New government needs space and time
MALAYSIA has not witnessed unity of such magnitude for a long time, perhaps since we were granted independence in 1957, until the 14th General Election. We woke up on May 10, 2018 to a new dawn with crisp fresh air.
Our new dawn was due to the colossal effort of leadership, unity and brotherhood that transcended race and religion. Everyone was adamant in wanting change and this singleminded focus forged an unbelievable unity towards unsettling the gigantic might and machinery of the Barisan Nasional.
From what we can see in the past four weeks, our new leaders are extremely serious in wanting to put the badly derailed government machinery back on track.
And with an old hand, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, at the helm, we should be confident that the problems will be attended to based on their urgency and magnitude.
We should allow the new government enough time and space to right all the problems left behind by the former administration.
As stakeholders, we can express ideas and suggestions but we should avoid being perceived as exerting pressure in terms of issues or time frame.
This will be unfair as I strongly believe Dr Mahathir and his capable ministers are in a better position to prioritise their task. Hence, our suggestions should assume the role of a “wish” list.
Whatever decisions made and announced so far should be received without negative comments or response. A good example is the announcement that RTM would be providing live telecasts of some World Cup matches, which was reported to cost some RM40mil.
This is indeed a hefty sum but I am sure the minister concerned must have done his homework, factoring in revenue receivable from advertisements and sponsorships.
I may not be far off the point to say that the decision to livetelecast the World Cup is in fact a revenue earner. Moreover, I am sure they are eager to prove their worth since we, the rakyat, have given them the prized opportunity to run the government.
We must not attempt to compare the new ministers with what we just had, where we were able to assess them the moment they opened their mouths. We actually gauged their mentality when they said things like “Prices of goods will drop with GST” or “If you find that your income is insufficient to sustain your livelihood, go for a second or third job”.
Placing undue pressure is also unfair on Dr Mahathir who will be 93 next month and he knows he has limited time to put the nation on track again. He should be seen as very sincere in wanting to help the country and Malaysians in particular. The fact that he was prepared to come out of retirement is itself a very noble act and should receive standing ovation. So, let us be fair to him.
At the same time, we should also be very thankful to his wife for her graceful support and affection. His premise of having investments and industries to provide jobs for the people is a very tenable and tangible approach as this is akin to teaching one to fish rather than to provide the fish.
For the many who still fault him for his past practices and mistakes, be reasonable. Who does not make mistakes? Who on this earth is perfect?
The new government’s task is monumental and difficult but looking at the current progress, the new team seems to be working real hard. Though they hail from different political parties, they are committed to a common cause – to help our PM heal our nation.
Over and above all these, Dr Mahathir should be credited for harnessing groups of experts to assist him to tackle the complex economic issues and investigating the 1MDB saga. With these experienced people backing him, Malaysia should be able to heave a sigh of relief in the near future.
Let’s be positive and look forward to a new Malaysia.