A deputy minister today attributed the bumiputera community's purported failure to obtain 30 percent equity to people working under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, whom he claimed fails to understand the PM's vision and aspiration.

"They don't share the spirit and intention of the prime minister. They can't appreciate the prime minister's struggle.

"If the prime minister announces something or wants to give something, you do it. That's the implementation," Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman told a press conference at the Parliament lobby this morning.

However, Tajuddin stressed that Najib is not to be blamed as the responsibility of execution depended on his officers.

He was asked to respond to Najib’s budget speech where he said the target of 30 percent bumiputera equity has yet to be achieved, nor has the 10 percent target of effective control in corporations.

Tajuddin ( left ) cited the example of Khazanah Nasional Berhad, which he said Najib had some years ago pledged to divest its subsidiaries to bumiputeras.

“Previously there was a promise to pass some of the companies to bumiputera, what has happened to the programme? It was a move announced by the prime minister two or three years ago.

“But you can’t blame the prime minister, he announced the policies but the one to implement would be Khazanah and its chief executive officer and management.

“The prime minister said some of Khazanah’s companies were to be sold off to bumiputera but they (Khazanah) didn’t do it. Do they want to build their own empire?” he said.

Tajuddin added that even if the bumiputera community does achieve 30 percent equity, it would still be insufficient as by 2020, they will comprise 70 percent of the population.

“It cannot be that 70 percent control control 30 percent of equity. That is imbalance,” he said.

He stressed that the lower rung leadership in the government must carry out the prime minister’s instructions and the premier cannot be micro-managing at the lower levels.

He said as it stands, in order to acquire equity, the bumiputera requires huge funds which many do not have.

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