OF late, Patriot has continued to witness and read reports of sheer wastage in the country. Such unprecedented expenditures approved by the government of the day under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, including continuing the policy decisions made by his predecessor Tan Sri Muhiyuddin Yassin, lack compassion and do not reflect a truly caring government and leaders.
Malaysians are reeling under the yoke of rising cost of living as essential food items are increasingly becoming unaffordable by the millions of Malaysians who are drifting into the B40 category.
The world is facing a serial recession on its horizon and Malaysia will not be spared either as the global food supply chain buckles under the pressures of geopolitical manoeuvres.
In the wake of these unprecedented sufferings endured by Malaysians, any arithmetic arguments – as recently dished out by a minister claiming that pay cuts from ministers and their deputies, for example, will not make any impact on inflation – clearly register a failure on the part of leaders and government decision-makers to place compassion and care above mere statistics.
Echoing the voices of concerned citizens, Patriot demands from the prime minister of Malaysia that his government needs to register and demonstrate that he and his cabinet members are placing the citizens’ needs above personal, political, and any hidden or self enrichment agendas.
We demand with a resolute will the following from the government of the day:
1. With immediate effect, the size of the cabinet members must be trimmed or implement a substantial pay cut for the ministers and their entourage of deputies to reflect a worthier Keluarga Malaysia spirit.
2. That the four appointments of special envoys with ministerial status, namely, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang for the Middle East, Progressive Democratic Party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing for China, Serian MP Datuk Seri Richard Riot in East Asia, and MIC president Tan Sri S. Vigneswaran for South Asia be terminated, and the nearly RM1 million spent on them annually be channelled towards aiding the rakyat and especially farmers and fishermen.
3. That all political appointments involving the heads of government-linked companies and government-linked investment companies be reviewed, and sizable salary and benefit reductions be implemented to better reflect the hardships being increasingly felt by citizens all across the country.
4. That all foreign business acquisitions and purchases of prime properties overseas by the government and/or its agencies be put on hold in view of the global uncertainties. Instead, any such public money at the disposal of the government should be channelled into rebuilding and strengthening the domestic economy, including nurturing and caring for our home-grown SMEs who are buckling under the pressures of spiralling inflation.
5. Policing the local business environment should be beefed up to ensure that hoarding, profiteering, smuggling out and any such exploits of subsidies are strictly monitored and stopped without fear or favour. There is no need for studies and consultancy engagements. Patriot knows that our uniformed military and police personnel can be courted by the enforcement agencies and relevant ministries to do a good job in sealing all ratholes and border conduits as well as going after these ugly profiteers.
6. That spending of public money must be transparently accounted for in order to instil confidence and trust among the citizens. The lack of explanations, oftentimes opaque whenever dished out by the authorities, robs us citizens of our rights to a compassionate and caring environment.
7. That all monopolies crafted and put in place by the current and previous governments be immediately reviewed and all profits returned to the citizens, with a view to make the nation’s economy more resolute and resilient as we head into a challenging future in the months and years ahead of us. – The Vibes, July 26, 2022
Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji is president of the National Patriots’ Association
