KUALA LUMPUR – Meritocracy must be balanced with affirmative action to ensure fairness across the board, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
He said the government and private sector have a duty to ensure fair opportunities are granted to talent from marginalised communities.
“Our youths are smart, but sometimes there is a lack of opportunity…meritocracy is essential, but it must also be fair.
“How can you compare the best schools in Kuala Lumpur with schools in Kapit, (while also) talking about fair competition?
“This doesn’t mean that I’m setting aside merit (since) we need to choose the best of the bunch regardless of their race or origins, but we should not be too obsessed with merits (to the point where) equal opportunities are denied,” Anwar said.
The prime minister said this in his speech at the officiating ceremony for GXBank’s regional headquarters in First Avenue at Petaling Jaya here, today.
The event also saw the launch of the digital bank’s GX Untuk Semua initiative, which is part of the Grab-led bank’s RM1.5 billion investments into Malaysia over the next five years.
Commenting on the initiative, Anwar said it must ensure equal opportunities to all citizens.
The initiative is designed to focus on nurturing local tech talent while developing core competencies, best-in-class industry practices and innovative solutions by leveraging on latest technologies to address financial access for the underserved.
Previously, Anwar had stressed the importance of continuing effective programmes to eradicate poverty, thus allowing marginalised and poor communities to be able to come up and compete.
Such actions, Anwar said, need not be race-based as the issue of ensuring equal opportunities is a needs-based matter.
In June, Anwar announced that all SPM students who achieve 10As in the examination will have equal opportunities to be placed in matriculation programmes, irrespective of race or locality.
In revealing the move, Anwar noted that while the Bumiputera quota system will remain in place, opportunities must also be given to children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Last year, Anwar also explained his stance on meritocracy and abolishing the quota system in education after being queried on the matter by a matriculation student.
He said the concept of meritocracy without fairness is flawed, as students from poorer backgrounds are often disadvantaged and do not have the means to compete with those who are privileged.
With Anwar at the event today were Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Also present at the function was GXBank chief executive officer Lai Pei Si, the bank’s board of directors and shareholders, Grab Holdings Inc CEO and chairman Anthony Tan as well as Grab Malaysia’s senior management.
GXBank is a subsidiary of GXS Bank Pte Ltd, a digital joint venture between Grab Holdings Ltd and Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) with the support of a consortium of other Malaysian investors, including the Kuok Group. – August 2, 2024