THE Congress on the future of Bumiputeras and Malaysia 2018 (KBN 2018) on Saturday recycled ideas from past editions, professionals and entrepreneurs at the event said.

KBN 2018 passed no new resolutions that could uplift the Bumiputera economic agenda, they added.

There were no fresh ideas that took into account the latest economic landscape, they said.

“The resolutions didn’t cover many things. They merely recycled issues from past congresses. The solutions are not looking into the future.

“They didn’t include the Industrial Revolution 4.0 or the digital economy,” IX Telecom business development chief Taufiq Hussein told The Malaysian Insight.

He also said Malay land reservation issues were “old school”.

“That is an old idea long discussed. Today, if we want to start say a hotel business, we don’t need land. We can start AirBnb,” he said.

Taufiq said the old ideas were put forward because the congress lacked the voices of younger thinkers.

Salihin Abang, who is involved in business and corporate consultancy, said many attendees were disappointed.

They expected something more than just resolutions, he said.

“If we look at the past resolutions, we find policies to set up Majlis Amanah Raya (Mara) and Bank Rakyat,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Salihin said he hoped there will be someone who would monitor the resolutions to make sure concrete policies are followed up.

“Maybe after this, a smaller congress can be held to refine the resolutions. Then concrete policies or programmes can be introduced and carried out.”

On a more positive note, both Taufiq and Salihin praised the congress attended by some 2,500 delegates for stressing on integrity.

Salihin said if industry players were corrupt and had little integrity, the people and nation would be ruined.

Taufiq said it was good that the congress stressed on fighting corruption.

“We won’t be able to develop the nation properly if there is no integrity.”

Meanwhile, Malay Consultative Council (MPM) secretary-general Prof Dr Hasan Mad said KBN 2018 had outdone previous economic congresses.

This was because the congress this time did not talk about government aid or incentives for Bumiputera businesses.

“Instead, the focus was on the race’s identity and traits (jati diri),” he said.

Hasan said if the government planned to introduce a new economic policy or a national economic policy, it should prioritise values, morality and good behaviour, and continuing the original New Economic Policy (NEP).

“When (the late second prime minister) Abdul Razak Hussein introduced the NEP, the focus was on eradicating poverty and narrowing the economic gap between the races. He didn’t say how he was going to rapidly grow the economy.

“Say if we are to have a second NEP or a national economic policy, what should be the focus? We should not discuss whether Malays can do business or not.

“Malays are capable but the problem now has to do with integrity, morality and values. We forget that we are Muslims. When we do business, we are corrupt.”

Hasan cited how Barisan Nasional fell in the May 9 general election because it allowed corruption to fester among the businesses.

“The BN government lost power because of they allowed all that. If Malays want to advance, we must teach them to do business with integrity.

“Then people will respect us,” he said. – September 3, 2018.