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Anwar to PH: Recognise failed policies, draft new ones based on needs

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KUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Anwar Ibrahim wants the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to recognise the failure of policies and the need to review several fundamental programmes.

Citing the race-based New Economic Policy (NEP), Mr Anwar said the initiative failed to address poverty even among the Malay community.

The NEP sets aside quotas in universities, government jobs and housing for the majority Malays and other bumiputera races to quickly reduce their poverty rate.

"Our policies have been proven to be wrong or have fundamental flaws. Abject poverty remains. There has been social mobility, but overall we need a major review," he said in his speech at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry 90th anniversary dinner on Saturday.

"There is still grinding poverty, and it's worse for the Malays, Indians living in estates and rural areas. We must acknowledge this and review fundamental programmes," he said.

Mr Anwar said the government, particularly Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali and the Economy Planning Unit, should recognise these weaknesses.

"One of the greatest disasters is failure of policies when you get the diagnosis wrong. You have a bad injury in the left leg and you get the right (leg) amputated," he said.

Mr Anwar said Malaysia must move on to a new economic agenda based on need, which includes the need for the country to grow.

"Obsolete policies are based on race. We need new policies based on need," he said.

He added that chambers of commerce must undertake programmes transcending race. - THE STAR

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