Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim champions private sector, ‘needs-based’ affirmative action ahead of crucial by-election test
Prospective PM says country’s positive discrimination policy must be based on ‘freedom, justice, and equity’
The private sector is key to boosting Malaysia’s economy, believes democracy icon Anwar Ibrahim, and the politics of patronage that permeated Malaysian governance are coming to an end.
In a speech delivered at the Ministry of Finance’s ‘Malaysia: A New Dawn’ conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, Anwar said the economy should be driven by the private sector while maintaining needs-based affirmative action.
“Affirmative action must be vigorously promoted based on need … The approach has got to be courageous because this is a clear departure from the policies crafted in the past, which may be true and relevant in the context of the past,” he said, discussing the country’s policy of affirmative action for historically disadvantaged Malays. “But I don’t think in this age we need to pursue a policy which is not defensible in terms of freedom, justice, and equity.”
Anwar touched on the importance of renewing partnerships, making special mention of China and India as key economic powerhouses.
“We are an open economy,” he said. “We have a long history of trade relationships with China and India and must ensure this economic trading investment relationship with them be further enhanced.”