Kuala lumpur: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has announced plans for the Musyawarah Nasional (National Discourse) to be registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), ensuring it is independent of any political party, group, or individual. The initiative aims to unify Malay-Muslim thought and aspirations, creating an inclusive platform to promote the Malay and Islamic agenda as well as national unity in a structured manner.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the founder of Musyawarah Nasional emphasized the importance of registering the platform as an NGO under the Registrar of Societies (RoS). This step is intended to establish it as a collective mechanism for the Malay-Muslim community, rather than a coalition of political parties. Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, highlighted the necessity for the Musyawarah Nasional to be a shared platform for those committed to empowering the Malay community and Muslims in the country.
Furthermore, Ahmad Zahid assured that resolutions and proposals from the Musyawarah Nasional would be actively monitored and implemented, rather than remaining as mere rhetoric or archived documents. He committed to personally ensuring that agreed resolutions would be translated into actions involving relevant ministries and government agencies. Ahmad Zahid stated his intention to bring these proposals to the Cabinet and emphasized the role of Malay-Muslim ministers in ensuring the agenda's implementation.
A permanent secretariat under the Musyawarah Nasional will be established to oversee the execution of all proposals. This will ensure that discussions on religion, politics, economy, education, and social development occur regularly. Ahmad Zahid proposed that chairpersons of each pillar conduct follow-up meetings bi-monthly to refine the implementation of the Malay, Islamic, and national unity agenda.
Among the resolutions discussed was the need to strengthen the Malay and Bumiputera economy, focusing on skills development, access to high-income jobs, and mastery of future sectors. Ahmad Zahid underlined the importance of institutions like Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit (Teraju), government-linked companies (GLCs), and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) in driving Bumiputera development. He also identified the need for more Bumiputera entrepreneurs and industry players in strategic sectors such as Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy, renewable energy, the halal industry, modern agriculture, and high technology.