THE problems about discussions in chat groups, among others, is that it hardly goes beyond just the same group of people. Such gripes about everything under the sun are as good as the rocking chair – rocking back and forth without moving forward.
This is why netizens who have better ideas of how the country should be run should offer their suggestions in a letter to the editor of about 12 to 15 sentences for the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PMX).
If it attracts his attention, he would read it. This is better than wasting all the precious energy debating in chat groups. It is even better for these critics to put their hands to the plough. Otherwise, all the good ideas that they have – after a long and tiring debate – will turn into cyber dust.
Criticism 1: PMX does not have an economic plan or vision for the country in place
Critics have forgotten that PMX’s Madani vision launched in January this year is based on “Sustainability, Care & Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Prosperity and Trust.”
Spending time on developing a long-term vision plan would not be his main priority right now as he needs to consolidate the position of his unity government by first getting close to the grassroots, including the young people. He can – and he should – or maybe he has already put together a team of people to work on the grand plan for Malaysia.
After all, Vision 2020 was only introduced some 10 years after Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became PM. Yet, his grand plan failed miserably.
Recently, the two-time premier even made a mockery of himself when he spoke against Bangsa Malaysia when Vision 2020 clearly spelt out the vision’s Challenge No 1 as “Establishing a united Malaysian nation made up of one Bangsa Malaysia (Malaysian Race).
As for the economic plan, the 12th Malaysia Plan will carry us through until 2025 before we will see PMX’s 13th Malaysia Plan (2026-2030). So critics are not using their grey matter when they speak.
Criticism 2: Anwar is putting the old guards; there needs to be a change of old guards
While untainted young faces are a good bet for the country’s future, their lack of political maturity and understanding of the fundamentals of good governance will take time to develop.
For all we know, PMX may already have his succession plan in place but he may not openly declare it in public. Only people within his inner circle would know.
Criticism 3: Senior people heading government agencies are still the same old batch appointed by former PM Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin
But PMX made an interesting point that he extended the tenure of Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki so that people would not accuse him of appointing his own men to go after his political foes.
For that reason, Azam was originally appointed by Muhyiddin but he was also responsible for the investigation that led to the prosecution of Muhyiddin.
Criticism 4: The unity government is still appointing politicians to the government-linked corporations (GLCs)
While in the past we have seen some of the worst politicians being appointed to head GLCs, the truth is simple: the PMX has a limited circle of people whom he had experience working with.
Certainly, we do not expect him to pick any Tom, Dick or Harry as chairman of a GLC. The recent appointment of Datuk Romli Ishak as chairman of Cyberview is because Romli would have proven himself when he was serving as political secretary to Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail when she was deputy prime minister.
In some cases, depending on which GLC, it is the decision on the minister concerned who picks the candidate.
Criticism 5: When MUDA president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman asked about the extent to which reforms have been implemented by the unity government, it is a question that has been answered before by the ancient idiom “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
If some 10,000 stateless people have received their citizenship since Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail became Home Minister, his performance far exceeds Muhyiddin or Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin when they were Home Ministers. – July 10, 2023
