Yet another NEP warning, yet another silence
When Musa Hitam and Nazir Razak – two respected men - warned about the damaging unintended consequences of the NEP and its successor policies, I had expected it to spark a robust public debate. It didn’t happen.
Two prominent figures linked to the New Economic Policy (NEP) have publicly warned that its extended implementation has produced dependency and mediocrity. Nazir Razak, son of the policy's creator, stated at a commemorative forum in September that the NEP has fostered a "tongkat culture" of dependency among Malays. The NEP was initially intended to be in place for only 20 years, according to CIMB Group chairman.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Musa Hitam echoed similar sentiments, saying the policy "inadvertently produced a culture of reliance on government assistance" and made Malays overly "pampered by the government". These critiques highlight both the achievements and unintended consequences of the NEP. While it successfully lifted many Malays out of poverty and created an educated Bumiputera middle class, the policy also created a culture of rent-seeking behavior and a sluggish economy.
The gap between rich and poor Malays remains wide, and rural Bumiputera, Orang Asli, and the bottom 40% in Malay heartlands continue to struggle. Despite these problems, the NEP persists due to politicians' electoral utility in perpetuating a cycle of dependency.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Yet another NEP warning, yet another silence freemalaysiatoday.com
