‘Soal ekuiti, rujuk keputusan Najib dulu’, Srikandi PKR beritahu Nooryana

PKR leader Nurhidayah Che Rose urged Puteri Umno's Communications Chief Nooryana Najwa Najib to refer to her father Najib Razak's previous government's decision before debating changes in the 30% Bumiputera ownership requirement for private education institutions. Nurhidayah reminded her that in April 2009, when Najib was the prime minister, his administration announced the liberalization of 27 sectors without equity requirements, and then expanded it to several education subsectors three years later.

In 2012, the foreign equity cap was raised to 100% for certain international, technical, vocational, and private universities, she explained in a statement. Recently, Nooryana reportedly stated that the Ministry of Education (MOE) must promptly clarify why the Ministry of Finance (Miti) is linked to aligning the 30% Bumiputera ownership requirement for private institutions.

She added that Miti has affirmed its non-involvement in the original 30% Bumiputera ownership standard-setting. Nurhidayah noted that this development raises questions about Nooryana's consistency in criticizing the government's policy changes. Nooryana is entitled to criticize the government, she said, but the equity issue should not be raised selectively while disregarding past administration records.

If liberalization when under Najib's administration could be implemented as part of economic policy changes, why is today's equity requirement change still being used as ammunition to attack the government? "This is the consistency issue Nooryana must answer," she said. Recently, Miti claimed they have no information on the MOE's decision to waive the Bumiputera ownership requirement for private education institutions.

Miti clarified that issues related to Bumiputera ownership are under the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Ministry of Finance's jurisdiction.