COMMENT | Bumiputera congress should focus on the poor

COMMENT | I agree that the economic status of the bumiputera community in Malaysia is still lagging compared to the non-bumiputera community. 

This fact is displayed in the figures of total EPF savings by ethnic breakdown, before and after the first Covid-19 movement control order.

These statistics were reported in Dewan Rakyat in early 2023. Because of this reality, it is necessary that we craft measures to handle the economic problems faced by the Malay and other bumiputera communities.

I hope that this Economic Congress will come up with effective policies. This is not to deny that there are also groups of non-bumiputera who are poor and are facing economic problems.

In order to enact accurate and effective policies, it is essential to first understand the causes of poverty in the bumiputera community. Based on my experience as the MP for Sungai Siput for two terms, the causes of poverty in the Malay community are: