Annuar seeks a more equitable Mara
Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), a body which specifically deals with the needs of Bumiputera, must be more equitable among that community, says the agency's chairperson Annuar Musa.
Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara), a body which specifically deals with the needs of Bumiputera, must be more equitable among that community, says the agency's chairperson Annuar Musa (right).
Annuar, who today announced a slew of measures in line with the Bumiputera Economic Empowerment (BEE) programme, said Mara also needed a change in culture.
"All state Mara offices must now execute a concept of openness. I want to remove the stigma that Mara is exclusive and only for certain groups," he told a press conference at the Mara headquarters this afternoon.
He urged all Mara offices to implement a walk-in service for any bumiputeras that need help and be more transparent with its programmes so that everyone can have opportunities to participate.
“Over the years, sometimes because of exclusivity, typical bureaucracy and rules and regulations, we have drifted away from the real objective and that must be corrected without hesitation.
“The rakyat is watching so when we say ‘people first’, we must walk the talk,” he said.
Earlier, Annuar announced seven immediate measures to support the BEE in the interim until Mara’s 10-year blueprint is rolled out in 2015.
‘Mara boost’
Among the immediate efforts he said is to role out the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and Ulul Albab (religious studies) curriculum in Mara Junior Science Colleges (MRSM).
He said MRSM had to be competitive globally and therefore integrating these international curriculum with the National Education Blueprint will achieve that aim.
Furthermore, he said Mara will try to increase its RM1 billion education fund recently announced under the BEE by roping in GLCs to consolidate their scholarships.
He added that Mara also will encourage qualified undergraduate scholars to pursue post-graduate studies in areas outlined in the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) instead of returning home.
On top of that, he said Mara will also strengthen UniKL with a focus on aviation to meet the needs of aviation companies that are planning to enter Malaysia, on top on injecting more investment to strengthen the Amanah Saham Mara.
