Anwar wants to speed up needs-based affirmative action
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said today that he will accelerate the transition from race-based affirmative action economic plans to one that is needs-based when he becomes the prime minister.
"This is the position of Pakatan Harapan. This is the position of the prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad," he told a press conference after attending an economic symposium held at the Parliament building...
PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said today that he will accelerate the transition from race-based affirmative action economic plans to one that is needs-based when he becomes the prime minister.
"This is the position of Pakatan Harapan. This is the position of the prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad," he told a press conference after attending an economic symposium held at the Parliament building.
"What I need to do is to accelerate the process... I am equally, if not more committed in terms of reducing inequality and elevating the position of the poor."
Anwar said the New Economic Policy, which was conceived in the 1970s, is now obsolete.
He added, however, that the NEP can only be dismantled with a firm commitment to needs-based affirmative action involving both the public and private sectors.
He also noted that Putrajaya must speed up the distribution of funds related to such affirmative action plans.
"We need to create awareness that Malaysians – the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans and Kadazans – should be seen as one community with equal rights and privileges," he said.
When asked if he would do away with the quota system upon assuming the premiership, Anwar insisted he would not question those that are part of the bumiputera privileges enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
"(In my speech earlier), I also told the Chinese conglomerate that attended today's event that if they do not want race-based policies, they should do more," he said, adding that such they should help to provide English courses for Malays with poor command of the language.
Anwar was speaking to reporters after the inaugural Malaysian Economic Symposium, which saw briefings by top government officials on Malaysia's economy.
The symposium, attended by MPs and diplomats, was organised by Parliament, in cooperation with the Backbenchers Council and the Reforms and Governance Caucus, which Anwar leads.
In his speech, the PKR leader spoke at length about the race-based economic policies.
He said fair and equitable distribution of wealth can only be effectively realised from an expanded and expanding economic pie.
"What we need, therefore, is an overarching growth strategy that must de-emphasise central planning, optimise the size of the public sector, cut red tape and expedite the decision-making process."
In March, Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said the government would draft a new economic policy for the Malays centred on growth, fairness and the equal distribution of wealth.
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