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Wednesday 16 June 2010

Najib reaffirms commitment to Bumi equity target

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak tonight dismissed claims that the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP) was inconsistent with the New Economic Model (NEM) for maintaining the 30 per cent Bumiputera equity target.

“There is no conflict. We must understand the presentation by NEAC was their report. The presentation in Parliament was the government’s position,” the prime minister said referring to the National Economic Action Council (NEAC) chaired by Tan Sri Amirsham A. Aziz.

Najib added that he had never proposed for the Bumiputera equity target to be dropped saying that it was a misunderstanding.

“I did not promise for the affirmative action to be abolished. I only said the affirmative action policy would be made market-friendly and based on merit, better than before,” he said after chairing the Barisan Nasional (BN) supreme council here.

He also added that government will continue to provide assistance to the bottom 40 per cent of households.

Since unveiling the NEM last March the Najib administration has been under pressure from Malay rights groups Perkasa and the Malay Consultative Council to maintain pro-Bumiputera policy.

The government however was accused by the opposition for being inconsistent for maintaining the 30 per cent equity target in the 10MP, tabled last week.

When tabling the 10MP, Najib also announced the formation of a high-level council to be chaired by him to plan, co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of the Bumiputera development agenda.

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