The Malaysian Insight

THE “urban elite” can’t demand that Pakatan Harapan abolish the New Economic Policy (NEP) while doing nothing to help poor Malays and Bumiputeras, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Anwar, who is expected to ascend to the country’s top post, admonished what he termed as “urban elite” who urge the government end affirmative action policies yet ignore persistent inequality in the country.

Although he did not define the term, Anwar said they included wealthy individuals, business conglomerates and the economists and analysts in league with them.

But at the same time, Anwar said PH is moving away from the race-based approach of the NEP to a more inclusive, needs-based strategy to narrow the wealth gap between the different communities.

“The urban elites love to hear about how we want to dismantle affirmative action policies but they don’t want to do anything to deal with the inequality in the country,” Anwar told his audience at an economic symposium held at Parliament.

Anwar added that although PH would end race-based affirmative action policies, it would still continue with programmes to help the poorest sections of society, most of whom happen to be Malays and Bumiputera.

“There is still a feeling among the majority of Malays that government policies do not benefit them. It is unsustainable for a government to ignore the voices of the majority of its citizens.”

However, at the same time, he said PH would not descend into racist rhetoric that was the trademark of Umno, the Malay nationalist party and lynchpin of Barisan Nasional, the coalition defeated in the 14^th general election.

“You cannot talk about Malay supremacy and accept poverty among Indians in the estates in Ijok. You also cannot be a Chinese-owned conglomerate and be blind to the poverty among fishermen in Tumpat.”

He said – unlike Umno, which used to make poor Malays dependent on it through cash aid – PH would empower people to be independent of government support.

“They gave out RM38 billion in aid but the money would be given out bit by bit, to gain support and remain in power. We will not continue this policy of enslavement.

“We will empower them so that they can grow strong and have the freedom to even vote us out.”

Anwar told reporters later that PH would not remove special quotas for Malays, which are part of the Federal Constitution even though it was ending race-based policies.

The quotas would remain but going forward, the government’s policies would be focused on helping the needy regardless of race, Anwar said.

“I’m not here to question what has been enshrined in the constitution such as privileges and quotas.

“However, it is our understanding that after 61 years of independence we must create this awareness that in Malaysia, the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Iban, Kadazan must be seen as one community with equal rights and privileges.” – July 26, 2019.