Press Statement (2) by Lim Guan Eng in Georgetown on Saturday, 6^th June 2009: 

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak should make public his roadmap to dismantle the NEP to guarantee equal economic opportunity and socio-economic justice based on merit and needs, to show that his intention will not come to nothing 

During an interview with Singapore's Straits Times, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak expressed his intention to dismantle the National Economic Policy (NEP) because ethnic quotas had damaged Malaysia's competitiveness and ran counter to global trends. Najib had clearly come around to DAP’s contention over the past 40 years that the long-term benefits of ending the scheme would outweigh the "pain" involved.

Even though such comments had come 40 years too late, it is a case of better late than never. This clearly shows the impact and effectiveness of people’s power during the political tsunami of the 2008 general elections that can force the spring and bring about change towards democratic and good governance.

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak Should Make Public His Roadmap To Dismantle The NEP To Guarantees Equal Economic Opportunity And Socio-Economic Justice Based On Merit And Needs, To Show That His Intention Will Not Come To Nothing.

Just like Najib’s “One Malaysia, People First, Performance Now”, DAP has no objections to Najib copying from DAP’s handbook of ideas, ideals and principles of nation-building and Malaysian Malaysia. Instead of helping the poor and marginalised sections of society, especially the Malays, the NEP has become a huge gravy train of cronyism, corruption and nepotism where public interests are sacrificed for private benefit.

Instead of wiping out poverty and hard-core poverty amongst the masses, the NEP has created millionaires out of UMNO politicians and several other lucky non-UMNO BN politicians. The NEP should be replaced by a Malaysian First Economic Policy that guarantees equal economic opportunity and socio-economic justice based on merit and needs.

The time has come to create wealth by developing and retaining our human talents instead of the continuous brain drain to Singapore as well as distribute wealth equitably from the huge Petronas oil revenues. Giving RM 35 billion annually which allows each middle-income family earning less than RM 6,000 monthly to receive RM 6,000 annually would only come up to 1/3 of Petronas annual profits.

DAP hopes that Najib is committed to dismantling the NEP as he had described his move in combative terms, describing himself as a "warlord" who would face down opposition from smaller chiefs in his party. For the sake of our country’s future, DAP is willing to set aside political interests and ignore partisan differences to save the nation from the excesses, inefficiencies and malpractices endemic in the NEP.

* Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General & Penang Chief Minister; Member of Parliament for Bagan