Former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein should not be seen only as a "narrow-minded Malay nationalist" for implementing the contentious New Economic Policy (NEP), said Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

"It would be a great disservice to his memory if we were only to regard him as a narrow-minded Malay nationalist.

"The prime beneficiaries of the NEP was the Malay community but ultimately all Malaysians gained from the growing pie that it created," he said in his opening address at a special commemorative seminar on Razak ( photo ) in Kuala Lumpur today.

Hishammuddin, who is Razak's nephew, stressed that his uncle prioritised a fairer society in Malaysia and believed that a great nation must provide opportunities to all its people.

"It was essential to him that Malaysia not only have a bright economic future but that it would also emerge as a fairer society," he said.

The NEP is a series of affirmative action policies adopted from 1971 to 1991, and has been replaced by other affirmative action policies since.

It was formulated to resolve the socio-economic issues that led to the May 13, 1969, racial riots, but critics claim that it merely created a crony-capitalist class and did little to redress those issues for many from the ethnic community.

Hishammuddin also pointed out that leaders are only as good as the people they lead, adding that he hopes the people will continue to give the government constructive feedback in a civil manner.

"I hope that all Malaysians will never shy away from giving the government honest and constructive feedback.

"We may not always agree but surely it's possible for us to air our views in a civil manner.

"We get the government we deserve, but we also get the future we choose," he said.

Despite the challenges facing the country now, he said that "our national heroes" like Razak would not want us to wallow in self-pity.

"Our national heroes would never want us to dwell on the past, much less be afraid of the future.

"What we can do is to take inspiration from their lives and find ways to forge ahead," he said.