Since joining Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) as its treasurer in July, Khalid Ibrahim has called for the abolishment of the New Economic Policy (NEP) - an affirmative action scheme launched in 1971 to uplift the lot of poor Malays.

The call is surprising as it comes from a person once described as an 'industry captain'.

Khalid, 60, is the former chief executive of Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd and former group chief executive of government-linked plantations company Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB). He stepped down from Guthrie in 2003. He also set up an asset-management and counsulting firm for foreign clients.