An inclusive 10 Malaysia Plan…you can’t please all

ARCHIVES 2010

By admin-s On Jun 14, 2010

Najib administration has taken a step forward by removing 30% bumiputra quota requirement on 27 sector in 2009, and now 10MP openly states that 30% bumi equity target remains so do the 27 sectors revert back to its old self or other sectors have to make up for the “lost numbers” in that 27 sectors?

By Lee Wee Tak

I know I said I won’t blog during the World Cup but when the 10MP was announced, I can’t resist the temptation to write a few words…

On page 04 of the Sun’s June 11 2010, the titled screamed “Inclusive socio-economic growth”, and the box on the right entitled “Policy Instruments – Before and After ” listed among many, the following:

“Promoting bumiputra representation in high paying jobs through supply-side and market-friendly demand side measure”

For Unit Trust Schemes, “Expansion of this successful concept to other types of wealth”, e.g. Yayasan Amanah Hartanah Bumiputra.

I can understand UMNO dominated and led administration’s need to preserve and consolidate their power base through rewarding and retaining their power base but at least just be honest about the semantics. Perkasa has clearly made an impression with Najib and NEAC, with individuals of great intellect and acumen and experience as author of NEM, might have been maneuvered to play second fiddle in the back scene. Ironically NEM’s 200 ++ pager calls for political courage and will to make real change.

Page 1’s column “10MP highlights” summarized the above as “measurement of bumiputra participation in economy will include financial and non-financial assets, such as real estate and business premises as well as professional employment”

– Since when professionals need government assistance? Professionals are called professionals because they should be able to manage on their own like any hawkers, small time business proprietor, taxi driver etc.

The above contradicts another salient point of 10MP – attracting the 700,000 capable Malaysians overseas to return. This is not a new initiative and has not been successful previously. No root cause analysis has been done or at least findings disclosed to the public. Many capable Malaysians have left for overseas exactly because of what other countries would call discrimination or restriction of trade (which I accept as a practical and necessary social re-engineering to a certain extent).

This will throw up serious management and implementation issues…on 1 hand Malaysia needs to attract ambitious, capable, worldly, demanding, fast pace individuals but these returning Malaysians may find the positions or ambition they are aiming for are subject to direct competition from other individuals having the backing of the federal government on the basis of race qualification.

Go ask these individuals who have won competition overseas base on capability, know how, track record, experience and achievement to stomach this and their answers may be a wee bit interesting.