PM lauds PNB for raising status of bumis

TEMERLOH: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak has commended Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) for succeeding in not only raising the economic status of bumiputras, but also for having helped boost the country's pride since its formation in 1981.
He said it was proven when major, renowned international companies previously owned by those who had colonised Malaysia were successfully brought home through the right strategies and wisdom of those who led PNB.
"We know that PNB's 'dawn raid' strategy to bring Guthrie back to Malaysia has helped make an entity owned by foreigners into the property of Malaysians.
"This has opened our minds that we can bring about change and a restructuring of the country's economy.
"Today, PNB is managing more than 200 companies that are among the biggest in the country,'' he said in his speech when officiating at the Malaysia Unit Trust Week (MSAM) 2017 at Dataran Temerloh today.
Also present were Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob, PNB Group chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar and its president/chief executive Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad.
Najib said PNB, through Sime Darby Bhd, had also successfully proven its achievements in the plantations sector in owning 280,00ha of land in Indonesia, 220,000ha in Liberia and 350,000ha in Malaysia.
Najib also congratulated PNB on its success in distributing dividends and bonus to 13 million investors, involving a payment of RM157.5 billion from its formation until 2016.
He said although the New Economic Policy (NEP) initiated by Tun Abdul Razak Hussein had ended, its spirit, philosophy and principles have never been ''buried'' but rather, sustained through a rebranding and now, with the agenda for the empowerment of the bumiputra economy, was entering a new phase.
"If the original objective of the NEP focused on two aspects, namely the percentage of equity ownership and poverty eradication, we can now see that the time has come to look at it inclusively and comprehensively if we are to continue advancing bumiputras and not just consider the aspect of listed share ownership or the corporate sector.
"Rather, we have to see for example from the aspect of education, the number of bumiputras who have succeeded as professionals, and if they are normal workers, their level of competence.
"From the aspect of asset ownership, where their houses are and the surrounding conditions. We do not want to see excellence only in the business sector, but want to develop bumiputras as renowned scientists, world class sportsmen or in other fields that are well known.Only then will we be a race that is respected,'' he said. — Bernama