Ismail Sabri-Muhyiddin’s friendly fires expose economic vulnerabilities
THAT both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and his predecessor Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin are scrubbing dirty laundry in public over the state of Malaysia’s economic affairs should at best be deemed as a healthy check and balance procedure.
(Focus Malaysia) – To bluntly put it, opening a can of worms is always a smarter option than to sweep the dirt under the rug for the former enables the mobilisation of solutions and remedies to cure the country’s economic ills before it is further dragged into a ‘beyond repair’ chronic state.
Any attempt by the current administration to paint a rosy picture that Malaysia’s economy is still thriving when the entire world is languishing from inflation-induced interest rate hikes which can potentially trigger a global recession is only ridiculing the intelligence of Malaysians.
Moreover, Malaysians have certainly learnt one lesson too many from incarcerated ex-premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak who despite his soft spoken, charismatic and solemn demeanour, had absconded billions of ringgit from public coffers right smack under their noses.
Although there is a certain degree of ill feelings between Muhyiddin and his successor considering how the former was ‘booted’ out for failing miserably to resuscitate Malaysia’s economy from the COVID-19 devastation, it is praiseworthy for the BERSATU president to point out how the decline of the ringgit’s value, increasing inflation and post-pandemic economy have brought hardship to the people.
Although the eighth Malaysian PM whose 17-month tenure makes him the shortest-serving PM in the country’s history caveated in his Facebook post that he has yet to reach the stage of urging his successor to dissolve Parliament, he has nevertheless exposed the utmost concern among the country’s business and investing fraternity.
