KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) — The Federation of Malay Economic Bodies (Gabem) asks the government to take more aggressive steps in ensuring the efforts to develop the bumiputra economy is a continuous initiative.
Its Chairman Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Chik said the bumiputra economy would not be looked after as long as the government does not give serious and continuous attention to develop it.
“This is the only way we can avoid a situation where the country’s economy is controlled by a minority group compared with a majority group,” he said at a press conference here today.
In achieving this aspiration, Gabem has proposed several initiatives including monitoring by the bumiputra Agenda Action Council (MTAB) on bumiputra participation in the economy, which is comprehensive, covering state and district levels.
“In Gabem’s observation, the strength of the Barisan Nasional at present is aided by the support from rural areas in states and districts where the Malay and bumiputra voters are huge.
“However, a large portion of the government’s allocation to develop the bumiputras is focused on big enterprises at the federal level but the number is small,” he said.
He said a stronger bumiputra unity can be created if the government, in the next few years, succeeded in improving the economy of the Malays. Rahim said Gabem itself had formulated several new programmes that are clear and comprehensive by giving focus to the majority of the entrepreneurs at grassroots level.
He said the programmes, which are revolutionary and able to transform the national economic scenario in a short period, included ‘Satu Keluarga Satu Syarikat’ (1K1S- One Family, One Company) and ‘Syarikat Teras Negeri’ (State Core Company).
“1K1S aims to encourage every Malay and bumiputra family own at least one company to familiarise themselves with the entreprenuerial culture at the initial stage.
“Under the first phase, Gabem targets to establish a minimum of 30 companies in each state under this programme,” he said.
Under the STN, Rahim said the programme was created to meet the dearth of programmes for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at the state and district levels.
“Gabem, with the cooperation of related financial agencies, will pick the SMEs that are viable and provide them with guidance, encouragement and assistance so that they can grow faster.
“Under the first phase, at least 50 viable companies will be identified in each state,” he said.
