KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday reassured bumiputeras that all the 12 National Key Economc Areas (NKEAs) had taken into the consideration the Bumiputera economic agenda.
HOW ARE YOU: Muhyiddin (right) having a light moment with the public at the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPPM) Aidilfitri open house at Putra World Trade Centre. — Bernama photo
In fact, he said, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had also stressed that the New Economic Model (NEM) that was introduced by the government would also protect the Malay agenda and maintain affirmative action policies. As such, he called on all Bumiputera entreprenuers to capitalise on the opportunities that will be made available in the economic sectors outlined in the initiatives.
“We have already held an open day to give stake holders an opportunity to see what is in store for them in the government’s Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) covering the 12 NKEAs, which are deemed important because they are the findings of laborataries met up by the goverment to evaluate the economic sectors that can drive the nation’s economy towards becoming a high-income country by 2020.
“In the planning done based on the 12 NKEAs, it also covers aspects of Malay and Bumiputera participation in each economic sector,” he said is his speech at the Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPPM) Aidilfitri open house here.
The 12 NKEAs identified by the government towards Malaysia attaining high-income nation status are oil and gas, palm oil and related products, financial services, wholesale and retail, tourism, information and communications technology (ICT), education, electrical and electronics, business services, private healthcare, agriculture and Greater Kuala Lumpur revitalisation. At the function, he also voiced his support for the chamber’s initiative to set up a Malay socio-economic laboratory which could forward suggestions to accelerate economic progress of the Malays. He said the laboratory could also help the government in identifying economic fields which could be participated by Bumiputera entreprenuers more effectively.
Earlier, DPMM president Syed Ali Mohamed al-Attas in his speech announced the setting up of the laboratory. Also present was deputy Foreign Minister Senator A Kohilan Pillay. — Bernama