KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 — Malaysia’s success will be spurred on by Malaysians working together regardless of ethnicity, as the real competition is on the world stage against international firms instead of between the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, DAP’s Nga Kor Ming said today.

Nga, DAP’s parliamentary chief whip, said strategic partnerships between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera Malaysians are an important component for Malaysia to continue to achieve success.

Nga, who is also minister of housing and local government, expressed support for his Cabinet colleague Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli’s views that Malaysia has to focus on increasing local companies’ competitiveness on the global stage instead of on competition between the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera communities.

"In this era of globalisation that we are facing, the real competition is between local companies with foreign companies, especially international conglomerates. Therefore, Malaysians have to cooperate and not compete among ourselves. Let us not be trapped with the outdated thinking that is shackled with the zero-sum game mentality,” he said in a press statement after attending today the 2024 Bumiputera Economic Congress at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.

He urged Malaysians to find opportunities for cooperation revolving around the principle of creating a competitive, respectful, sustainable and confident society to achieve prosperity and success together.

Malaysia would be able to rise up again to be respected on the world stage by achieving the target of becoming the 30th largest economy and taking the 12th rung on the global competitiveness index by 2030, if Malaysians cooperate and work together, he said.

The title of Nga’s statement today stated that the success of the Bumiputera community is important to achieve success for Malaysia, which would be inclusive of all ethnicities.

On Thursday, national news agency Bernama reported Rafizi as saying that the Malaysian government intends to create an ecosystem where the most capable Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera could work together for Malaysian companies to compete internationally and said the Bumiputera Economic Congress is planned in that direction.

"Those who only look from the perspective of their race will certainly feel it is not enough, but we are no longer competing among ourselves. We have to grow the cake. A bigger cake gives us more muscle for us to compete in a very challenging environment. We need to find that smart, genuine partnership,” he was quoted saying by Bernama.

Rafizi also said that the government is expected to develop a set of policies related to Bumiputera empowerment in May or June this year with the aim of producing a positive, progressive and innovative Bumiputera class group.

On Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had at the congress said there has been economic cooperation between the Bumiputera and other communities since decades ago, but said there should be genuine economic partnership between such communities in businesses instead of having economic activities done only in the name of the Bumiputera.

The Bumiputera Economic Congress is a three-day event, with Thursday being the first day and today being the last day.