Income Distribution: Malaysia

The planning for income distribution focused largely on human resource development and efforts to expand the acquisition and control of share ownership in the modern sectors among the Bumiputra community. It also included provision of commercial and industrial premises in urban areas. During the NEP period a target of 30 percent of ownership and control was aimed for but the attainment by 1992 was only 18 percent. After 1990 under the national development policy, there was no longer any quantitative target set but the overall thrust of enhancing corporate equity control by the Bumiputras was continued and the focus is through intensive entrepreneurship programmes and human resource development and private sector role in the social restructuring process. This was the result of deliberations of the National Economic Consultative Council (NECC) which deliberated on the directions of development policies after 1990.

As stated by Samsudin (1991), the major rationale for the shift in strategy is the government's confidence that the eradication of the remaining incidence of poverty and the restructuring of society can be achieved through growth and private sector expansion with some assistance from the government. But in order to accelerate private sector growth and entrepreneurship, Malaysia has to maintain and continue the process of deregulation and liberalisation.

Source: Poverty Alleviation in Pakistan: Present Scenario and Future Strategy, Mohibul Haq Sahibzada. Republished with permission.