No need to form shadow cabinet now

KOTA KINABALU: There is no need for the opposition bloc to form a shadow cabinet at this point of time, said Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) Wira deputy chief Ismail Ayub.

Ismail said the people are now suffering due to the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore the focus now should be on helping them instead of politicking.

Taking into account the Covid-19 pandemic and the weaknesses of the current Federal Government, Ismail opined that the opposition must play its role as the ‘check and balance’ body.

“There are still plenty of weaknesses shown by the Perikatan Nasional government. For instance, when will the Covid-19 vaccines arrive? Our neighbouring countries had started to inject the vaccines,” said Ismail in a statement on Thursday.

Ismail had also questioned what kind of standard operating procedures (SOP) would the government be implementing when it comes to the distribution of the vaccine and as to which groups of people would be receiving the vaccines first.

“We know that the government had spent millions of ringgit in purchasing the vaccines. However, the amount was kept secret by the minister involved,” said Ismail.

He also wondered how the government would be helping all those who have lost their jobs and businesses due to Covid-19.

He said that the time has come for Malaysia to be administered by new faces and young leaders who can develop the country.

“Warisan president Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal had explained in his interview with ISEAS- Yusof Ishak Institute that Malaysia could no longer be controlled by the same leaders. It is time for Malaysia to move away from the old way of thinking. Enough with Anwar, enough with Mahathir.

"We cannot deny the development brought by the previous leaders but we need to move away from the old way of thinking and we need to move forward as a nation that is governed based on the Constitution," said Ismail.

On Monday, United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau had called on opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to form a shadow cabinet in the wake of the emergency proclamation.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Tuaran had also called on some of his ‘old friends’ in Barisan Nasional (BN) to unite with Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) Plus coalition.