Economy policy

The economy of Malaya at Independence was deeply segregated as between ethnic groups: in geographic location, in types of economic activity and in levels of livelihood. As compared with the non-Bumiputera :

i.        Malays form a much higher proportion of population in rural areas than in towns;

ii.      Malays populate the relatively poorer States and occupations to a higher degree;

iii.    Malays form a higher proportion of the workforce in low productivity traditional agriculture and a lower proportion of the workforce in high productivity modern industry and commerce;

iv.     Within given industries and enterprises Malays typically hold lower-echelon position;

v.       Malays have property rights over only about one-third of land under agricultural cultivation;

vi.     Malays have a significantly lower share of ownership, control and management of industrial and commercial enterprise and, as a result, less control of their own economic destiny;

vii.   The average Malay has a much lower standard of living.

These disparities persist today and remain major issues for policy debate and formulation.