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Friday October 13, 2006

Government stands by accuracy of EPU data

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government stands by the accuracy of its data on the equity ownership of bumiputras and non-bumiputras, and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hopes that there will be no more dispute over the figures.

“We hope this will be accepted and not disputed by anyone,” the Deputy Prime Minister said yesterday. “We have explained in public statements the basis of the calculation made by the EPU (Economic Planning Unit).

“We do not want something done that causes discord. Possibly, at the beginning, such discord could be seen as intellectual discourse but if it touches on sensitive issues, it could hurt the feelings of certain races and could be regarded as sedition even though that was not the intention.”

Najib was commenting on a controversial study by the Centre for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) of think-tank Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) which concluded that bumiputra equity ownership could be as high as 45%, more than double the Government’s official figure of 18.9%.

Asli president Mirzan Mahathir has issued a public apology over the CPPS report and also retracted it, saying the study was based on flawed assumptions and calculations and its conclusion could not be “vigorously justified”.

Following the retraction, CPPS director Dr Lim Teck Ghee announced he would resign at the end of this month to take responsibility for the report’s fallout, but he said he stood by the findings and disagreed with Mirzan’s statement.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said that by resigning and standing by the findings, Dr Lim has shown his responsibility for his research findings. – Bernama

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