No decisive leadership in Putrajaya, says insider

A senior member of the Putrajaya administration has alleged that the government lacks decisive leadership, and this is the reason behind the poor handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We have too many cooks in the kitchen” leading to flip-flop decisions and unclear policies, he said.

(FMT) – The insider, who asked that his name be withheld, told FMT he believed the country needed a wartime general. There was none, he added.

He was commenting on an FMT report that members of Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s inner circle had warned him and several ministers about rising public anger.

He said public anger was understandable given the Covid-19 situation.

He complained that Cabinet decisions were not always carried out quickly enough, citing the government’s plan to introduce real-time tracking bracelets for those testing positive for Covid-19 and their close contacts.

“Things are moving too slowly,” he said.

“The PM must work out a confidence and supply arrangement. If he is unable to get enough support for this, then perhaps it is best for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to summon all MPs and seek consensus to form an interim government.”

The insider said the country now needed a strong government, one that would reconvene Parliament.

He also said he had been told that some politicians, including an Umno leader and a former prime minister, were already planning for the possibility of having an interim government to rule the country before the next general election.

“I understand they are already assembling their teams.”

He said, however, that serious political reforms were needed in the long run.

“The rakyat needs to look at winnable candidates rather than political parties, candidates who are professionals and experts.

“We need to allow independent MPs to form a large enough bloc to govern without being beholden to political parties or being entrenched in political patronage,” he said.