PAS Youth has strongly lashed out against the new government policy abolishing the 30 percent bumiputera equity rule for 27 service sub-sectors which was announced by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in April.

In a resolution passed during the final day of the PAS muktamar, Youth vice-president Ahmad Sabki Yusof opined that it is a “step backward” that could destroy Muslim bumiputera businesses in the long run.

pas muktamar on dun perak 060609 “We believe that the Barisan Nasional-led government has failed to understand the negative impacts coming from this move when they justified that those 27 sub-sectors were not highly-participated by the bumiputeras,” he said.

Following the abolishment of the 30 percent bumiputera equity, said the former Youth secretary, “big companies will tend to take advantage of small companies”, resulting in them closing down their operations.

“We understand the government wanted to improve the bumiputera competency and competitiveness, but we have to know that many bumiputera companies also rely on government financial assistance,” said Ahmad Sabki.

“Let’s say if 60 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) is contributed by these 27 sub-sectors.

“But if half of them were monopolised by the foreigners especially in construction and services sectors, what is left for us?” he said.

Last April, the government had lifted the 30 percent bumiputera equity rule for 27 service sectors involving health and social services, tourism, transport, business, computer and related services.

The liberalisation of the services sector, said Najib, is pursued with the view of creating a conducive business environment to attract investments, technologies and higher value employment opportunities.

Revive MECD please

In the same motion, Ahmad Sabki has also suggested that the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development (MECD) be revived by the government after it has been abolished following the formation of the new cabinet by the Najib’s administration.

pas nik aziz speech 060609 audience He argued that Najib’s move is against the New Economic Policy (NEP) although it is the “brainchild of Umno”.

Meanwhile, a delegate from Jerlum, Abdul Rahim Md Yusof, echoed Ahmad Sabki’s view saying that MECD abolishment is also a step backward.

“It is a move to kill off bumiputera entrepreneurs’ businesses despite Umno claiming that it has been defending the Malay people’s right.

"It turned out that it is only empty talk and Umno has betrayed the Malays,” he said.

“With the abolishment of MECD, it shows that Umno is not consistent in their struggle and it is obvious that they are traitors to their own party,” Abdul Rahim added.

According to Titiwangsa delegate, Khairul Anuar Abdul Manaf, such a move is only an Umno and BN tactic in order to attract the non-Malays who have been supporting Pakatan Rakyat.

He added that most of the MECD functions have been diverted to the “irrelevant” Prime Minister’s Department.