Latest news with #needsbased
Malay Mail
31-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Malaysia shifts from race-based to needs-based policies under 13MP to promote social justice and equal opportunities, says PM
KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 — The government is determined to shift from race-based solutions to needs-based approaches to achieve social justice and equitable opportunities, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. Tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) in the Dewan Rakyat today, he announced a range of initiatives covering the economic, educational and infrastructure sectors to ensure that all communities enjoy the fruits of the nation's development. To enhance the protection of rights and status of the Orang Asli community, he said the Aboriginal Peoples Act 1954 (Act 134) will be reviewed, particularly in areas concerning land ownership, education and infrastructure, to improve their socio-economic wellbeing. 'A policy review will be conducted to ensure that the Orang Asli community receives fair and equitable benefits,' he said. The prime minister said that educational access for the Orang Asli community will remain a government priority, including the direct provision of school aid to parents and the expansion of community-based schools. As for the Bumiputera community, Anwar said the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (PuTERA35) will focus on the '3P' strategy — broad-based participation, meaningful ownership and strategic sector dominance. He said the government will continue to assist Bumiputera companies in preparing for listing on Bursa Malaysia, including through a 'relay race' model aimed at empowering and nurturing entrepreneurs from the startup stage to public listing. 'Government-linked companies (GLCs) will facilitate institutional support for Bumiputera entrepreneurs, to produce 10 Bumiputera champions in the supply chain, each targeted to grow into companies worth over RM500 million,' he said. The Finance Minister added that socio-economic development for Anak Negeri (natives) in Sabah and Bumiputera in Sarawak will also be strengthened. This includes expanding business opportunities through the provision of commercial premises, access to financing and entrepreneurship training and mentoring programmes. The Chinese community will also benefit from the implementation of the 'New Village Development Master Plan', which includes financing schemes for entrepreneurial activities and the upgrading of hawker stall sites. Regarding the Indian community, Anwar said focus will be placed on increasing career opportunities through education and talent development, especially in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), as well as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). 'Home improvement initiatives and better governance in the management of Indian community affairs will also be implemented,' he said. He said infrastructure and public amenities will be improved to enhance social connectivity and quality of life among the Chinese and Indian communities, including women, youths and senior citizens. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Merit alone won't work in multiracial Malaysia, says Fuziah
Deputy domestic trade and cost of living minister Fuziah Salleh said terms like 'tolerance' fall short in capturing what a harmonious society should aim for. PETALING JAYA : A senator has argued that a purely merit-based system may be impractical in Malaysia, suggesting that a proportional approach would better reflect the country's multiracial make-up. Fuziah Salleh, the deputy domestic trade and cost of living minister, said merit should be applied with consideration for ethnic representation, adding that opportunities and benefits should be distributed in proportion to the population. 'For example, if 60% of the population belongs to a certain ethnic group, then merit should be applied within that proportion,' she said during yesterday's recording of BBC World Questions at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre. Fuziah, who is also the PKR secretary-general, said her party's constitution already reflects this principle by mandating representation from all major communities. She was responding to a question on how Malaysia can reconcile its secular and democratic values with the continued dominance of race-based policies that favour the Malay-Muslim majority. She said that PKR continues to promote a needs-based policy approach, a shift introduced by party president Anwar Ibrahim more than a decade ago to replace race-based affirmative action. 'It's not about race, it's about need. 'We're trying to educate people that benefits are not a right simply because they belong to a certain group. They should be based on socioeconomic status.' She said PKR also conducts regular internal training sessions to help members understand why policies such as property discounts should be based on need rather than ethnicity. 'Why should a high-income Malay receive the same 10% discount as a poor Indian? We need to reorient our thinking, away from race-based entitlement,' she said. Fuziah also expressed hope that her party's push for needs-based policies would eventually be reflected in national government policies as well. On the topic of national unity, she said terms like 'tolerance' fall short in capturing what a harmonious society should aim for. 'I don't like the word 'tolerance'. It implies merely putting up with each other. It should be about respect, understanding, and embracing what each community stands for,' she said. Malaysia has implemented race-based affirmative action policies since the introduction of the New Economic Policy in 1971, aimed at improving the socioeconomic position of the Bumiputeras – primarily the Malays and indigenous groups. While these policies have helped reduce poverty and increase Malay participation in the economy, critics argue that they have created systemic inequalities by sidelining poorer individuals from other ethnic communities.
