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With the the publication of "Proposals for the Ninth Malaysia Plan" by the Centre for Public Policy Studies, ASLI, in February 2006 -- which contains 5 working papers -- and the "keen" response from the politicians, the public are now asking what has and what has not been achieved by the NEP? How has the effectiveness of the NEP been evaluated? Have the general public who are the "stakeholders" of the country been involved in deliberating it? What is more worrying is that open discussion on the matter has been curbed or has been played up as racial issues.

In fact, the government itself has failed to provide clear-cut statistics -- The 9th Malaysia Plan states that the Bumiputra equity is at 18.9%' Dr Awang Adek (deputy Finance Minister) put it at 36.6% on November 7, 2006 while Dato Sri Mohd Effendi Norwawi (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department) put it at 21.8% on November 13, 2006.

As such, the Alternative Discourse on the New Economic Policy is designed as a continuation to the Alternative Discourse on Ethnic Relations which was organised by the Y4C in last August. The encouraging response to the previous discourse has convinced the organisers that, with an open and continuous discussion, we could shape a wider and more critical scope in thinking.

The coming discourses are designed to open up a space for alternative discussion so that issues that are considered "sensitive" that may arise can be approached in a rational and open manner. It is hoped that the participants will be able to determine the problems and the benefits that had resulted from the implementation of the NEP.

For further details, please contact the Youth for Change (Y4C) secretariat at Tel: 03-77831164, or contact Khai Loon at 013-3970519; Yee Ling at 012-7355025 or via email: y4c2006@gmail.com.

The precursor to the discourse is available on the Bar Council's website: Youth panel: NEP is crippling Malaysia.

You may download the registration form here (PDF).