Let there be justice for all

I REFER to Tun Daim Zainuddin’s interview with Bernama yesterday, when he announced, as Chairman of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP), that in economic and financial management, the Government should ensure justice for everybody.

This is indeed a welcome move in the Government’s economic policies. Interestingly, this was actually the original philosophy stated in the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1970.

Unfortunately, this fair and reasonable thinking got distorted and derailed later due to abuse and cronyism. Then income inequality set in and seeped right through the whole economic and financial system.

This unhealthy trend was then aggravated by corruption, expenditure wastage, inefficiencies and the politicisation of finance and economic management, as we now see from the red files revealed by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The NEP aimed to eradicate poverty regardless of race, and it did, in all fairness, reduce overall poverty substantially; however, its poor implementation left too many Malaysians of all races in financial straits that made it exceedingly difficult for them to make ends meet and put food on the table.

Daim and the venerable CEP must be highly commended for addressing the punitive problem of income inequality, regardless of race and religion. We have to now move more strongly towards income-based economic and financial policies and phase out racebased economic policies.

The poor of all races and religions must be shown the same compassion and care according to justice and our religious and moral values.

As Daim rightly stressed, “Once you address inequalities, everybody will be happy.” Yes, Tun Daim and the Council of Eminent Persons, we are mostly happy already by your breakthrough in introducing new policies and new planning in the new government. We hope the pace of change gathers more momentum, but in cautious and prudent ways.

We all hope that Daim and the CEP will carry on with their fresh thinking and planning and better implementation, so that the New Malaysia will continue to move forward for the benefit of all Malaysians, and especially the less fortunate.

Like many, I also hope that the CEP will continue to serve as a national advisory and monitoring council even after the first 100 days!

All we want is for the Government, as Daim says, “To be fair to everybody and to take care of their welfare”, in the New Malaysia.

Selamat Hari Raya, Maaf Zahir Batin to all Malaysians!

TAN SRI RAMON NAVARATNAM Chairperson Asli-CPPS