IPOH: Non-Malay ministers will be invited to take part in the Bumiputera Economic Congress (KEB) scheduled to take place in Putrajaya next month, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
The Prime Minister, who is also the Finance Minister, said the invitation was in line with the principles espoused by his Madani administration that will spare no efforts to look into the welfare of all the people in the country regardless of their race and religion.
The Tambun member of Parliament added that the problems and issues enveloping the Bumiputera community are also being faced by people from other races in the country irrespective if they from the Indians, Chinese or Iban community.
"This congress is a Bumiputera congress... This congress will evaluate the projects carried out, introduce some new programmes with a new approach, but will also identify some aspects of the problems faced by non-Bumiputeras, the Chinese, especially the Indians in Malaysia.
"This is a new approach. And we in Barisan Nasional (BN), Umno especially, Pakatan Harapan (PH), including Keadilan (PKR) and Amanah (Parti Amanah Negara) must have the courage to face this problem and this congress will be much better than the previous economic congress," he said.
Anwar said this in his closing speech at the Perak Unity Government Convention at Hotel Casuarina, Meru here today.
Present were Deputy Prime Minister, who is also Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad and Perak PH chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa.
Anwar said all the issues must be dealt with wisely and that it must be reflected on the country's development agenda.
" Zahid, who is the KEB committee chairman, has gathered various parties from the government, government-related companies and the private sector to make it a success," he said.
This new approach, said Anwar, must be boldly accepted collectively by the component parties dominated by the Malays both in BN lynchpin Umno and PH including PKR and Amanah in achieving better goals and creating another new narrative.
"(We) must be brave to face this goal that this congress will be much better than the previous congresses. This is a new narrative to solve the various problems that have been raised," he said.
On Jan 5, Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said KEB at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre is being organised on the instruction of Anwar and the Cabinet.
The three-day long congress starting Feb 29 will focus on 10 main clusters.
Among these clusters are educational and human capital reforms, strengthening the halal industry, the economy of Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera and the mastery of new technology.