Excerpts from TheStar (July 17, 2007)…
UMNO will continue to struggle and discuss the need to keep the New Economic Policy (NEP) to ensure the interests of the Malays are protected, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Khir Toyo said.
The Umno supreme council member said the party could only remain relevant in the future if this was among its priorities.
He said, without such a thrust, the Malays could switch their support to religion-based parties such as PAS or other opposition parties including Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).
It is no hiding secret that NEP has become a weapon for UMNO’s political agenda… I am kinda surprise though, to see an UMNO leader stating the fact so blatantly.
I actually think that the concept of NEP is not all that bad… the problems however, lies within the implementation of the policy. It is pretty obvious that only a small number of Bumiputras are reaping the rewards of NEP while most of the poor are being neglected or manipulated.
Besides, it is worse enough to have a racial bias government policy, it is even worse when it is being used for the benefits of a specific political party… even the Malays themselves are being discriminated (UMNO vs not UMNO members).