Anwar on alternative programme to NEP

Anwar on alternative programme to NEP
BERNAMA
SINGAPORE, MON:

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de factor leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says the soon-to-be-formalised opposition alliance will introduce the Malaysian Economic Agenda as an alternative programme to replace the New Economic Policy (NEP) to fulfil the needs of all the races in the coutnry.

He said the programme would be introduced when PKR, DAP and PAS formalised their alliance mechanism in a few days.

“I want to assure the Malays that the Malay Agenda will be retained, but we will also have to draw up a new agenda for the Chinese and the Indians,” he said in an interview with the Singapore Berita Harian which was published today.

Anwar said the three-party alliance started working on the Malaysian Economic Agenda since a year ago.
source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Monday/NewsBreak/20080317181009/Article/index_html

Malaysian Economic Agenda proposed: SINGAPORE: Parti Keadilan Rakyat and its allies will introduce the Malaysian Economic Agenda (MEA) as an alternative programme to the New Economic Policy (NEP). PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the party had been working with Pas and DAP on the MEA for the past year.

In an interview with Singapore's Berita Harian, Anwar said details of the MEA would be revealed after the three parties formalised their alliance within a few days.

"I want to assure Malays that the Malay Agenda will be retained, but we will also have to draw up a new agenda for the Chinese and the Indians," Bernama quoted him as saying in the report.

In Shah Alam, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who is PKR secretary-general, also alluded to the MEA.

While admitting that his success in the corporate world was a result of the NEP, he said the situation had since changed.
He said during his tenure as the chief executive officer in Permodalan Nasional Bhd, he carried out NEP policies such as the Amanah Saham Bumiputra and Amanah Saham Nasional.

"I carried out a policy that benefited all Malays and when I left the organisation, more than five million Malays had benefited from it," he told the press after meeting Anwar at his official residence here yesterday.

Khalid said some people in Selangor, including Umno information chief and former menteri besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib, had said that he was ungrateful to the NEP although it had helped him become successful.

He replied that he was grateful for the opportunities the NEP had given him. However, for the state to be truly developed, everyone must develop together.

He said at least 53 per cent of Malays in Selangor needed help to become competitive, not just locally but internationally.

He added that the Chinese, too, needed help to develop their businesses.

The government also had to ensure that the Indians were not left behind in development.

source: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/2189544/Article/index_html

New Malaysian Economic Agenda to replace New Economic Policy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EhFQBSfeAM

Agenda Ekonomi Malaysia - The Malaysian Economic Agenda http://anwaribrahimblog.com/2008/03/15/agenda-ekonomi-malaysia/

PKR Leaders meet Rimba Jaya folkshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ_Oq2fe-0sb

Rimba Jaya: New site for demolished temple http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/3/18/nation/20674563&sec=nation

March 19, 2008: Pertahan DEB... bela maruah Melayu

Kira-kira 1,000 orang yang terdiri daripada pelbagai lapisan masyarakat berhimpun di Dataran Shah Alam hari Rabu bagi membantah cadangan PKR dan DAP yang kini memerintah Selangor untuk menghapuskan Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB). Perhimpunan yang berlangsung di dalam hujan lebat itu menyaksikan perhimpunan yang dinamakan Himpunan Melayu Selangor itu dipenuhi dengan ucapan yang membantah cadangan pihak kerajaan negeri Selangor untuk menghapuskan DEB. Beberapa pemimpin perhimpunan itu dalam ucapannya mengutuk cadangan menghapuskan DEB yang disifatkan mencabar kesabaran orang Melayu. Malah mereka melaungkan slogan Hidup Melayu dan Daulat Tuanku berharap agar Sultan Selangor terus diberikan kekuatan untuk mempertahankan kepentingan orang Melayu di Selangor. Perhimpunan berkenaan berlangsung dalam masa setengah jam dan berjalan dengan aman dan pihak polis kelihatan berkawal di sekitar Dataran Shah Alam sepanjang perhimpunan itu berlangsung. - 19/3/2008

Sumber: http://www.agendadaily.com/cms/index.jsp

DAP plans reforms in Penang, Umno upset with coming changes

The DAP-led Penang government has outlined several reforms it plans to undertake in the state administration, including awarding government procurement contracts by open tender. Newly appointed chief minister Lim Guan Eng said the party also planned to immediately review the current practice of having only political appointees as representatives in the municipal councils.Speaking to reporters, Lim said effective immediately, information about government contracts and tender bids would be uploaded to an Internet portal for public scrutiny.“We want to run a state administration free from cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency.

“Instead, we advocate a stakeholders economy for all based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner,” he said.Lim said he along with all exco members, state assembly speaker, deputy speaker and the respective heads of the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP) and Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) would also be making a public declaration of their personal assets.He added that the DAP-led coalition would also attempt to restore local government elections before the end of its term.In the interim, the state government intends to exercise Section 10(2) of the Local Government Act by appointing professionals and non-governmental organisation representatives as members of local government.

In an immeidate reaction, Penang Umno secretary Datuk Azhar Ibrahim warned that if the new state government goes ahead with its plan to do away with the NEP's practices, it will anger Malays in the state."It will also result in unrest because they will face all sorts of hardship," he said.Despite 50 years of Independence, Azhar said the Bumiputera's equity was still lacking by 18.7 per cent. The group has yet to achieve the 30 per cent target.Azhar claimed the DAP, unlike Barisan Nasional, had never supported and encouraged the NEP."They claimed to represent the people of all races but are they really doing so?" he said.Since the party had been chosen by the people to lead the state, along with Parti Keadilan Rakyat, they should be responsible for each and everyone's well being, Azhar said.

© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved. http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/Frontpage/20080311191746/Article/index_html

Malaysia's opposition takes over in Penang - Malaysia's opposition was sworn in to power Tuesday in Penang, one of the nation's richest states, and swiftly announced plans to dismantle controversial race-based discrimination policies. Lim Guan Eng, head of the Democratic Action Party, was appointed chief minister after a stunning performance in weekend polls which handed Penang and three other states to a three-party opposition alliance. Lim immediately targeted the New Economic Policy, which was introduced in the early 1970s to bridge the wealth gap between the Muslim Malays who dominate the population and the ethnic Chinese who are successful in business. "We want to run the state government administration free from the New Economic Policy that only breeds cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency," he told reporters.
"Instead, we advocate a stakeholders' economy for all, based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner," he said. Lim said all government contracts would be conducted through an open tender system, unlike the practice of the previous administration. The new procedure takes effect immediately. "To show transparency, information about the tender bids will be uploaded to an Internet portal for all to see," he said.

Malaysian opposition targets race policies, warns govt - Malaysia's opposition Tuesday announced plans to dismantle race-based discrimination policies and warned the government not to sabotage the transition of power as it prepared to rule in five states. After a stunning weekend election performance that seized a third of parliamentary seats and four new states from the ruling coalition, an opposition figure was sworn in Tuesday as chief minister in Penang. Lim Guan Eng, head of the Democratic Action Party which is a part of a three-member opposition alliance, immediately targeted positive discrimination policies for Muslim Malays who dominate the nation's population. "We want to run the state government administration free from the New Economic Policy that only breeds cronyism, corruption and systematic inefficiency," he told reporters.
"Instead, we advocate a stakeholders' economy for all, based on the principle of shared prosperity in an equitable manner," he said. The New Economic Policy was introduced in the early 1970s to bridge the wealth gap with ethnic Chinese who dominate business, by giving Malays advantages in education, housing and business. It was one of the factors behind a flight by ethnic Chinese and Indian voters in weekend polls, which deprived the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition of a two-thirds majority in parliament for the first time in four decades.

Agenda Ekonomi Malaysia akan memacu pertumbuhan - Malaysian Economic Agenda Set to Propel Growth: KeADILan’s economic agenda received a resounding mandate on March 8th when Malaysians went to the polls and quadrupled the number of seats held by the opposition in Parliament, awarding us with 50% of the seats in West Malaysia. After a decade of economic mismanagement, unchecked inflation in recent years and lagging competitiveness vis-a-vis Malaysia’s neighbours, we are confident that under our leadership and working closely with our partners, we will begin to implement policies to ensure a stronger and more vibrant economy in Malaysia.