Anwar: Dumping NEP key to regaining competitive edge

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

Malaysia must dump race-based affirmative action policies for a needs-based formula to stop the slide in its economic competitiveness, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said last night.

The Opposition Leader insisted that dropping the New Economic Policy (NEP), first drawn up in the 1970s, would be more effective in helping poor Bumiputeras, a constant call by his political foes in Umno as well as Malay rights groups.

“It needs to be dismantled because of the lost competitiveness,” he told a forum in London.

Anwar’s frequent criticism of the NEP has often drawn flak along with the accusation that he is selling out "his race", a charge that he denies.

“We have to regain it and enrich the country and then distribute wealth through a more transparent affirmative action policy,” the PKR de facto leader said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is set to receive a New Economic Model (NEM) report that will offer alternatives to the current affirmative-action policies but he said public feedback is required before implementation.

The NEM comes on the back of moves last year to free certain sectors of the economy of Bumiputera quotas. These moves have raised concerns about Malays being marginalised.

But Anwar, speaking to a mix of 300 students and working Malaysians, argued that for the majority — and the majority of poor being Malay — a needs-based system would in fact benefit Malays more in comparison to other races.

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Comments (14) Add Comment

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written by mikewang, March 23, 2010 00:31:18

If you take away NEP, you take away the opium line of UMNO putras.
The party will have to reinvent to stay relevant.

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written by Fart Fart Wah, March 22, 2010 12:22:27

Well Anwar..finally you have turned the corner...I do hope that this is not a sandiwara..In your hey days as the DPM you established some of the worst ultra race based policies that are existing today and cannot be changed which has caused this nation to loose its competitiveness....Let us see some genuine changes and I will begin to believe it....YOU have my vote...and I will get others to vote too.

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written by AlwaysFair, March 22, 2010 08:58:15

It is clear from this that Anwar being not only an outstanding leader but a great visionary one, can see how Malaysia will prosper if NEP is dismantled in this globalized world where leakages, wastages, inefficiencies and unproductivity should be addressed if we want to develop with the rest of the world.

The fact that the NEP has failed to work after so many years and instead caused us to go backwards is evidence it had failed to benefit the general populace and I support Anwar's call for dismantling NEP because when you are SICK you need to take the right medicine for a cure and Anwar is brave enough to go against the grain by his stand. He is the most courageous leader to dare to take the bulls by their horns. The rest of you only know how to play politics but never do anything good for the nation.

ANWAR HAS THE BALLS TO TELL THE TRUTH!!!
The rest of you are either too stupid or too busy getting rich.
Hidup Anwar!!
Hidup Pakatan!!!

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written by AlwaysFair, March 22, 2010 05:44:13

Except for UMNO and their connections every one stand to benefit more without NEP esp the poor.But to convince a cripple he is healed and can walk but must throw away the crutch is so difficult because a Dr Mamak claim they cannot walk without crutches because he wants them to remain his patient so he can rip them off continually. He is scared to loose his business so he just refuse to help the handicapped to walk, even though Dr Wan say they can.

This Dr Mamak is a bad doctor that is why his patients all never recover and live to the fullest.

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written by Susuit, March 21, 2010 21:41:55

Don't take away the Dadah they have consumed for years. They can't live without it.

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written by hunkeyboy, March 21, 2010 14:25:00

nep can only continue with ketuanan melayu, or vice versa. nep benefits only the elite, the privileged, the connected malays ie the umno ruling class. they have every reason to preach superiority of melayu -- so they dominate the race.
it really is a class struggle senario we face - i just pray we do not get anywhere near the french or russian or chinese or persian or even nepalese situations.
but what is this about junking the NEP? wasnt it to have been junked after 20 years, in 1990? time warp? we in 2010 still in 1990's? what's happening, mr 1malaysia!!!

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written by ibabonma, March 21, 2010 11:46:45

How could Umno rob the Malays of their benefits without NEP?

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written by Angela Ooi, March 21, 2010 10:15:49

Mana boleh dump NEP? These dUMNOputras have atrophied not only their limbs, unable to do any honest work but more importantly, their mentality too. So daily, they are a bunch of noisy layabouts, fighting their own shadows. The Nons have no time to fight with anyone because they know there are no crutches for them, so they get on with it struggling for their daily bread.

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written by imanj, March 21, 2010 06:57:32

Is there still a need to doubt this man's ability and credibility? As I thought he would do and he does..
The Malays should give themselves a chance to think wisely and positively in line with what a good leader should be made up off and what he ought to do for the Nation,instead of being foolish to act on emotions...This is afterall their Country too and it's wealth should be felt by all..

It would be the right kind of help that would see all Malaysians irrespective of race and religion succeeding. It is not only about taking care of the rights of people of one race that shows a Leader has done his job. There is more to be done in this country in many areas that have surely been neglected and we are all aware that Malaysia at this present moment shows much of what is boasts is only shared and meant for just a few...

This most courageous thing would be for one to believe that a good live is not only meant for themselves but for everyone...

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written by NSTPravda, March 21, 2010 06:35:15

"...a needs-based system would in fact benefit Malays more in comparison to other races."
Aiyah, we are not talking about the Malay race here lah, we are talking about the UMNO race. It's is the UMNO race to get rich quick that's important, damn the rest. Al-UMNOdollarlah!
smilies/tongue.gif

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written by ganbing, March 21, 2010 05:38:47

Compare Anwar's visionary speech with the racist rantings of Ibrahim (Malays-still-need-protection) Ali. It's like comparing a poet and a jester.

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written by eloofk, March 21, 2010 05:14:33

Any policy that benefits one particular race must be dumped and it must not be seen as clutches for them to advance in order to remain in the competitiveness of the world's economy.

To remain handicapped without rehabilitate oneself is bound for failure and will be left behind in a fast changing world of economics.