by Jennifer Gomez The Malaysian Insider September 23, 2013
DAP national adviser Lim Kit Siang fired the first salvo when Parliament’s new session began today, saying that the government transformation programmes had failed and that the new Bumiputera agenda went against the grain of the New Economic Model which hinged on merit and not based on race.
He said this after Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Razali Ibrahim responded to a question from Lenggong Member of Parliament Datuk Shamsul Anuar Nasarah to state the achievements of the transformation programmes.
Lim pointed out that the new Bumiputera agenda only benefitted a select few “Umnoputras” when there were many other Bumiputeras and non-Bumis who lived below the poverty line and needed government assistance.
“Isn’t this evidence that the government programmes have failed?” Lim, the Gelang Patah MP, asked.
He questioned whether Umno leaders were willing to pledge that they were Malaysian first and Malay second.
Razali replied that Lim just wanted to see the transformation programmes fail, adding that they were not about politics but helping the needy.
– September 23, 2013.