COMMENT | 12MP equity distribution: Rhetoric vs reality

COMMENT | When Ismail Sabri Yaakob delivered his inaugural address to the nation as the new prime minister, he declared his intention to create a “Keluarga Malaysia”.

This was an important call, as only through the creation of a compact comprising the government, business and the people can solutions be found to deal with Malaysia’s debilitating economic and health crises.

Much was thus expected of the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025 (12MP), the government’s five-year strategy to lead the country out of this unprecedented dual crisis while promoting economic growth and resolving longstanding social inequities.

However, soon after the 12MP was released, strong protests, tinged with a sense of injustice and utter despair, have been voiced that drew attention to the hollowness of Ismail Sabri’s pledge to create a Keluarga Malaysia.

Equitable outcomes?

One “Priority Area” of the 12MP is “Achieving an Equitable Outcome for Bumiputera”. This has been a priority area for the government since 1970, when the New Economic Policy (NEP), a 20-year affirmative action plan, was introduced, after the riots in 1969.

There was a need for...