SAN FRANCISCO: Affirmative actions are necessary for the poor and marginalised to get equal opportunity, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He said one cannot have absolute meritocracy when there is no fairness.
"There are some schools in Malaysia, the urban schools, that have the best facilities, competing with some remote schools in the heartlands, rural heartland.
"Hence, there needs to be some form of additional systems.
"You can call it affirmative actions or you can call it additional support. But you cannot have pure meritocracy without providing basic fair opportunities," he said during a question-and-answer session at the University of California, Berkeley here Tuesday.
Professor and Alan P. Bedford Endowed Chair, Political Science Director, Berkeley APEC Study Center, Dr Vinod Aggarwal was the moderator of the one-hour question and answer session.
For this reason, Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister said effective programmes need to be continued as it also helps to eradicate poverty.
"It will allow the marginalised and the poor community to be able to come up and compete," he said.
However, Anwar said such actions need not be race-based.
"You can be a Malay, Chinese or Indian, but if you're poor, we deal with you as the issue of poverty is not race-based, but a need-based issue," said the Prime Minister, who had earlier delivered a special lecture entitled "Super Power Rivalry and Rising Tensions in the Asia Pacific at the university.
On the question of brain drain, Anwar, who is here for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting, said as opposed to the traditional view that students must come back once they graduated from overseas, be it with a Bachelor's degree, Masters' or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), they can actually stay abroad and work to gain some experience first.
"Let them have the initial exposure, especially if private companies, private enterprises or startups want to employ them, especially here in the San Francisco Bay area or New York," he said.
It is to be noted that the San Francisco Bay Area is home to many of the biggest Fortune 500 companies in the world such as Tesla, Uber, Salesforce, Pixar, Netflix, Lucasfilm Ltd, Levi Strauss, and some of the most innovative firms in AI development, biotech, software, clean technology, and social media.
"That exposure will also benefit the country when they come back.
"But, let me say this too, if you decide to work here, please send more funds to your parents," the Prime Minister said in jest, drawing laughter from more than 250 students present.
On a serious note, Anwar reiterated that the government is looking into ways to attract skilled Malaysians overseas to return home and contribute to the country.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Wed Nov 15 2023
PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said affirmative actions are necessary for the poor and marginalised to get equal opportunity. - Astro AWANI
Pengurup wang didakwa bunuh lelaki
Seorang pengurup wang didakwa datas pertuduhan membunuh seorang lelaki dalam satu kejadian pergaduhan di Jalan Telawi, Bangsar.
Selangor catat jenayah seksual tertinggi di Malaysia
Selangor mencatatkan kes jenayah seksual tertinggi dalam tempoh tiga tahun di negara ini.
PM Anwar arah tanam 100 pokok gantikan pohon terpaksa ditebang
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim mahu setiap pohon yang terpaksa ditebang, digantikan dengan 100 pokok baharu yang wajib ditanam semula.
8 mengaku tidak bersalah urus kondo jadi pusat judi dalam talian
Seorang wanita dan tujuh lelaki termasuk seorang warga Indonesia dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Majistret 1, di sini pada Rabu atas pertuduhan menguruskan sebuah rumah sebagai pusat perjudian dalam talian.
Perlu dapat kebenaran sebelum lepas spesies ikan dalam sungai
Individu atau kumpulan yang berhasrat melepaskan mana-mana spesies ikan air tawar ke perairan umum perlu mendapat kebenaran rasmi daripada Jabatan Perikanan Negeri Perak.
Majikan diberi tempoh sehingga 31 Mei, daftar Perkeso sebelum Ops Kesan
Majikan diberi tempoh sehingga 31 Mei untuk mendaftar pekerja mereka secara sukarela dengan Perkeso, sebelum pelaksanaan Ops Kesan 2024.
Lelaki cedera terkena benang di SUKE buat laporan polis
Asisten Komisioner Mohd Azam Ismail berkata, lelaki itu hadir membuat laporan polis di Balai Polis Trafik, Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Ampang Jaya pada jam 10.21 pagi.
AWANI Ringkas: Polis sahkan pemandu langgar atlet kayak dalam keadaan mabuk
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Pantau Belanjawan: Memacu pembangunan belia yang lebih berdaya tahan
Sempena Hari Belia Kebangsaan 2024, Dr Nurul Ashikin Alias mengupas isu semasa dalam kalangan belia menerusi pelbagai aspek pada masa kini.
Perselisihan faham punca pusat hiburan dibaling bom petrol - Polis
Perselisihan faham melibatkan perniagaan dikenal pasti sebagai punca kejadian sebuah pusat hiburan di Jalan Yap Kwan Seng dibaling bom sehingga menyebabkan kebakaran pada 9 Mei lepas.
PM Anwar cadang pertimbang tahanan rumah Najib hanya selepas kes 1MDB selesai
Anwar berpandangan bahawa Yang di-Pertuan Agong hanya perlu mempertimbangkan tahanan rumah kepada Najib selepas kes 1MDB selesai.
Tiada secebis pun bukti minyak Iran dipindah dari kapal ke kapal di perairan Malaysia - PM
Washington mendakwa Malaysia memainkan peranan sebagai penyedia perkhidmatan bagi penghantaran minyak Iran yang berdepan sekatan.
Pembukaan kampus UKM di Doha letak status pengajian tinggi negara di pentas dunia
Anwar berharap langkah dirintis UKM itu akan membuka laluan lebih luas dan besar kepada universiti awam Malaysia yang lain.
PM tiba di Republik Kyrgyz untuk lawatan rasmi dua hari
Perdana Menteri mendarat di Lapangan Terbang Manas di sini pada 10.20 malam waktu tempatan (12.20 tengah malam waktu Malaysia).
Asrama pelajar UniMAP terbakar dapat perhatian Perdana Menteri
Pengetua kompleks berkenaan Mohd Syamril Aklmar Chek Kassim berkata pihaknya amat berbesar hati atas keprihatinan Anwar.
Anwar tegaskan tidak kepada kasino kedua di Malaysia
Beliau berkata Malaysia kini menumpukan sektor transformasi digital, peralihan tenaga serta kecerdasan buatan (AI).
Anwar terus guna platform dunia selar sikap prejudis kuasa besar
Perdana Menteri terus menggunakan platform dunia untuk menyelar sikap hipokrit sesetengah kuasa besar yang bersikap selektif, dan sengaja menyebarkan fahaman tidak betul terhadap dunia Islam.
Malaysia tarik pelabur pada Forum Ekonomi Qatar
Forum Ekonomi Qatar (QEF) 2024 yang bermula hari ini, menampilkan ramai pemimpin global, termasuk Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Lawatan Anwar ke Qatar berjaya jana potensi eksport bernilai RM700 juta - Tengku Zafrul
Komitmen eksport itu diterima daripada pelbagai pemimpin utama industri Qatar semasa mesyuarat meja bulat perniagaan.
PM Anwar diberi sambutan rasmi sempena lawatan sulung ke Qatar
Perdana Menteri tiba di dewan pemerintahan negara Qatar itu pada 10.30 pagi waktu tempatan (3.30 petang waktu Malaysia) disambut Amir Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.