MEDIA STATEMENT
RESEARCH GRANT AWARD CEREMONY MASA POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MPDP) 3.0
4 SEPTEMBER 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Thurs: – Institut Masa Depan Malaysia (MASA) today organised the MASA Policy Development Program 3.0 Research Grant Award ceremony, officiated by its Chairman, YB Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Muhyiddin Bin Haji Mohd Yassin.
For this year, MPDP 3.0 emphasises more on strategic and high-impact policy research under the main theme “Bumiputera Empowerment and Shared Prosperity.”
A total of 145 proposals were received from 26 public and private higher education institutions (IPTA and IPTS) as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The research focus areas include human capital development, education and skills, asset ownership, equity and wealth, regional and rural development, competitiveness and business ecosystem value, income, standard of living and social welfare, institutional reform, empowerment and inclusivity.
In his speech, YB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stressed that the government must act more decisively and the Bumiputera economic agenda should not merely be mentioned in passing within national policy documents. Instead, it requires a comprehensive framework with clear targets, measurable indicators and strong political commitment for effective implementation. Without such measures, the economic gap between communities will continue to widen, leaving the Bumiputera community at a disadvantage.
He further emphasised that Bumiputera empowerment is not about marginalising other races, but rather ensuring a fair balance so that all Malaysians can advance together and produce individuals, capable of standing as equals with other nations on the global stage.
MASA remains committed to serving as a check-and-balance body to ensure the effectiveness of government policy implementation towards sustainable Bumiputera economic development. In this respect, MASA welcomes the participation and cooperation of all stakeholders in strengthening the Bumiputera empowerment agenda.
Through careful deliberation and solutions grounded in in-depth research, MASA believes that a more competitive and inclusive Bumiputera economic ecosystem can be built, contributing towards a more prosperous future for Malaysia.
AZRIL MOHD AMIN
Chief Executive Officer
Institut Masa Depan Malaysia (MASA)
