Time to rectify past mistakes, no place for imbalanced policies in M’sia

Time to rectify past mistakes, no place for imbalanced policies in M’sia



MALAYSIAN Indian Voice founder Pappa Raidu Veraman has joined the chorus of voices questioning the Government’s plan to increase the Bumiputera stake in freight forwarding companies to 51% under the 12th Malaysian Plan (12MP).

“I think Syed Saddiq was right about how the move will only benefit the elite few in Malaysia where foreign companies and investors are not included,” he said.

Pappa Raidu is referring to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s statement in the Dewan Rakyat while debating the 12MP tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Sept 28.

The Opposition lawmaker had expressed scepticism that raising the percentage would effectively translate to widening business ownerships within the Bumiputera community.

Rather, he had suggested that the move may only be advantageous to the elite few rather than enrich the community, at the expense of the other minority ethnic groups.

NEP a tool for certain elite groups

During Ismail Sabri’s tabling of the 12MP in Dewan Rakyat, he had lamented the fact that the Bumiputera had yet to attain the 30% equity target set when the New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced in the early 1970s.

However, Pappa Raidu reckoned that the more pressing matter at hand is how the locals – especially the non-Bumiputera – had been unable to oppose this policy since day one despite the fact that they, too, were born here.

“It is unsurprising that the Bumiputera agenda has not reached its 30% target as the policy had been a ‘tool’ made used by only certain elite groups to reap the benefits.”

Pappa Raidu questioned if democracy mattered anymore, seeing how the country continues to marginalise Malaysians “simply because they are not Malays and Muslims”.

“I think the time has come for us to rectify our past mistakes and think wisely to create a better future for our country,” he concluded. – Sept 29, 2021