Dr M takes opposing stand to Najib’s policies

[...] Since he took over as premier in early April, Najib has begun rolling back affirmative action for the Malays, who form the country's majority, to boost investment and make Malaysia more competitive. The programme, known as the New Economic Policy (NEP), uses quotas, licences, restrictions and outright grants to lift the Malays into economic parity with the non-Malays.

In so doing, however, he has angered many Malays who have felt betrayed over his policy reversals and worried about falling further behind their richer countrymen.

In quick succession, Najib removed NEP restrictions from 27 service sub-sectors, liberalised financial services, and emasculated the Foreign Investment Committee, a powerful state body that could block deals if it felt that Malay interests were not being served. He also removed a decades-old requirement that mandated 30 per cent of an initial public offering's shares to be set aside for Malay interests.

More recently, Najib announced the setting up of a merit-based scholarship programme in what seemed to be an effort to appease the non-Malays who have long complained about being victimised. - + selanjutnya

Dr M takes opposing stand to Najib’s policies