Giving praise where it is due
THE 14th General Election is over, Pakatan Harapan has won and a new government under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been formed. I am glad the handover of power at the executive level has been smooth and peaceful.
According to Datuk Seri Nazir Razak, brother of our former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, the “big, noisy element” that led to the downfall of the Barisan Nasional government was the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) crisis, which dragged Najib’s reputation down “Nazir: Malaysians have spoken loudly and clearly” ( The Star, May 11).
Parties in the opposition coalition capitalised on the 1MDB issue during their election campaigns, and our former prime minister and his wife were the target of hate. Sometimes I felt the words used to describe them, such as pirate and thief who looted our nation’s assets, were a bit overboard.
The biggest problem for the previous government was the 1MDB issue which was not well addressed and the talks organised by its CEO were not carried out effectively.
Since the 1MDB case will be reinvestigated by the new government, I appeal to the general public to leave this to the investigating teams. Remember, the rule of thumb holds that no one is guilty until it is proven by the courts of law. So, please give our former prime minister and his family some breathing space and privacy.
Malaysians must also remember that during his nine years as prime minister, Najib also contributed much to Malaysia social-economic progress.
These include the introduction of the light rail transit system in the Klang Vally, the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) which houses government agencies in one building located in the city centre and operates beyond working hours and even during weekend. Both have offered much convenience to the general public.
Najib also planned projects like the 2325km Pan Borneo highway stretching from Sabah to Sarawak and the 688km East Coast Rail Link which would eventually bring development to rural districts that are less accessible now. I hope the new government will not scrap these noble projects.
Implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was actually not a bad idea, considering that 170 countries have this similar system of taxation. Malaysians always want the government to provide them with cheap public healthcare, free schooling and various subsidies, which make our cost of living one of the lowest in the world.
Where will the government get the revenue to fund these without a broad-based tax? Furthermore, our country cannot depend on petroleum all the time.
Najib must also be lauded for his moderate and accommodating style of administration to cater to the needs of different races in this multiracial country. The country’s political situation was quite stable and because of this, foreign investors and tourists arrived in large numbers to our country.
Barisan Nasional may not have received the support of voters because of the racial politics practised by some of the leaders in the coalition.
Only time will tell how the new government can improve our future political stability as well as the socio-economic well-being of the country as promised in their election manifesto.
If the new government does not perform to the expectations of the rakyat, it should not be given another term five years from now. This is how a democratic country system works.
As a tribute to Najib’s past good work for the country, let us put all the hate to rest and wish our former prime minister and his family well. Please remember the saying: “If any of you have never sinned, then go... For on whatever grounds you judge the other, you are condemning yourself...” TAN AND FAMILY Petaling Jaya