After a week of getting brickbats from detractors for its allegedly "racist" position on the nation's economy, the Chinese Economic Congress has found an ally in Yayasan 1Malaysia, which has lauded CEC's call for non-bumiputera businesses to share the wealth.

The foundation's chairperson Chandra Muzaffar described as "refreshing" SP Setia Bhd president and chief executive officer Liew Kee Sin's call to non-bumiputera companies to allow their bumiputera counterparts to "tap into their industries before asking bumiputeras to open up the so-called bumiputera sectors".

Citing the book The Chinese Dilemma written by Chinese businessperson Ye Lin-Sheng, Chandra highlighted the need for the Chinese community to acknowledge the benefits it has enjoyed in Malaysia, instead of focusing on the negatives.

"A balanced approach that is cognisant of both the pluses and the minuses helps to build trust between the communities. It is this trust that has declined considerably in recent years," he said in a statement.

Chandra also applauded the courage shown by CIMB group chief executive officer Nazir Razak in declaring that New Economic Policy (NEP) had strayed from its original objective of fostering national unity through poverty eradication and social restructuring.

Bold to call for 'new national mindset'

He said it was bold of Nazir to call for "new national mindset" where Malaysia's cultural diversity becomes a distinctive economic advantage that will help the nation make a mark globally.

"The courage to criticise attitudes and actions within one's own community, which are inimical to national unity, is an essential prerequisite for the creation of 1Malaysia.

"Harnessing the strengths of the different communities, and blending them into a harmonious mosaic is what 1Malaysia is all about," he added.

The CEC, organised last Saturday by the MCA, came under heavy criticism from Umno and pro-Malay rights groups such as Perkasa for proposing policies that would "erode" the special privileges enjoyed by the Malays.

The statements made during the congress by Chinese business leaders and MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek eventually lead to a war of words between Dr Chua and Umno leaders, particularly Umno deputy president and deputy premier Muhyiddin Yassin.