PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has received enough flak for his recycled Cabinet. It is reshuffled; it is not a new Cabinet but I would not join the chorus to criticise him.
He had no option but to stick with those who put him there. He belongs to the “B faction” in Umno. Naturally, he needed to appoint his supporters instead of the “A faction”.
Then, Ismail Sabri had to cater his allies in Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), PAS, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, as well as Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali & Co. That is why he had to stick to the same formula as his predecessor.
We should focus on what initiatives the prime minister will take together with his Cabinet. They may turn out to be as ineffective as before, but they may have seen the errors of the past and are more comfortable implementing some good policies; now that they do not have to worry about a no-confidence vote.
Pakatan Harapan has given the Ismail Sabri the comfort that they will not dabble in political gamesmanship in exchange for good policies.
I hope the premier will make sure he helps those affected by COVID-19 quickly and is not hampered by too many studies and bureaucratic processes (it looks as though Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz is indispensable, although he does not belong to any political party).
I know of many law firms and other smaller professional service providers that have suffered immensely yet seem to be forgotten. They were asked to prove that revenue had fallen by a certain margin and their employees did not earn beyond a certain amount. So much paperwork had to be done.
Why can’t Tengku Zafrul just pay these firms a sufficient amount directly to help them stay afloat, without asking too many questions?
Singapore’s way of helping those affected by COVID-19 is more direct and prompter. They seem to have more trust in their people.
The prime minister must also keep a watchful eye on our popular lady Minister, Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin. Tell her that she is not paid by the Malaysian taxpayers to go to Afghanistan to teach the Taliban how to deal with their women and education, when a lot more can be done for women here in Malaysia.
Just the other day, my friend brought his 17-year-old daughter to an immigration office in Selangor. The girl was wearing a sleeveless dress. A woman officer prohibited her from going in to renew her passport, telling her in a harsh tone that there were men in the office.
KJ as Health Minister is good
She had to go and get her father’s jacket to cover her arms before being served. Maybe Zuraida can visit this immigration office before visiting the Taliban.
Ismail Sabri can also make sure our Education Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin – reinstated as Senior Minister – not be shy to face the public. He must explain his plans for education in the country as parents and teachers are anxious about this.
I wish Maszlee Malik was reappointed to this portfolio, as he exudes confidence and is knowledgeable on what needs to be done for the students. Unfortunately, Maszlee is not in Bersatu. Still, the premier or Education Minister will be wise to call Maszlee for a chat on what more can be done in the field of education.
The appointment of Khairy Jamaluddin as Health Minister is a good one. There is so much that needs to be done, and urgently, to address the pandemic. Our public health system is quite sick unless you are not willing to face the truth.
Khairy must be bold by making sure those who refused vaccination are dealt with appropriately, and that our support facilities in public hospitals are adequate. Sufficient focus must be given to the recruitment of doctors and nurses.
For instance, the issue of contract doctors must be dealt with swiftly to ensure Malaysians are receiving the best service possible. Our doctors and nurses must be happy; they work tirelessly and for this and they must be amply compensated. Do not let the situation in the US surface in this country.
The prime minister has told his Ministers that they have 100 days to make themselves useful. I will say the same thing to him. The rakyat will allow him the same grace period to see if he can be more effective than the previous one.
The country is in crisis, and the prime minister should not concern himself about being popular. He must be able to reduce COVID-19 cases to an acceptable level. If that requires him to change his Ministers every 100 days, so be it. – Aug 29, 2021.
Datuk Zaid Ibrahim was a former law minister. This post was earlier published on his Facebook page.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
