Zahid said he was well aware that such assistance gave the impression the community relied on “crutches” all the time.

“But we need to ensure that the development of the Bumiputera economy is aligned with the nation’s economic growth,” he said in an interview with RTM on the upcoming 2024 Bumiputera economic congress.

“Hence we cannot keep harbouring this pessimism that the Bumiputeras forever rely on these ‘crutches’ which come in various forms.”

Zahid said many nations were not as committed as Malaysia when it came to helping certain communities.

However, he said that despite Putrajaya’s emphasis on bolstering the Bumiputera economy, the government would not sideline the other races.

The three-day congress is slated to begin on Thursday at Putrajaya International Convention Centre.

It will focus on 10 main clusters, including educational and human capital reforms, strengthening the halal industry, Sabah and Sarawak’s Bumiputera economy, and new technology.

More than 3,000 participants are expected at the event, including  leaders and representatives of non-Bumiputera groups.