PUTRAJAYA: A permanent secretariat under the Bumiputra Economic Council will be established to monitor the immediate execution of resolutions proposed during the Bumiputra Economic Congress 2024 (KEB 2024), says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The resolutions encompass 10 areas in education reform, wealth creation and corporate control, building enterprises in renewal energy and artificial intelligence, increasing enrolment in TVET and scaling up micro and small businesses.
The proposals include introducing a Equitable Opportunities Policy, ensuring that programmes benefit low-income and capable bumiputras only, setting up a catalyst fund for undervalued companies and investing in quality pre-school education.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said the formation of the secretariat was from the resolutions gathered during the congress announced by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"The Prime Minister has announced the outcome and resolutions as presented by the 10 clusters or groups compiled, and he agreed that a permanent secretariat must be formed and placed under the Bumiputra Economic Council chaired by the premier," he said in a press conference at the Putrajaya International Convention Center here on Saturday (March 2).
Ahmad Zahid said he was entrusted as the secretariat steering committee chairman, whose purpose is to monitor and prompt the implementation of the resolutions approved by the Bumiputra Economic Council.
"At the same time, a working committee will be chaired by Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli. We will consider all aspects, including the implementation and follow-up actions required by the congress secretariat," Ahmad Zahid added.
He said the two ministers in charge of the two committees would work closely to monitor the outcomes from the congress.
"A number of clusters in the congress proposed aspects related to the interests of the bumiputra community without neglecting other ethnicities and races in the country.
"These include the aspects of poverty eradication and more equitable economic development. The emphasis has also been on the adoption of new technologies with a focus on the implementation of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a key element for the realisation of technocrats and technical work," he said.
Earlier at the closing ceremony of the congress, Anwar announced a multitude of takeaways following resolutions to aid the bumiputra community involving the entrepreneurial sector, property, TVET and endowments.
