Kota Kinabalu: The perspectives and interests of Bumiputera communities in Sabah and Sarawak must be given greater emphasis in shaping the national Bumiputera economic agenda, said Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said policies and initiatives under the agenda should take into account the needs of both states, particularly in the context of inter-racial understanding, Malaysia’s formation and constitutional guarantees.
Speaking at the Bumiputera Economic Congress engagement session here today, Ewon said the Bumiputera agenda should not be focused solely on Peninsular Malaysia, but include the perspectives and interests of Sabah and Sarawak.
He said the 2024 Bumiputera Economic Congress had subsequently included a Sabah and Sarawak cluster involving the Kadazandusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Dayak Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with its memorandum and resolutions later contributing to the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan 2035 (PuTERA35).
Ewon, who chairs the Sabah Bumiputera Economic Council Steering Committee, also urged Sabah to participate more actively in shaping the agenda, particularly by taking into account the state’s poverty data and economic profile, including the position of micro, small and medium enterprises.
