Crafting the Future-Positive Malay Prosperity Plan 2065

By Dato’ Dr. Hasan Mad
Secretary General, MPM
CEO, The Global Academy @ MPM
Thursday, 3rd July 2025 / 7 Muharam 1447H

1. The Missed Spark

This morning, I joined a roundtable discussion at a nearby local university yes, once again, the familiar topic: the Bumiputera agenda.

With due respect, I walked away uninspired.
But let’s be clear: this is not about pointing fingers or playing the blame game.

2. Time to Move On

Let’s move on. It is time our best Malay minds come together not to analyse problems endlessly, but to craft The Future-Positive Malay Prosperity Plan 2065.

The time is over for producing issue-centric plans that gather dust in some government archive, only to be referenced for the next round of beautiful but ineffective academic reports.

3. Success Without Support

On the ground, many successful Malay entrepreneurs thrive with minimal or no facilitation from the very agencies meant to help them.
They don’t complain, they build their own business networks. Quietly. Successfully.

Abroad, thousands of our Malays in the diaspora have found success, not because of their Malay identity, but in spite of being unrecognized as such.

4. Shrinking Within, Growing Without

Our brightest minds continue to lament the shrinking domestic market of 34 million Malaysians, while multinational giants dominate, pushing even GLCs aside.

Yet, where is the bold plan to create more successful Malay diasporas?
Where is the strategy to position Malay entrepreneurs as global players?

5. A Glimpse of a Global Vision

Back in 2013, MPM tried.
We launched The Local-to-Global Corporation Ascend 800 (LGC Ascend 800)—an ambitious plan to develop 800 globally competitive Malay mid-tier companies.

It was launched by Prime Minister Najib on 28 February 2015 at Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil.

It failed, not because the dream was wrong, but due to too many structural obstacles.

6. Malaysia in Three Global Blocs

Malaysia is uniquely positioned in three major global economic groupings:

• Commonwealth of Nations
  • 56 member states
  • Population: 2.5 billion
  • GDP: Nearly USD 11 trillion
• OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation)
  • 57 Muslim-majority nations
  • Population: 2.0 billion
  • GDP: Almost USD 28 trillion
• RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership)
  • 15 Asia-Pacific nations
  • Population: Over 2.3 billion
  • GDP: About USD 30 trillion

Despite these massive opportunities, the Malay business community remains a minor player in Malaysia’s export earnings.

7. Education: Missing the Mark

It is more alarming that within this prosperous economic ecosystem, our universities—mostly dominated by Malay faculty and students—have yet to introduce strategic business programs to produce global-class Malay traders and professionals.

Who is to blame?
Forget it. Blame no one.

8. Time to Reignite the Vision

MPM is now working to relaunch the Ascend program.
But this time, we are calling all smart minds, passionate hearts, and committed souls to come together to co-create a new, empowering, future-positive agenda for the Malay community.

Let us do it.
Let us do it now.

9. Why the Year 2065?

The year 2065 marks the 100th anniversary of the First Bumiputera Economic Congress held in June 1965, initiated by Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak.

He and his generation have done their part.

Now it’s our turn. For our children. And their children.

10. Revisiting the Foresight Plan

Right after KEB 1 1965–2020 (held on 1 October 2020), MPM commissioned Mr. Rushdi Rahim of MIGHT, a globally recognised top-30 authority in strategic foresight, to draft the Bumiputera Economic Framework 2065.

Five years have passed.

It is time to revisit the framework, and re-engage MIGHT to jointly craft the Future-Positive Malay Prosperity Plan 2065.

Let us not miss the next 40 years like we missed the last.

It is not about reaction.
It is about vision.
Let us rise.