‘Corruption and abuse must stop’

KUALA LUMPUR: The government intends to hit the ground running with Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV 2030) and will not hesitate to “amputate the cancerous limbs” of corruption and abuse of power which had failed past policies, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said corruption and abuse of power were the main reasons that, despite the introduction of past policies with good intentions, the distribution of wealth in the country was not carried out in a just and fair manner.

“The main reasons stunting the development and distribution of the country’s economic pie are corruption and abuse of power.

“This has become cancerous and the only cure, as a doctor, as I see it, should be to amputate and eliminate it, ” said Dr Mahathir.

He also said this is the reason the empowerment of the bumiputra economy remains an agenda in SPV 2030, as the country’s majority ethnic group still has a high poverty rate.

“Bumiputra strengthening agenda were impacted by this problem (corruption and abuse of power), and the support which was supposed to have been given to the bumiputra was misused and leaked to groups that should not have received it.

“As a result, the economic gap of the bumiputra is still unresolved.

“We must get rid of corruption and power abuse, not the agenda (of empowering the bumiputra), ” said Dr Mahathir in his speech at the launch of the government’s new vision – SPV 2030 – which is a blueprint and the framework of the direction of the country for the next decade.

He said that the government has already implemented some of the policies in line with the vision and more will be announced under Budget 2020 to be tabled in Parliament on Oct 11.

“By 2021, there need not be much aligning. In other words, in 2021 we will hit the ground running and pursue the Shared Prosperity Vision full steam, ” said Dr Mahathir.

He said that SPV 2030 is a continuation of Vision 2020, of which he was the architect, taking into account the changes that will happen in the next decade.

“Malaysia has been successful in evolving from an agricultural country to an industrial nation.

“It is time for the country to go one step further to own and develop a technology, digital and data-based economy, ” said Dr Mahathir.

SPV 2030 is a long-term vision suggested and developed by Institut Masa Depan Malaysia last year.

Dr Mahathir said that the concept of shared prosperity is not something new.

The Prime Minister first mentioned it during the winding-up speech of 11th Malaysia Plan and was expanded further during the first anniversary of Pakatan Harapan last May.

The Economic Affairs Ministry under Datuk Seri Azmin Ali was entrusted to complete and prepare SPV 2030 and it was presented at a special Cabinet meeting, which agreed to adopt the vision as the direction of the country for the next decade.