Were Malay preferences meant to be indefinite, as per Reid Report?

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Malay Preferences Under the Reid Commission Report Were Not Intended to Be Indefinite

The Reid Commission Report of 1957, which laid the groundwork for Malaysia's Federal Constitution, envisioned the safeguarding of the special position of Malays and the legitimate interests of other communities. However, the report's recommendations concerning preferences for Malays were made with the understanding that these provisions were temporary and intended to gradually diminish as the nation moved towards a common nationality, ultimately ceasing to ensure equality among all citizens.
Safeguarding Special Positions Alongside Common Nationality

The commission faced the challenge of reconciling its terms of reference, which mandated the protection of the special position of Malays and the legitimate interests of other communities, with the objective of establishing a common nationality for a unified Malayan nation. Representatives of the Alliance Party, including the Chief Minister, conveyed that in an independent Malaya, all nationals should possess equal rights, privileges, and opportunities without discrimination based on race or creed. This sentiment was echoed by the Malay Rulers, who expressed a desire to move away from communalism in the country's political and economic spheres.
Gradual Disappearance of Preferences

Paragraph 165 of the Reid Report recommended the continuation of existing preferences for Malays in the prevailing circumstances to prevent them from being at a serious and unfair disadvantage. Crucially, it stated that with the integration of various communities into a common nationality, which was trusted to occur gradually, the need for these preferences would progressively disappear. The recommendations were premised on the assurance that present preferences would continue for a substantial period, but with the expectation that they would be reduced and eventually cease, thereby eliminating discrimination between races or communities.
Fifteen-Year Review of Quota System

Further elaborating on the implementation of these preferences, paragraph 167 of the report suggested that no new quotas or preferences for Malays should be created beyond what the Constitution specifically authorised. Regarding existing quotas, the commission recommended that Malays should have a substantial period during which their continuance was obligatory. However, it also stipulated that if insufficient qualified Malay applicants were available to fill quota vacancies in any given year, other qualified applicants should be appointed to fill them. The report proposed a review of the entire matter after 15 years, with the appropriate legislature then deciding whether to retain, reduce, or entirely discontinue any quota.

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Were Malay preferences meant to be indefinite, as per Reid Report?

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