KUALA LUMPUR: An MP has called for a review of the affirmative action policy which benefited the Malay bumiputra community.
Hassan Abdul Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) said it was time to restructure the affirmative action policy to cover all the rakyat and races.
"We should help them so long as they are in dire need," he said in Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Nov 10).
Hassan cited the disparity in the budget between the bumiputra community and the Indian and Chinese communities as an example, where there should be changes in the policy.
He noted that RM11.4bil was allocated for the bumiputra community compared to the combined total of RM345mil for the Indians and Chinese communities.
"I am a Malay and a Muslim MP and I am happy that the Malay bumiputra community is getting a huge allocation.
"But the question is - is this fair?" he said.
Although supporting the policy because there are still Malay bumiputra who require assistance, he noted that there were also poor Indians and Chinese who needed help.
"Not all Indians own ports or private television stations and not all Chinese are property tycoons or owners of large commercial banks," he said, adding that he has come across poor Indians and Chinese in his constituency.
He urged the government to draft future budgets accordingly and not based on racial profiling.
Meanwhile, Datuk Che Abdullah Mat Nawi (PN-Tumpat) requested Hassan to clarify what he meant by reviewing the affirmative action policy in relation to Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.
Che Abdullah said this would allow the rakyat to have a clearer understanding with regard to his struggle to achieve fairness in the matter.
Hassan said under the present constitutional provision, even the Orang Asli (indigenous communities) were not included in the definition although they were the original bumiputera in the country.
Article 153 relates to the special position of the Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak where an affirmative action policy was implemented to safeguard their rights.