The government is committed to ensuring the success of the Bumiputera agenda through the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (WKB2030) and the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) slated to be tabled early next year.

Prime Minister,Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said in a bid to empower the socio-economic development of the Bumiputera, the government has formed the Bumiputera Prosperity Council (MKB), which he chairs, besides having agreed for the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju) to become the Main Coordinating Agency for all Bumiputera socio-economic development agenda.

“Teraju will be the sole coordinator of the central Bumiputera database across various ministries, agencies and government-linked companies (GLC). Besides, Bumiputera will also be given a double leap through the inculcation of entrepreneurship culture at various levels to turn Bumiputera as an entrepreneurial race.

“The entrepreneurship culture will continue to be nurtured in an integrated manner through the roles of various agencies such as Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad (PUNB), Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) and TEKUN Nasional (Tekun), as well as Bumiputera-mandated agencies,” he said during question time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here today.

The Prime Minister was replying to Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (PH-Parit Buntar) who wanted to know the measures to improve Bumiputera’s economy especially when the number of unemployed Bumiputrera is increasing, without blaming other races.

Muhyiddin explained that for the second quarter of 2020, the Bumiputera unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent compared to the national average of 5.1 per cent, while the incidence of Bumiputera poverty in 2019 was 7.2 per cent compared to Chinese (1.4 per cent) and Indian (4.8 per cent).

Meanwhile, Muhyiddin said, the percentage of Bumiputera equity was recorded at only about 16 per cent and it was declining and worrying compared to previously reported percentage.

“Therefore, what matters most is the measures taken by the government and our commitment to do better than before,” he said.

“Through the KKB, Muhyiddin said the government would study and scrutinise the Bumiputera sectors that lagged too far behind, and complete and integrated data collected by Teraju will allow more focused action to be taken,” he said in reply to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (BN-Bagan Datuk) on government’s efforts regarding Bumiputera equity in listed and unlisted companies, as well as Bumiputera trust agencies.

To the supplementary question from Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (BN-Rompin) on economic cooperation between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, Muhyiddin said he would focus on the matter in the framework which is currently being planned.

“That is one one the steps that we can take to combine the efforts and source of capital from the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera in a genuine partnership, not by way of ‘Ali Baba’ and methods that are not in line with our policies,” he added. - BERNAMA