Sim, a DAP deputy secretary-general, said the former minister might not fully understand the values he had upheld throughout his career.
“For me, a good Malaysian leader is one who looks after all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion.
“This has always been my practice, my belief, my principle, and indeed the principle of my party,” he told reporters at the ministry’s headquarters here today.
He cited his tenure at the helm of the human resources ministry, where he said the welfare of workers was always safeguarded without discrimination, and their dignity upheld.
He also pointed out that his deputy minister, Mohamad Alamin, is from Umno.
“I am confident that he, too, as a good Malaysian leader, will ensure that all Malaysian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives are taken care of.”
Noh said in a statement earlier today that Sim’s shift to the entrepreneur and cooperatives development portfolio had come as a surprise to Bumiputera entrepreneurs.
He said the transfer of the portfolio to a minister from DAP – a party that champions equality and has frequently questioned the principles of the New Economic Policy – raised concerns about the future protection of Bumiputera MSMEs.
Noh, who led the ministry twice, said that its core objective was to empower Bumiputera entrepreneurs, develop a robust national entrepreneurial ecosystem, and position Malaysia as an entrepreneurial nation by 2030.
He said the objective was pursued through the empowerment of MSMEs, boosting the contribution of Bumiputera entrepreneurs to the gross domestic product, and implementing training, financing, and high-technology skills development programmes in line with the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Plan.
He said the questions that arose were clear: would the ministry’s original mission continue to be upheld, would there be “quiet” policy shifts under the guise of equality, and was Sim’s appointment part of a broader political compromise within the unity government?
Sim assumed the entrepreneur and cooperatives development portfolio following Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle.
The ministry was previously helmed by Upko’s Ewon Benedick, who resigned from the post. It was then temporarily overseen by works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi.