The Malaysian Insight

THE Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) cash aid introduced by former prime minister Najib Razak was not in line with the aspirations of the New Economic Policy (NEP), said Pejuang president Mukhriz Mahathir.

Mukhriz said such continued assistance implied that the people were still poor, which would indicate the failure of the NEP, which was the work of the country’s second prime minister, Abdul Razak Hussein, the father of Najib.

“If you were to go with the stated objectives of the NEP, BR1M should not have happened. BR1M did not meet the aims of the NEP,” Mukhriz said at a forum last night on Covid-19 aid and stimulus packages.

He said it is not right to constantly give aid, which should only be considered during a crisis.

“How long can the government keep giving aid? The NEP is to eradicate poverty. If more people are getting poor then something is not right.”

BR1M, which proved highly popular, was discontinued when Najib was ousted in 2018 but the two governments that followed have provided similar cash aid under different names.

For the Covid-19 pandemic, the government has launched a series of packages to channel aid to the people and industries. 

Mukhriz said the outbreak of disease was a worse crisis that the racial riots in 1969 which triggered the NEP.

He said impact of the pandemic was greater and more severe and required a new approach with direct intervention in the sectors that had almost closed down.

He said a one-size-fits-all policy will not do in the current situation.

“Take the time to study each problem and find out what can be resolved so we can go back to our lives,” he said.

“There should be restructuring in the job markets.  

“This matter needs to be refined and thought through in depth so that we can take into account the new conditions and environment that exist and re -adapt.”

He said the government needs to realign sectors that were previously dominated by foreign workers.

Mukhriz said the foreign employment sector would definitely require employers to spend large amounts to meet the demands of the Covid standard operating procedures (SOPs).

He said the situation would indirectly open up employment opportunities for locals because it was not worthwhile for employers to hire foreign workers if the costs of doing so had increased
 
“Companies have to provide accommodation that meets the new SOP, they have to provide transport that meets the SOP.

“This is an opportunity to reduce dependence on foreign workers and restore one of the aims od the NEP which is full employment,” he said. – July 17, 2021.