Change in govt will not solve country's economic woes, racism: Salleh

PETALING JAYA: A change in government will not make all Malaysians rich and eradicate the problem of racism and religious intolerance, said Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak.
The Communications and Multimedia Minister said it was easy to blame the Barisan Nasional (BN) government for everything that has gone wrong, pointing that there were those who have suggested that a change of hands in Putrajaya would solve this.
"Is that really the solution or is this merely a snake-oil merchant's solution on how to cure all problems?" he said in his latest blog post today.
Salleh explained that the country is part of the global economy and that whatever happened in other countries would also affect Malaysia.
Noting that the cost of living in other countries have also spiralled, he claimed that no change in government could alter this.
"Have the critics ever explained how changing the government can make all Malaysians rich? Malaysia is not in outer space. We are part of the global economy. Malaysia is not isolated and insulated from what the other countries do.
"Some complain that Malaysia is too expensive. Actually, it is not Malaysia, but a world problem. When others sneeze we catch a cold," he said.
On issues of racism and religious intolerance here, Salleh said it was the people themselves who created them.
"So unless Malaysians are prepared to seek peace and harmony, that (solving the problem) is never going to happen even if you change the government," he said.