Members from both sides of the political spectrum argued that the inclusiveness of the New Economic Model (NEM) was the only solution to the NEP’s shortcomings, while pointing out that Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s concessions to conservative critics contained in his Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) speech recently was a step backwards.
“They took a step forward with NEM, but are taking two steps back with 10MP. Disappointing move. Corporate figures like Nazir have seen it and he was disappointed.
“Being a top banker in the country he must have received plenty of feedback from the financial and corporate community on what they thought of 10MP.
“He was voicing out the fact that he has received negative feedback about 10MP, the disappointment in business community leaders in winding back proposed reforms in NEM,” said Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua.
Pua argued that the 10MP had abandoned the ideals of the NEM, and only reinforced the NEP.
“I think Najib should ironically do another flip-flop, re-emphasise that the government is fully behind NEM... (They) should not fall back on 10MP,” Pua told The Malaysian Insider.
PAS’s Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad echoed his PR colleague’s view, stressing that the NEP had never benefited the majority of Malays in the past or present.
“All the more if it’s coming from a corporate figure like Nazir, to some extent, a successful corporate figure is criticising this (the NEP). He is spot on with his critique.
“The 10MP is a rehash of NEP. My critique is clear, with a corporate figure saying this (to back this up).
“He’s Malay, and he’s the prime minister’s brother. We can already envision the prognosis of the future. With ultras and Tun (Dr Mahathir Mohamad) we are back to square one,” said the Kuala Selangor MP to The Malaysian Insider.
Najib was forced last week to dismiss claims that the 10MP was inconsistent with the NEM for maintaining the 30 per cent Bumiputera equity target.
The PM’s 10MP has been criticised for being what some analysts have called a mutated form of the NEP, and for not fulfilling the promised reforms and rolling back of failed affirmative action policies set out under the NEP.
BN MPs like Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong also agreed with their opposition colleagues in claiming today that the NEP had reached the end of its shelf life.
“Nazir’s statement is a reflection of the way forward… we need to be competitive and learn how to survive in this era of globalisation.
“I am impressed with his statement. While people still want affirmative action based on race, we need affirmative action based on needs,” said the Ayer Hitam MP.
Wee said the Najib administration needed to push through the NEM all the way to be able to advance from being “kampung players” to “global players”.
Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the 10MP should be based on the ideals of the NEM and not the NEP.
“I agree that any Malaysia plan must be based on the NEM. The NEP is outdated, it does not represent the Malays of the present generation.
“We have agreed that the 10MP must be dedicated to the NEM,” said the Padang Rengas MP.
However, he dismissed PR’s claims that the 10MP did not accommodate the ideals of the NEM.
“I am very sure that the 10MP was made to accommodate the NEM. The NEM will be announced during the PM’s budget speech in the next parliamentary session,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
MIC’s Datuk S.K. Devamany also praised Nazir’s views.
“Whatever the model, we need to ensure that Malaysia can remain competitive in the global scenario.
“Nazir is the epitome of the new Malay psyche, the ones who are ready to take on the world,” said the Cameron Highlands MP.
Nazir had repeated his call yesterday for a review of the NEP, saying that the policy has been unfair to the majority of Malays.
Nazir, a younger brother to Najib, said the time has come for the government to protect the interest of the majority of the Malays and not just selected few.
“I have met a Malay professional overseas who refused to return to Malaysia because he is of the view that successful Malays are not welcomed in the country. This is because the Malays’ success is always linked to NEP,” said Nazir in an interview with Mingguan Malaysia.
“In fact some of them refused to return thinking that the NEP is not for them but only to selected Malay groups, so they are better off working overseas,” he said when asked if the new generation of Malays are more open to reviewing the policy.
He claimed that the policy, introduced during the premiership of his father Tun Abdul Razak Hussein in 1971, has deviated from its original objective.
