KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today said that insufficient attention to Bumiputera socio-economic development could, over time, contribute to political and social instability, drawing parallels with circumstances that led to the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP).
The Pagoh Member of Parliament said that current efforts to advance the Bumiputera agenda could be strengthened, particularly in terms of participation in high-skilled and professional sectors.
“If we look at past history, I do not want a repeat of the era of the late Tun Abdul Razak, which led to the creation of the New Economic Policy.
“If this is not taken into account in today’s context, I am concerned that it could trigger political and social instability, affecting development that has already been implemented and planned by the government,” he said during the debate on the Motion of Thanks for the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat today.
Muhyiddin claimed that current efforts to advance the Bumiputera agenda appeared to be weakening, with participation in high-skilled and professional sectors remaining low.
He also highlighted issues such as graduate unemployment, low home ownership among Bumiputera youth, as well as lagging equity ownership and household income levels compared with other communities.
He added that poverty rates among Bumiputera, including in Sabah and Sarawak, remained higher than those of other groups.
Without strong and coordinated government intervention, Muhyiddin said that the Bumiputera economic position could continue to fall behind.
He urged the government to consider introducing a new Bumiputera economic policy to serve as a central framework guiding national policies.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
