‘Not a zero-sum game’: Anwar says he wants to help Malays, but not by denying others’ rights

Shah Alam, on September 26, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed his desire to assist the Malays in the country while emphasizing that this should not come at the expense of others' rights, as he firmly believes it is not a "zero-sum game." He assured that the Bumiputera agenda could be expanded with a guarantee of social justice and without infringing upon the safety and comfort of non-Bumiputera groups.

Anwar, during a speech at Universiti Teknologi MARA's (UiTM) Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor, received enthusiastic support from alumni and students. However, he expressed disapproval of any views that insult others, belittle their roles, or deny others' rights. Prior to his speech, Anwar invited UiTM alumni to select seven to ten representatives to assess Bumiputera programs and suggest improvements.

He further revealed that the federal Budget in the upcoming month would focus more on socio-economic development for the Bumiputera community compared to previous budgets. Anwar clarified that this was not a divisive political move, but rather a national agenda, as the interests of the Bumiputera majority and indigenous communities in Sabah and Sarawak should not be overlooked.

He also pledged stricter measures to prevent misappropriation or theft of funds allocated to Malay and Bumiputera agencies, a statement that elicited cheers from the audience.