What a non-Malaysian can do, that a Malaysian cannot

This post supplements Education in Malaysia "a national disaster"? by detailing the background story that led to Backman's acidic articles on Malaysia:

End October - Centre for Public Policy Studies' (ASLI) findings on Bumiputera's equity share of the country's wealth disputed. Its director, Dr Lim Teck Ghee, resigns to defend the reports.

November 15 - Backman's article published in The Age, Australia: While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry:

MALAYSIA'S been at it again, arguing about what proportion of the economy each of its two main races — the Malays and the Chinese — owns. It's an argument that's been running for 40 years. That wealth and race are not synonymous is important for national cohesion, but really it's time Malaysia grew up.

November 19 - In response to the article, one of our ministers has this to say:

“What do we care? Obviously, this person doesn’t know Malaysia. He is an outsider and he can say what he likes. I don’t really care about what others say – as long as it is not a Malaysian saying it."

November 29 - Backman strikes back at said minister, purposefully referencing her in the title, Malaysia bites back and industriously trades the insults:

But then the idea that Malaysians cannot comment publicly about how their country is run but a non-Malaysian can, is disgraceful.