PUTRAJAYA: All parties are welcome to attend the Bumiputera Economic Congress (KEB), scheduled to be held from Feb 29 to March 2.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said all parties were invited to attend the congress that will be held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
"We are colour-blind when it comes to the economy of the Bumiputeras," he told a press conference after the pre-launch of the Bumiputera Economic Congress (KEB) held at the Perdana Putra building here today.
Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development minister, was responding to a question on whether political parties from the opposition were welcome to attend the congress.
Zahid said about 3,000 delegates were expected to attend the three-day event.
Themed "Positif Progresif Inovatif" (Positive Progressive Innovative), KEB is an important platform for finding ways to empower the economy of the Bumiputera community.
"At the same time, this congress is set to empower Bumiputeras in matters of new technology and futuristic plans for future generations that have not yet been developed," he said.
Zahid added that the congress will see the participation of all Malay chambers of commerce, as well as the chambers of commerce of Kadazandusun, Dayak and Iban for Sabah and Sarawak, along with the Orang Asli.
Zahid the congress will focus on 10 main clusters. Among the clusters are educational and human capital reforms, strengthening the halal industry, the economy of Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputeras and the mastery of new technology.
He said a resolution from each cluster will be presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on the last day of the congress (March 2).
Earlier, the pre-launch of KEB was officiated by Anwar.
Present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof; Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan; Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Plantations and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Also present were Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil; Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo; Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zamry Abd Kadir and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.