Subversion of New Economic Policy

Allegations to attempt to subvert the New Economic Policy (NEP) were contained in a report to the Supreme Council submitted jointly the Labour Bureau and Youth Section of UMNO (United Malaysia National Organisation), the dominant partner in the ruling National Front government.

According to Haji Suhaimi Haji Kamaruddin, who is both chairman of the UMNC Labour Bureau and the national leader of UMNO Youth, they had looked into 15 aspects of the implementation of the NEP, which is designed to transfer 30% of the ownership of commerce and industry into Malay hands by 1990.

Firstly, there was little transfer of technological skills from the expatriates to local employees, especially bumiputras. "The big organisations were happier to import foreign experts to run their industries rather than train the local workers," he said.

"We are very concerned about this matter, and it is happening in at least 6 of the biggest electronic component organisations in the country." "Secondly, Haji Suhaimi criticised firms which appointed bumiputra executives for window dressing without giving them executive power. Finally he said that UMNO was very concerned about shares allocated to bumiputras falling in to the hands of non-bumiputras.

(Ref. NST 1.2.79, 7.2.79)