Reform challenges after the 100th day
By LIM MUN FAH/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak marked his 100th day as Prime Minister by announcing one after another people-friendly measures. With the rising people approval rating, the BN government seemed to have rebounded from the bottom after suffering the great setback of the 8 March general elections.
However, the higher the people’s expectation, the higher the risk the government will have to face. All the promises over the past 100 days have become the expectations of the people. If they fail to fulfill the commitments, or if they are less effective than expected, it would lead to another turnover.
The Prime Minister said that he wants to adhere to people-friendly policies and he must retrieve support. Therefore, the objective of his series of polices is to gain votes in the next general elections.
| "It still depends on the structural economic reform to save the country’s economy in the long run." |
After the 8 March general elections, almost all believed that the next general elections is going to be a decisive election for BN. Of course, Najib does not want to be the last Prime Minister of BN. Instead, he wishes to follow the example of former President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt to come out with good policies during hard times to save not only BN, but as well the country, so that he can leave his name in the history.
There is no doubt that the economic stimulus package is good, so does his decision to scrap the 30% bumiputra equity requirement for companies seeking public listing. But all good policies must also be property implemented in order to reach the expected effect. Otherwise, all the efforts will be ultimately futile.
The 11 people-friendly measures, including toll discount, discount on licences for petty traders, reduction for the cost to obtain a B2 motorcycle licence (under 250cc), allocation for entrepreneurs, approval for another 3,000 taxi permits and a new trust fund, Amanah Saham 1Malaysia, for investors aged above 18 are good policies no matter it is based on policy considerations or meant to gain votes. But to be fair, most of the measures are unattainable and they do not really benefit many people.
It is true that tax cut and appropriations can please the people and help the government to gain votes, but these are transitional policies after all. It still depends on the structural economic reform to save the country’s economy in the long run. Moreover, it is still a question whether these policies could be implemented through the end. Also, they have to beware of “little Napoleon” that might hinder the implementation.
Furthermore, problems like corruption, judicial system, law and order and racial polarisation needed to be resolved. These are the issues that are concerned more by the people.
Finally, I have to stress that the word “fair” seems simple enough but it is in fact the greatest challenge for Najib’s government which has just past its 100th day in office. (
