KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) has been urged not to close Mara Corporation and sell off Malay assets in its bid to narrow its scope of responsibilities to just education and entrepreneurship.
Making the call, Malaysian Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMM) president Datuk Seri Syed Hussein AlHabshee said Mara, instead of taking the easy way out by closing Mara Corporation, should instead strengthen the company’s business.
“Mara should involve stakeholders in formulating policies and strategies based on the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV2030) and fully use its socioeconomic development mandate.
“They should also enhance their capabilities through building competence in economic development, besides having enough expertise in education,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Describing the proposed closing of Mara Corporation as showing lack of confidence in Malays and Bumiputeras, he said this would only set the country back and lead to backwardness.
DPMM, he said, sees this plan as going against the provisions of the Majlis Amanah Rakyat Act 1966.
“Malaysians especially Malays and Bumiputeras in the interior are facing difficulties, which should be overcome through WKB2030.
“Mara has a national network to enable it to implement the vision as it has the funds, brand and workforce,” he noted.
DPMM will sit together with other Malay economic development non-governmental organisations to urge Mara not to go ahead with its plan, he added. — Bernama