Govt To Look Into Bumiputera Status For Indian Muslims Says Pm

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Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim greeting leaders of the Penang Muslim League at the association’s 70th anniversary dinner tonight. (Facebook pic)
GEORGE TOWN: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has told the home ministry to look into complaints that Indian Muslims have faced difficulties in being recognised by the government as being members of the Bumiputera community.
The prime minister, speaking at the Penang Muslim League’s 70th anniversary dinner here, said he was aware of the longstanding frustrations within the Indian Muslim community over their ambiguous classification.
He said that the government would ensure inclusivity and fairness in resolving the issue. “I have asked the home minister to pay attention to the concerns raised by the Indian Muslim community. We cannot ignore such grievances,” he said.
He said that his government is working towards a more equitable system for all Bumiputeras, including those of Indian Muslim heritage.
Anwar also recognised the significant contributions of Indian Muslims to the country’s independence and economic growth.
“Although of Indian and Pakistani descent, they chose to stand with us in the fight for independence and continue to do so today,” he said.
Anwar also announced an allocation of RM250,000 to support entrepreneurship and training initiatives for Indian Muslims, with a focus on youth development.
He told the Penang Muslim League to work closely with government agencies to bridge economic disparities and prepare for opportunities in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and digital technology.
Anwar later told reporters that the registration of Bumiputera would go through the “normal constitutional process” which was whether a person qualified to be a Bumiputera.
Malaysian Muslim League and Penang Muslim League president Najmudeen Kader said the problem related to Indian Muslim registrations as Bumiputera only began recently, and never faced much problems in the past.
Najmudeen said Indian Muslims qualified as Bumiputera by the virtue of having assimilated into Malay culture. He said there are about 1.1 million Indian Muslims in Malaysia, which include those with Bumiputera status.
He said those without Bumiputera status faced problems relating to housing, business and university admissions.
Former prime minister Najib Razak had said in 2017 that the government would consider grouping Indian Muslims as Bumiputera. The issue sparked a fair bit of debate.
Najib’s remarks came after several Indian Muslim groups called for recognition as Bumiputera, as they qualified by virtue of speaking Malay and following Malay customs. - FMT

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