Previous govts didn’t fully utilise funds for Bumiputeras, says Rafizi

 

Economy minister Rafizi Ramli said his ministry was reviewing Teraju’s effectiveness. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Economy minister Rafizi Ramli said past administrations had not fully utilised funds aimed at helping Bumiputeras.

He was referring to funds allocated to Teraju, a unit under the Prime Minister’s Department tasked to spearhead, drive and coordinate the Bumiputera development agenda, in line with the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030.

“Teraju was given a big allocation year after year. However, part of the funds allocated was not utilised in past administrations.

“Teraju was given RM100 million, RM200 million (previously), but the amount that reached the people was far less than that,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat.

Rafizi said despite this, Teraju was still allocated RM135 million in Budget 2023.

He was responding to a question from Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang) on whether the government would proceed to implement the Bumiputera Development Action 2030 (TPB2030).

The TPB2030 was introduced during Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s administration to chart the way forward in improving Bumiputera socio-economic status and equity ownership while ensuring the continuity of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and agenda for the group.

Rafizi said his ministry, together with Teraju, was currently reviewing the unit’s effectiveness.

“I’m not speaking at length about Teraju not because we (the unity government) do not have a Bumiputera agenda, but because we don’t want to repeat what has happened in the past,” he said.

He said to ensure the RM135 million allocation would be fully utilised, the entire process, approach and philosophy on Bumiputera economic development must be reviewed.

On March 6, FMT reported that Muhyiddin Yassin (PN-Pagoh) had criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s RM388.1 billion federal government budget, saying it was devoid of details on the government’s policies to help Bumiputeras.

While debating the budget, Muhyiddin said the government seemed to have acted hastily to replace the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, launched in 2019 by then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, with the Malaysia Madani concept.

Muhyiddin said the Bumiputera agenda was not obvious in the Anwar-led administration’s Malaysia Madani policies or in any of the unity government’s commitments.

He urged the government to explain, in detail, where the Bumiputera agenda and policy lie in its national development plans. - FMT