I'm so stressed out by this framing because it concedes the right-wing notion that NEP is because hak melayu when it's very specifically about the fact that because poverty is racialized the poverty eradication track will inevitably produce socioeconomic gains by ethnic group. Arghggggghhhhhhhhhhhhbbhhh
Affirmative action intends to address societal economic inequality that has an added dimension of identity eg race, sexuality, gender. If he wants to do something "needs-based" then take off his reformist badge and just admit he's a market neoliberal - that would at least make him more daring than UMNO has been in ages.