NEP will continue to be given focus – Mukhriz

(Bernama) – There is no reason for bumiputeras to worry as the New Economic Policy (NEP) will continue to be given focus by the government despite the liberalisation of 27 services sub-sectors recently, said Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, Wednesday (29 April).

"We should not be unduly concerned that our policies like the NEP will be slowly loosened up," he told the media after officiating the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical 2009 Forum and Expo, here, today.

He said that although the NEP had given special focus to Bumiputeras, its gains had been enjoyed by all other communities as well.

"Therefore, the NEP will continue to be given focus and at the same time with the opening up of our market, I am confident we will see many more new opportunities not only in terms of jobs with the entry of foreign direct investments, but also an increase in our capacity to compete with foreign companies and export our products and services."

Mukhriz said the country's market was in fact already opened and that many local traders were already prepared to compete with foreign investors.

"Our market has indeed been open, it's just that the policies had yet to be standardised and that is what the government has done — standardise the policies practiced."