PKR stands firm - no to NEP
Malaysiakini.com
Mar 15, 2008

PKR today reiterated that it wants to scrap the New Economic Policy (NEP) despite drawing flak from Umno in the past few days.
MCPX

The opposition party has previously criticised the NEP as a policy designed to enrich the ruling Umno party and its cronies instead of eradicating poverty.

syed husin aliPKR deputy president Dr Syed Husin Ali said his party intends to replace NEP with a new policy, dubbed the Malaysian Economic Agenda which was mooted by party de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

"(NEP) has been abused by a handful of leaders and cronies in Umno and Barisan Nasional to rob the country of its wealth to enrich themselves in the name of Malays as a whole.

"It has led to discriminatory practices that are against the spirit of justice and fairness for all Malaysians, particularly the poor, marginalised and disadvantaged groups of all races," said Syed Husin in a statement today.

Syed Husin said Anwar had already outlined the MEA clearly in his many articles, public lectures as well as the party’s election statement.

anwar ibrahim 02 060207Anwar has been drawing flak from Umno over Malay rights ever since opposition parties PAS, PKR and DAP made heavy inroads in peninsula Malaysia resulting in BN losing control of four states and failing to wrest Kelantan.

He has also been the target of criticism over new Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng’s claim that Penang would be free of NEP practices.

Yesterday, Umno had organised two demonstrations - one in Penang and another in Selangor - to protest against the doing away with the affirmative policy which favours Malays.

Combat corruption, cronyism

Syed Husin said Umno and BN now use the state-controlled media to accuse PKR of having no programme to reduce poverty among the Malays given its anti-NEP platform.

"We wish to emphasise that a policy of positive discrimination in favour of all Malaysians who are poor, marginalised and disadvantaged will benefit the Malay rakyat more, because they are the majority of poor people," he added.

To do this, Syed Husin stressed that the MEA aspires to:

   1. Institute and implement fair, just and equitable redistribution of wealth
   2. Combat corruption, cronyism and nepotism
   3. Needs-based positive discrimination towards the poor
   4. Channel national wealth into better education, healthcare and  housing
   5. Improving economic competitiveness

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