Malays in KL face income gap challenge, says Ku Nan

(Bernama) – The economic divide between the Malays and non-Malays in Kuala Lumpur poses a big challenge for the former, says Federal Territory Umno liaison chairman Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. He said statistics showed the Malays were far behind other races, in terms of ownership rights and businesses in the capital.

“The question is, who do we blame? When licences are issued, it is mortgaged or sold,” he said when speaking at the Federal Territory Umno Convention launched by Umno president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak here today.

Tengku Adnan said about 200 years ago, the Malays owned almost 100 per cent of land in Kuala Lumpur, adding however, that it had dwindled to only 21.7 per cent.

This, he noted, was due to the attitude of the Malays who had either mortgaged or sold their land to other races.

Besides that, the Malays in Kuala Lumpur earned an average income of between RM2,000 and RM3,000 and contributed to the percentage of poor people in the city.

Tengku Adnan, who is also federal territories minister, said home ownership statistics also showed the Malays were lagging behind other races.  “Just imagine, the lowest price of a house in the capital is RM300,000, while the affordability level of Malays in the city is only below RM150,000.  “The statistics of individuals who apply to rent or purchase houses from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is more than 42,000, of which 90 per cent are from the Malay community.

“This is the reality which has to be faced by the Malays in Kuala Lumpur, coupled by the high cost of living, which has seen many of them ending up on the streets.

Tengku Adnan, who is also Umno secretary-general, said Umno members in the Federal Territory were playing a role to help and ensure that all economic divide and hardships faced by the Malays in the city could be resolved.  He said the Federal Territory Umno did not want to see anyone from the Malay race living on the streets and as destitutes.

“On the contrary, we have a strong determination to take the Malays out of poverty,” he added.