Despite professing that it wants to improve its affirmative action policy, the government has announced yet another agency to lead a bumiputera transformation programme.

The Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju) will "lead, coordinate and drive bumiputera economic participation through new and existing initiatives and propose institutional reforms to increase effectiveness (of such initiatives)".

NONE Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak disclosed this at a press conference today after chairing the Bumiputera Agenda Supreme Council (MTAB by its Malay acronym) in Putrajaya.

The MTAB was set up to deliver a government promise - announced by Najib at last year’s Umno general assembly - to look after bumiputera interests under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

The bumiputera agenda transformation programme is modelled after the GLC Transformation Programme launched in 2004.

Teraju will operate under the aegis of the PM's office and also serve as the secretariat to the MTAB in driving the bumiputera agenda.

"The unit will have an operating budget from the government, only a small one, and we may assign officers to it. Implementation will be done by other agencies," Najib said in answer to a question.

Immediate goals

The premier said Teraju will work closely with Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) to hold a series of labs, brainstorm sessions and townhall meetings.

NONE "(This is) to discuss specific issues and put together a long-term plan to strengthen bumiputera economic participation.”

The labs are to find out what inhibits bumiputeras from participating in the economy; and to identify steps toward a stronger, balanced and sustainable bumiputera representation.

A separate unit will spearhead each of the five areas of work in Teraju's ambit:

- Enterpreneurship and wealth creation

- Funding

- Education and employment

- Institutional and policy instrument review

- Stakeholder management

Asked if there will be more specific targets for the unit, Najib said more information will be available soon.

While the government has attempted to move away from race-based affirmative action, this has met with vehement objection from such pressure groups as Perkasa and the Malay Consultative Council.

NONE In an immediate reaction, Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali expressed his wish that Teraju be led by a 'real-deal' Malay.

"Perkasa hopes that Teraju shall be led by a Malay with true Malay spirit, free from corruption, transparent and wields powers similar to Pemandu," said Ibrahim in a text-message to the media today.

He also praised Najib's move to form Teraju as being in line with a resolution passed by the recent Malay Consultative Council Bumiputera economic round table.

It had demanded that a unit similar to Pemandu be set up to work to safeguarding the bumiputera agenda.

Ibrahim reiterated Perkasa's mantra that the Bumiputera Economic Agenda must be considered the national economic agenda, as it involves the national interest and the demands of Malays and bumiputeras for an equitable stake and their fair share of the economic pie.