“Go for whatever you want. Don’t wait, my father taught me this,” he said.

Syed, now a non-executive chairman of investment holding company and technology provider Dagang NeXchange, said he believed Malays were no longer seeking “freebies” but fair opportunities, adding that they should stop blaming external systems for economic struggles without confronting the community’s own shortcomings.

The remarks landed with a thud online, where commentators pointed out that Proton itself had spent decades insulated by state backing, protectionist policies and financial assistance.