Perkasa spooks non-Malay businessmen
Perkasa and the Malay Consultative Council (MPM), which comprises Malay groups, are pressing the government to ensure the NEM contains elements of the New Economic Policy (NEP) that seeks to increase Bumiputera share equity to 30 per cent of the national economy and alleviate poverty.
Lee Wei Lian, The Malaysian Insider
Perkasa’s racial vitriol at its weekend congress has frightened non-Malay businessmen and may have just reversed any gains from tomorrow’s announcement of the New Economic Model (NEM) which seeks to lift the national economy by doing away with subsidies and rent-seeking quotas.
Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali claimed that Bumiputeras should rightly own 67 per cent of the nation’s economic wealth, as it was the majority group in Malaysia while the right-wing organisation’s economic bureau director Dr Zubir Harun said it feared the NEM would have a Chinese agenda
Their statements have made it more challenging for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to push through his 1 Malaysia and NEM reforms and also have exposed the perception among some Malay businessmen that non-Malay businesses get more help from the government.
Businessmen contacted by The Malaysian Insider say that they were worried over Perkasa’s “radical” appearance and it has affected their sentiment on the future of business in the country.
“Anything racial and businessmen will look at it negatively,” said one non-Malay businessman who is involved in the agriculture sector and declined to be named for fear of repercussions.
“I don’t think it is relevant: the racial tinge. It is not making us competitive. We should be looking at our collective strengths as Malaysians and work in the same direction and they should look at working in the same direction and not shout and intimidate. It makes business people cautious.”
While most Umno leaders, with the notable exception of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, and many GLC bosses gave Perkasa’s congress a miss, perception has persisted among some that the two are linked.
“Some people accuse Perkasa of being Umno’s mouthpiece,” said the businessman.
When asked about 1 Malaysia and the NEM to be announced tomorrow, he replied: “It is nice to hear but I have not seen it put to work yet. I have just got to wait and see.”
Another non-Malay businessman in the construction industry who has made significant inroads abroad told The Malaysian Insider that Perkasa has definitely affected business sentiment.
“What they have said is very sensitive and Malaysia has lost out on a lot of foreign investment and this will make it worse,” he said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue. “They should just wait for the NEM and see how best to move Malaysia forward. Otherwise, we are going backwards not forward. The contributions of non-Malays should be valued.”
