在上周文章中，我讨论了英国殖民者的亲马来人政策促成了马来人至上意识形态。在独立时期发生的事件，编织成了我们历史上的一个篇章，以洗白、支持和合理化导致非马来人遭到排斥和马来人成为主导力量的政策。近日有关允许土著申请开放式汽车入口准证的新政策，再次提醒了我们，马来人至上意识形态，是多么根深蒂固。
维护马来社会利益下对他族歧视的官方认可，可追溯到负责起草这国家宪法的里德委员会。该委员会重点关注的领域之一就是与维护马来人特殊地位有关的事项。另一个关注点则是“联邦体制下的全民国籍”课题。（请参阅英殖民办公室，马来亚联邦宪法委员会1957年报告 ）
从该委员会的报告中我们看到，为马来人提供特别援助与维护“其他族群合法利益”的关注是一样的。这体现在宪法第153条文中。
马来西亚成立后宪法153条文现行版本如下：
153条文
(1) 国家元首有责任根据本条文的规定，维护马来人和沙巴及砂拉越各州土著的特殊地位以及其他族群的合法利益。
(2)除第40条及本条文的规定外，国家元首不受宪法其他规定限制，按必要的方式执行宪法及联邦法律赋予的职权，保护马来人与沙巴及砂拉越各州土著的特殊地位，并确保在公共服务的职位（州的公共服务除外）、奖学金、助学金及联邦政府给予或提供的其他类似教育训练特权或特别设施方面，为马来人与沙巴及砂拉越各州土著保留其认为合理的比例份额；并在联邦法律规定经营某种行业或商业需办理营业许可证或执照时，须依照该项法律及本条的规定，在许可证及执照方面，保留其认为合理的比例份额。
(3) 为保证按第153条文下（2）条款规定为马来人与沙巴及砂拉越各州土著保留在公共服务职位、奖学金、助学金及其他教育训练特权或特别设施方面的权利，国家元首可向任何适用于第10附表的委员会、负责颁发奖学金、助学金或负责提供其他教育或训练特权或特别设施的任何机关发出必要的指令；有关委员会或机关对于上述指令应遵照执行。
(4) 国家元首依据(1)条款至(3)条款行使本宪法与联邦法律赋予的职权时，不得剥夺任何人所担任的任何公职或继续获得的奖学金，展览摊位或其他教育或培训特权或特殊设施。
(5) 本条文不减削弱第136条文的规定。
(6）现存联邦法律规定经营某种行业或商业需办理许可证或执照时，国家元首可按宪法赋予的权力执行有关职能，或向负责颁发营业许可证或执照的法定机关发出指令，以保证为马来人与沙巴及砂拉越各州土著保留其认为合理份额的许可证或执照，有关机关对于上述指令必须遵行。
(7) 不得因本条文而剥夺或授权剥夺任何人已获得、享有或持有的任何权利、特权、许可证或执照，或者按正常情况应予更换或发给许可证或执照时，也不得因本条文而授权拒绝任何人更换或拒绝向其颁发许可证或执照，或者拒绝向任何经营者的子嗣、继承人或受让人颁发许可证或执照。
(8) 不论宪法有何规定，如果联邦法律规定经营某种行业或商业需办理许可证或执照时，法律可规定将一定份额的上述许可证或执照保留给马来人与沙巴及砂拉越土著，但任何上述法律不得为此而——
（a）剥夺或授权剥夺任何人已经获得、享有或持有的任何权利、特权、许可证或执照；
（b）依据该项法律的其他规定，按正常情况应予更换或颁发许可证或执照时，授权拒绝任何人更换许可证或执照，或拒绝向任何经营者的子嗣、继承人或受让人颁发许可证或执照，或阻止任何经营者将可转让的营业执照连同其所经营的行业或商业转让他人；
（c）如涉及以前不需要许可证或执照即可经营的行业或商业时，授权拒绝向在该项法律生效前夕已从事该行业或商业的经营者颁发许可证或执照，或者依照该项法律的其他规定，按正常情况应予更换或颁发许可证或执照时，授权拒绝任何经营者更换营业许可证或执照，或拒绝向任何经营者的子嗣、继承人或受让人颁发营业许可证或执照。
(8A)不论本宪法有何规定，马来西亚教育文凭或其等效文凭之后的教育体系如大学、学院或其他教育机构的管理当局，对院校提供于马来人及土著的任何学科的名额，因有资格申请者不足时，国家元首拥有法定权力依据本条文向有关当局发出必要的指令，以保证为马来人与沙巴及砂拉越土著保留其认为合理的入学名额，有关当局对于上述指令必须遵行。
(9)本条文不得单为马来人与沙巴及砂拉越州土著的保留权益而授权国会制定限制商业或行业的法规。
(9A)本条文所指的沙巴或砂拉越“土著”，其涵义与第161Ａ条文所指的涵义相同。
(10)各州州宪法，得制定与本条文相应的规定（及必要的调整）。
鉴于第153条文在维护马来人和其他土著的特殊地位方面取得了成功，现在的核心和根本问题是确保其在所有特定政策领域中保护非土著合法利益的规定得到落实。因此，正在实施的开放式汽车入口准证政策与第153条文具有相关性，并且具有开创一个非歧视新时代契机。
本系列的下一篇文章将讨论防止第153条文滥用举措，以及随之而来的争议。
林德宜《马来西亚宪法：平衡马来人和非马来人的权利》原文：Malaysian Constitution: Balancing Malay and Non-Malay Rights
In part one, I discussed British colonial pro Malay policies leading to the ketuanan Melayu ideology. What happened next during the independence period is a chapter in our history that has been subjected to cleansing to support and justify policies resulting in non Malay exclusion and Malay dominance. The latest policy tweak on open approved permits available only to bumiputra serves as a reminder of how entrenched the ketuanan Melayu ideology has become.
Officially sanctioned discrimination to support the Malay community can be said to have begun with the Reid Commission tasked with drafting the constitution of the new nation. Among the areas of concern that the Commission focused on was one related to the safeguarding of the special position of the Malays. Another related to the issue of “a common nationality for the whole of the Federation”. (See Colonial Office, Report of the Federation of Malaya Constitutional Commission 1957, London, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Colonial 330)
From the work of the commission we see that the concern to provide special assistance to the Malays was balanced with an equal concern to safeguard “the legitimate interests of the other communities”. This consideration found expression in provision Article 153 of the Constitution.
The current iteration of the article following the establishment of Malaysia reads
Article 153
(1) It shall be the responsibility of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to safeguard the special position of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, but subject to the provisions of Article 40 and of this Article, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall exercise his functions under this Constitution and federal law in such manner as may be necessary to safeguard the special provision of the Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and to ensure the reservation for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of such proportion as he may deem reasonable of positions in the public service (other than the public service of a State) and of scholarships, exhibitions and other similar educational or training privileges or special facilities given or accorded by the Federal Government and, when any permit or licence for the operation of any trade or business is required by federal law, then, subject to the provisions of that law and this Article, of such permits and licences.
(3) The Yang di-Pertuan Agong may, in order to ensure in accordance with Clause (2) the reservation to Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak of positions in the public service and of scholarships, exhibitions and other educational or training privileges or special facilities, give such general directions as may be required for that purpose to any Commission to which Part X applies or to any authority charged with responsibility for the grant of such scholarships, exhibitions or other educational or training privileges or special facilities; and the Commission or authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(4) In exercising his functions under this Constitution and federal law in accordance with Clauses (1) to (3) the Yang di-Pertuan Agong shall not deprive any person of any public office held by him or of the continuance of any scholarship, exhibition or other educational or training privileges or special facilities enjoyed by him.
(5) This Article does not derogate from the provisions of Article 136.
(6) Where by existing federal law a permit or licence is required for the operation of any trade or business the Yang di-Pertuan Agong may exercise his functions under that law in such manner, or give such general directions to any authority charged under that law with the grant of such permits or licences, as may be required to ensure the reservation of such proportion of such permits or licences for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak as the Yang di- Pertuan Agong may deem reasonable, and the authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(7) Nothing in this Article shall operate to deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him or to authorised a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of a person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.
(8) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, where by any federal law any permit or licence is required for the operation of any trade or business, that law may provide for the reservation of a proportion of such permits or licences for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak; but no such law shall for the purpose of ensuring such a reservation -
(a) deprive or authorise the deprivation of any person of any right, privilege, permit or licence accrued to or enjoyed or held by him;
(b) authorise a refusal to renew to any person any such permit or licence or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of any person any permit or licence when the renewal or grant might in accordance with the other provisions of the law reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events, or prevent any person from transferring together with his business any transferable licence to operate that business; or
(c) where no permit or licence was previously required for the operation of the trade or business, authorise a refusal to grant a permit or licence to any person for the operation of any trade or business which immediately before the coming into force of the law he had been bona fide carrying on, or authorise a refusal subsequently to renew to any such person any permit or licence, or a refusal to grant to the heirs, successors or assigns of any such person any such permit or licence when the renewal or grant might in accordance with the other provisions of that law reasonably be expected in the ordinary course of events.
(8A) Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, where in any University, College and other educational institution providing education after Malaysian Certificate of Education or its equivalent, the number of places offered by the authority responsible for the management of the University, College or such educational institution to candidates for any course of study is less than the number of candidates qualified for such places, it shall be lawful for the Yang di- Pertuan Agong by virtue of this Article to give such directions to the authority as may be required to ensure the reservation of such proportion of such places for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak as the Yang di- Pertuan Agong may deem reasonable, and the authority shall duly comply with the directions.
(9) Nothing in this Article shall empower Parliament to restrict business or trade solely for the purpose of reservations for Malays and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak.
(9A) In this Article the expression "natives" in relation to the State of Sabah or Sarawak shall have the meaning assigned to it in Article 161A.
(10) The Constitution of the State of any Ruler may make provision corresponding (with the necessary modifications) to the provisions of this Article. (See https://www.jac.gov.my/spk/images/stories/10_akta/perlembagaan_persekutuan/federal_constitution.pdf; pp.123-5 )
In view of the success of Article 153 in safeguarding the special position of the Malays and other Bumiputra, the central and fundamental issue now is to ensure that its provision on the protection of the legitimate interests of the non Bumiputra in all the specified policy areas is honoured. Hence the relevance of the open AP policy that is being implemented and its potential in leading to a new era of non discrimination.
●The next in this series will discuss Article 153 and its effort to prevent abuse as well as the ensuing controversy over the time frame for its operation
