PM tells bumis to make full use of contracts to uplift status

KUALA LUMPUR: To ensure opportunities offered to the bumiputra are properly utilised, the government will cancel their contracts and approved permits (APs) if they sell these to others.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the bumiputra had hoped that the new government would help them. However, the government hoped that they would make full use of the contract and APs given to uplift their status, and not sell them, said the Prime Minister.

“If it is sold to another person, the contract will be cancelled,” he said to about 2,000 bumiputra at The Future of the Bumiputra and Nation Congress 2018 yesterday.

Dr Mahathir said this would be among the efforts the government would implement to tighten the requirements on opportunities given to the bumiputra.

He also said that those who did not have the capability to carry out the responsibilities should not apply for the contracts in the first place.

“As long as we look for short cuts, we will not succeed,” he said, adding that the government was not out to persecute the race but help them succeed.

In the past, many business opportunities had been given to the bumiputra under the New Economic Policy (NEP), which was introduced in 1971.

However, many sold their contracts and APs for a good profit and this did not help them in the end, said the Prime Minister. Instead, added Dr Mahathir, those who bought these became successful.

“They (the bumiputra) got the APs for importing repaired used cars for free from the government and they sold them at a high price – RM8,000 for each AP. And, if they got 10 APs, they got RM80,000 a month.

“They are proud that they are rich because of the NEP,” said Dr Mahathir.

“But they did not become rich for long because when money was not managed well, they became poor again.

“Those who bought the APs from these bumiputra, their businesses grew and they became successful.”

Dr Mahathir also cited the example of contracts given out to the bumiputra to set up computer laboratories in schools.

These were subcontracted many levels down and became too costly, resulting in obsolete laboratories being set up, he said.

“Their quick-profit attitude resulted in them not succeeding.”

Dr Mahathir said the way the bumiputra enriched themselves did not go down well with the other races.

He said the government then introduced bumiputra companies and contractors, and “direct negotiations” as they would not have the opportunity to be involved in business if these were not done.

He said that to improve the livelihood of the bumiputra, many scholarships were also given to them – not based on merit – because then, only top achievers in a class would get it, no one else.

“As a result of the opportunities given, many of them (the bumiputra) had done well locally and overseas,” he said.

For instance, bumiputra used to make up only 2% of the doctors in the country but because of the NEP, the percentage increased to 40%, he said, adding that the NEP enabled many bumiputra to look beyond being clerks.

“We need to change our values to adopt values that will bring success to us, such as being hardworking and industrious,” said Dr Mahathir. “Not sell away the opportunities but use them to the fullest.”