Rafizi vows not to exploit "Malay" label for political gain

SHAH ALAM - Addressing accusations from the Opposition, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli has firmly stated that the Unity Government will not exploit the "Malay" identity for political benefit.

He dismissed these criticisms as misleading attempts to portray themselves as protectors of Malay interests.

"My answer is simple.

"We won't misuse the Malay name for scraps of Jana Wibawa funds ending up in non-Malay companies through Ali Baba schemes," Rafizi stated in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

He acknowledged the government's commitment to Bumiputera economic empowerment but stressed the need for a strategic approach.

"The question is how we achieve this effectively, bringing benefits to both Bumiputera communities and the nation as a whole," he clarified.

Rafizi outlined the government's plan to bolster Bumiputera contributions through business empowerment and scaling up micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

"While we have over a million business entities, only 3 per cent are large companies, and most fall within the micro and small categories," he said.

He further pointed out that 95 per cent of registered micro and small businesses are owned by Bumiputera traders, highlighting their dominant presence in the sector.

Rafizi's previous message to Bantuan Teraju grant recipients emphasising competitiveness and self-reliance resonates here.

The Jana Wibawa scandal serves as a cautionary tale, prompting Rafizi to call for a data-driven approach to policy implementation.

"We need to use statistics effectively to ensure our efforts succeed," he said.

He urged Bumiputera businesses receiving government assistance to focus on the "3Ps": "product, problem, people."

"My message to bumiputera businesses that get help from government agencies is to focus on the 3P's which are 'product, problem, people'.

"Only businesses, whether products or services that meet the needs of customers, will be resilient and able to be scaled," he said.

He added while government agencies continue to develop programs to help the Bumiputera business ecosystem, traders need to expand their business based on 3P to prevent the Jana Wibawa tragedy from happening again.