By Chong Zhemin, DAP Perak Economic Development Bureau Chief 

Deputy Finance Minister Ahmad Maslan when defending the Bumiputera agenda during budget 2015 said that the government has no intention of being racist and argued that Malaysia can only advance when 70 percent of its population advances.

Why should the budget focus only on one particular race when it should be the poor and needy that need to be taken care of?

The poor and needy do not come from only one particular race but cut across all races. There are poor Malays staying in kampungs, poor Chinese staying in new villages, poor Indians staying in estates and poor Kadazans staying in villages. By setting the agenda to help one particular race, some of the poor and needy are bound to be left behind.

Instead of formulating race based policies, Putrajaya should implement policies on a need basis. Why focus only on the 70 percent when we could actually focus on the 100 percent?

Malaysia can only move forward when no Malaysians are left behind. Malaysia can only advance when 100 percent of its population advances.

I urge the government to start formulating a more inclusive policy so that all deserving Malaysians will benefit from it.