Dr Mahathir rebuts Kuok’s criticism of NEP

Kamles Kumar Radzi Razak Kamles Kumar, Radzi Razak Updated 6 years ago · Published on 28 Feb 2018 1:17PM · 4 Comments

Dr Mahathir Mohamad says affirmative action under the New Economic Policy has resulted in more Malay doctors being trained. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, February 28, 2018.

DR Mahathir Mohamad has defended the affirmative action under the New Economic Policy (NEP) after businessman Robert Kuok’s scathing criticism of the move designed to lift Malays from poverty and give them a more equitable share of the country’s economic growth.

The former prime minister said that if there was no affirmative action in place, Bumiputeras would be sidelined.

“We will prove to him why we have affirmative action.

“Without affirmative action there would not be enough scholarships for Bumiputeras,” Dr Mahathir said in a press conference in Kuantan today.

The Pakatan Harapan chairman explained that there were now more Malay doctors, with at least 40% of students in local medical schools coming from the ethnic group.

Kuok in his memoirs last year criticised Malaysia’s affirmative action policy to help Malays in education and business.

The Hong Kong-based businessman made headlines recently when political blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin claimed Kuok was funding the opposition to topple the Najib Razak-led government.

Kuok has denied all allegations, reaffirmed his loyalty to Malaysia and is mulling legal action against Raja Petra.

Dr Mahathir agreed that Kuok was a “true patriot” because he has not relinquished his citizenship despite overseas successes.

“He retains citizenship of the country despite making money outside of Malaysia. I believe he is still a citizen of Malaysia. If you are not a patriot, you will give up your citizenship.” – February 28, 2018.

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Comments

  • Bullshit!!! Madhatir--- you exploit everthing in Malaysia on the Malays special rights to the fullest for you and your cronies for personal gains. You extended it further with your devious privatisation program in the guise of developement for the country and Malays welfare. Do not bring in hogwash datas of the Malays lacking behind if not due to NEP which was purely a program purported to Ketuanan. You are being supported now to get rid of Najib who was personally selected by you of which you are hoping that he toe your line but divine force works in a funny way to make him a renegade of which you despised more than you had for Anwar. All your personal followers be it your deputies or in your cabinets has been a racist and care less for the country well being and the rakyat. You are trying to draw in on the Robert Kuok incidents to shore up your virtues and great humility of which you give none during your 22 years tenure. Behave yourself and we shall continue to support you for a common cause to rid the country of the devil no less bigger than you. You still have to atone for all your wrong doings and at this juncture we are still being benevolent and giving you some leeway to make amends. Make good use of the situation and rise to the occassion in correcting the wrongs and stop being too race oriented in steering Malaysia back to the right track. Sad to say it is your own race from your own party that belittes and demean you to the lowest level without any compunction. What more are you to reserve the rights to acknowledge that the NEP has justified its role in reaching out to all but on contrary it has far more detrimental effect in the cause to borne out the ketuanan elite of ingrate war lords in Umno who are now biting off your hands and have totally zero respect with the only wish to see further damages to all your distinctive past. History repeat itself as Anwar who was a racist and behaving the same as you have to eat humble pie when downtrodden and it is always the nons who offer the extended hand to pull him up from the cess pool. For Almighty sake stop bein in communal thinking as we are in the age of advancement and only as Malaysian we can surge forward.

    Posted 6 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

    • Are there many Malaysians around who truly believed his sons became billionaires through merit or hard work and not due to the largely abused and dubious NEP?

      Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply

  • But under dr m and tun razak, NEP was abused. Even unqualified students were given scholarships. All tbat m9ney would be better spent training bumi studrnts under apprenticeship where employers are paid to train them.

    Posted 6 years ago by Syed Putra · Reply

    • Be fearful when one go to GH. Any instructions or medicine given should have a second opinion sought; at the minimum, google for more clarifications. Please remember many Bumis left the medical profession because they finally recognized their limitations.

      Posted 6 years ago by Malaysian First · Reply