FOLLOWING the launch of the 12th Malaysia Plan, the public took to social media to pan Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for his hypocrisy.
In his speech, the Prime Minister announced that Bumiputera-owned companies and its shares can only be sold to fellow Bumiputera consortiums, firms and individuals, as the Government wants to further empower the community.
He added that the ownership and disposal of Bumiputera companies will soon be regulated by the relevant ministries and agencies.
“In an effort to coordinate all these initiatives, a Bumiputra Prosperity Division will be set up with a clearer mandate and function by reassigning officers from all Government ministries and agencies,” The Vibes reported him as saying.
Netizens were unimpressed with the new regulations and deemed it was going against Ismail Sabri’s own ‘Malaysian Family’ concept.
Netizen Kalai Vani Maniam also retorted by saying that the Government should be enforcing policy where Malaysians can buy and sell firms and shares with fellow locals, instead of favouring one particular race.
“Empowerment shouldn’t come alongside racism,” she quipped.
On a general note, netizens told Ismail Sabri that he should not be harping on the Malaysian Family concept when local women wedded to foreigners are not allowed from conferring citizenship to their children by operation of law.
Three days ago, Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin said the Cabinet had agreed to continue with the appeal and stay of execution application on the High Court’s decision on granting automatic citizenship to children born abroad to Malaysian women married to foreigners.
The Larut MP claimed it was done to ensure the Government is not subject to contempt of court and comply with the provisions of the Federal Constitution.
Initially, the landmark ruling received bipartisan support with several ministers even urging the Government not to appeal against it. – Sept 27, 2021
