He said they should pursue knowledge and leave their comfort zone and compete with other races.
"Do not use the special rights and privileged position as an excuse that they can rest on their laurels as they are protected," he told Bernama here Friday.
Universiti Teknologi Mara lecturer Assoc Prof Shaharuddin Badaruddin said the Malays should not rely solely on the special privileges to succeed in their endeavours.
"The Constitution is merely a platform to defend their rights and position. To succeed they must work hard.
"In football, if you playing a defensive game, hardly attacking game, how to beat your opponents. Similarly, if the Malays do not take advantage of their rights and position, they will not succeed," he said when contacted.
Umno veteran Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang said the Malays must be willing to change the perception that they were a docile community.
"We cannot go far if we rely only on subsidies to succeed. If other people can, why can't we?
"We have to think positive and challenge ourselves. If not, we will be left far behind by other races," said Abu Zahar, who is also Dewan Negara president.
Federation of Peninsular Malay Students (GPMS) Jais Abdul Karim said Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had jolted the Malays out of their complacency to rise up and empower themselves so that they would not be looked down by other races.
"We will act on comments and suggestions made by the prime minister. We plan to hold a conference in December to discuss on ways to achieve the objectives," he said when met.
Cheras Umno division chief Datuk Syed Ali AlHabshee said the presidential address brought new hopes to the Malays in the pursuit of Umno's struggle.
"It revolves on the future, the rights and challenges faced by Umno and the Malays to ensure that they are held in high regard.
"Umno political dominance was agreed upon by the country's pluralistic society at the advent of the independence and this must be upheld," he said.
Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association executive officer Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah said MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek should not have raised the social contract issue.
He said Najib had reminded all quarters the need to honour the special rights of the Malays and privileges of non-Malays as enshrined in the constitution to maintain the country's political stability.
Indian Muslim Youth Movement (Gepima) adviser Mohamed Kathir Ali said the Federal Constitution and the 1Malaysia concept should be abided by to preserve the harmonious relations among the people.
He said Indian Muslim youths would continue to support the constitution and government policies as they would guarantee the future direction of the country and provide youths with better access to opportunities.
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