Bumiputra congress retreat session to become annual affair, says Zahid
PUTRAJAYA: The Bumiputra Economic Congress (KEB) retreat session will be made an annual affair to collectively revive the bumiputra development agenda, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said the annual session would also enable bumiputra development to be implemented across ministries, agencies and sectors.
"The time has come for us to move boldly, guided by strategic inventions that are data-based and backed by real results.
"Now is the time to prove that everything that has been planned is being implemented,' he said in his speech when launching the opening ceremony of the KEB 2024 One-Year Retreat at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre here Friday (May 23).
He said that, after today's retreat session, he wants every driver under the Bumiputra Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (PuTERA35) to have a clear, aggressive and consistent communication plan.
"The people have the right to know how many bumiputra entrepreneurs were produced this year, how many have progressed from micro to medium enterprises, how many TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) graduates are now earning monthly salaries of RM4,000 and above,' he said.
To ensure the PuTERA35 runs smoothly, he has instructed all deputy secretary-generals (Policy) in each ministry to coordinate and monitor the plan's implementation.
"This role will be strengthened by the Bumiputra Empowerment Unit (UPB), which must be restructured according to current needs,' he said.
Ahmad Zahid said he wants all PuTERA35 drivers to prioritise the 132 initiatives contained in the plan to let the people witness the targeted results and impact.
"So far, the implementation of programmes and projects under PuTERA35 has reached more than 15 per cent,' he said.
PuTERA35, launched on Aug 19, 20204, is a holistic action framework to strengthen the bumiputra economy for the next 10 years.
Reflecting on the organisation of KEB 2024 in February, he said the three-day congress managed to produce over 80 resolutions as an agenda on bumiputra empowerment in the era of digitalisation.
"Sixteen months ago, we held discussions at KEB 2024, which was full of hope and determination. Today, we are gathered once again to work towards results that are on par with or better than before,' he said.
Regarding TVET applications, he said the National TVET Council has recorded applications from over 126,000 candidates for the July 2025 session.
Describing this as a positive development, he said the TVET is beginning to appeal to the younger generation, who are starting to be confident in the bright future that the field holds.
"The reason I'm emphasising this is because when we speak about TVET, we are actually building the future of bumiputra children,' he said. - Bernama
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