Publication

This paper assesses Malaysia’s New Economic Policy (NEP), which was first announced in 1970 as the principal policy response to the post-election race riots of May 1969. The author examines the background of the interethnic relations in Malaysia and illustrates the NEP targets, expenditures and achievements. He concludes that it is unlikely that the ethnic affirmative action policies will improve interethnic relations. According to the author, an alternative approach needs to be found to create more lasting conditions for improved interethnic relations.