Bumiputra, Equity:, Lim, Teck, Ghee, resigns, from, ASLI-CPPS

Dr Lim Teck Ghee (picture below), director of Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS), has resigned after ASLI backed down under severe intimidation from parties which disputed its findings on Bumiputra's equity share of the country's wealth.

Dr Lim says he is resigning because he cannot agree with ASLI president's statement in justifying the back down, and that there is a need to defend the position and integrity of independent and non-partisan scholarship.

Read Dr Lim's press statement (in PDF) here.

Screenshots earlier blogged that ASLI president, Mirzan Mahathir, had said that on re-examining the methodology and conclusions of the report, "ASLI has concluded that there are shortcomings in assumption and calculation that led to conclusions that cannot be vigorously justified."

However, theSun quoted sources as saying that consultants and researchers at the CPPS involved in putting it together are standing by their work. They, nevertheless, accept that the political reality left the institute no choice but to back down in order to stop the attacks on ASLI.

In his resignation statement, Dr Lim says, as Director of the CPPS, he takes full responsibility, and stands by the findings of the study and the other studies that were submitted in a comprehensive report to the Government on the 9th Malaysia Plan in February 2006.

However, Dr Lims adds that since he cannot agree with Mirzan's statement, and because of the need to defend the position and integrity of independent and non-partisan scholarship, he will be stepping down from his position as Director at the end of October. Quote:

I hope the public space opened up by the Centre’s work on this particular, as well as other important, issues will be expanded on and vigorously defended by others. It is the fundamental right of the Malaysian public to question all government statistics and policies, more so when these are not transparent or defensible.

Dr Lim is a former UN regional advisor and World bank senior political scientist. He is also a recipient of international academic awards.

For context, read Dr Lim's response to critics' queries on the mechanism and the purpose of the study compiled by ASLI-CPPS.

At a public forum held on September 27, Dr Lim said that "the NEP is a very divisive instrument and race-based affirmative action that will jeopardise our economic growth and social cohesion".

"The government needs to move on. What we need is to foster inter-ethnic partnerships based on competitiveness and merit," he added.

Verily, where Dr Lim falls, the country's dignity stands monumental.