PUTRAJAYA: The championing of Malay privileges should not end because the economic environment is always changing, Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz said.
Speaking to a gathering of Gagasan Badan Ekonomi Melayu (Gabem) members, she said the issue of Malay rights had to continue as Malaysia’s economy grew and adapted to changes and external forces.
“Some people ask why the Malays are forever asking for their economic rights. This is because the economic structure changes over time.
“In the 1970s, Malays debated among themselves on how to get contracts to build schools or mosques. There was nothing else because the economy was that way. It was dependent on government contracts.
“Now, we have a new generation of Malays who are not debating about winning government contracts, but about how to enter new fields, like information technology.
“They are also looking at winning contracts abroad, taking their business overseas.
“It is a different economic context. So, that is why the debate should continue,” Rafidah said.
She proposed that Gabem set up a scholarship fund to help Malay youth pursue degrees in high-technology fields to ease the government’s burden.
“The Malays are slow in this (providing scholarships). The Chinese clans and associations have done this long ago. When I was about to enter university and searching high and low for scholarships, my Chinese friends had already secured theirs, thanks to their organised clans.”
Besides scholarships, Rafidah said Gabem could be instrumental in helping the government form policies for Malay economic interests.She also said that Barisan Nasional remained the best choice of government to help protect Malay rights, especially in dealing with external forces of globalisation.
“The rising price of oil and the weak US dollar — these are external forces out of our control that will affect our economy. We need a government that knows how to handle these challenges,” said Rafidah, who is also Wanita Umno chief.
Taking a jab at the opposition, she challenged Parti Keadilan adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement that he could lower petrol prices if he was the prime minister.
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