read between the lines

Have you been following the news lately? On the 7th of May,

Maybank Bhd. one of the two banks which had introduced a regulation requiring Bumiputera legal firms' involvement before any business may be conducted with it, will review it’s decision.
It was reported that the new regulations would require law firms to have a minimum of three partners, of whom one must be Bumiputera with a minimum 50 per cent stake in the firm.

Langkah dua bank terkemuka yang meletakkan syarat pembabitan Bumiputera dalam firma guaman yang menjalankan perkhidmatan dengan mereka perlu dipuji dan jangan dipersoalkan mana-mana pihak kerana ia mampu membantu melahirkan Masyarakat Perdagangan dan Perindustrian Bumiputera (MPPB).

On the 9th,

Maybank has come under fire from MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek for its requirement to law firms that it must have at least three bumiputra partners, one of whom must have a 50% stake, before these firms can do any business with the bank.
Describing the move as discriminatory, he said many Malaysians had expressed their disappointment with the bank for its decision. "On one hand, we are talking about racial integration but on the other hand; we are adopting such positions which are racial in nature,” he said.

On the 10th,

The Cabinet has ordered the country’s largest bank, Maybank, to withdraw its requirement that law firms must have a bumiputra partner with at least a 50% stake before they could do any business with the bank.

Today,

Ahli-ahli ekonomi, peguam dan tokoh politik Melayu hari ini meminta kerajaan mepertahankan tindakan Maybank mengenakan syarat pemilihan 50 peratus kepentingan bumiputera dalam firma-firma guaman yang mahu menjadi panel bank tersebut.
Mereka berpendapat, langkah Maybank - bank perdagangan terbesar negara - memperkenalkan dasar baru berkaitan firma-firma guaman adalah selari dengan polisi kerajaan untuk mengagihkan secara adil kekayaan negara, khususnya kepada kaum Bumiputera yang masih jauh ketinggalan dalam bidang ekonomi berbanding kaum lain.

Persatuan Peguam Muslim Malaysia (PPMM) dan beberapa firma guaman Bumiputera mengaku begitu sukar untuk disenaraikan sebagai panel bank atau syarikat perumahan yang dimiliki bukan Bumiputera. Sehubungan itu, mereka berpendapat tidak salah jika ada bank menetapkan kuota ekuiti Bumiputera bagi mana-mana firma guaman yang mahu menjadi panel seperti dilakukan Maybank.

Meanwhile earlier,

The Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry also criticised the move, saying it prevented businesses from operating freely; while Bar Council chairman Ambiga Sreenevasan said all lawyers should be judged on their merit and that the council would be writing to Bank Negara on the matter.