Anwar plans to accelerate a needs-based economic policy

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim intends to accelerate a needs-based New Economic Policy set by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad under his leadership.

Anwar - who was introduced as the next prime minister at a symposium in Parliament - reiterated previous statements that the "obsolete" racial New Economic Policy must be dismantled, but added that it must be done with a firm commitment to needs-based affirmative action to help the poor and those who have been sidelined.

However, he emphasised that the majority of those living in poverty are the Malays.

The Port Dickson MP said he was not questioning the special privileges of the Malays as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, adding that a holistic approach to helping the poor was needed.

"After 60 years of independence, Malaysians should be seen as one community with equal rights and privileges," he said at a press conference after the Malaysian Economic Symposium at the Parliament building here on Friday (July 26).

"The poor Malay, poor Chinese, or poor Indian are 'poor people'," he said.

Anwar added that meritocracy sounded good and rational on paper, but was not feasible in practice.

"You cannot compare the best school in Kuala Lumpur with the best school in Kapit, Sarawak," he said.

He said the Pakatan Harapan government under Dr Mahathir has set the direction for a needs-based economic policy and he will continue the process.

"What I need to do is to accelerate the process but I'm equally, if not more, committed in terms of reducing inequality and elevating the poor and checking on unbridled capitalism," he said.

On politicians sitting on the board of government-linked companies, Anwar said it may be practised at the state level but the federal policy was clear that it should no longer be practised.