PETALING JAYA: The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has urged Pakatan Harapan to stop the political infighting and bickering in the aftermath of the Tanjung Piai by-election.
Patriot president Brigadier General Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji (pix) (Rtd) said the people have had enough of intra-coalition bickering and political manoeuvring over the succession of premiership, which is threatening to destroy itself, and thrashes whatever hopes for a new Malaysia.
“It is disgusting to see political infighting within Pakatan Harapan right after the Tanjung Piai by-election where the people sent a clear message that something is seriously wrong with the ruling coalition,” he said in a statement today.
He also said that there are economic and far too many national issues that deserve more attention and political leaders must get cracking now.
“Our nation has no place for recalcitrant politicians who do not provide good leadership in their respective portfolios, who are not proactive but rather react after a problem has arisen, and good only at playing politics,” he said.
Arshad said in line with Shared Prosperity Vision 2030, Malaysians of all ethnic groups must be made to feel empowered, patriotically contribute to the nation’s gross domestic product and towards nation building.
However, the economic progress has been plagued by declining standard of education, lack of innovation and skills and a stagnating productivity growth.
“Cabinet members must take leadership to empower our people by raising the education standards, to prepare them for the Industrial Revolution 4.0 with focus on Internet-of-Things and Artificial Intelligence,” he said.
With progress in science and technology, along with an educated and technically minded populace capable of earning much higher income, Malaysia will soon be a high-income nation escaping from the current middle income trap that has been there since 1992.
“But when political leaders fight for positions, use their art to scheme to outdo rival groups, and make secret pact with opposition politicians; ignorant to realistic
poverty line; ignorant about the orang asli in poverty when those in Pos Simpor have to beg for food supply; suspicious of other ethnic group or treat them as enemies; indifferent to the depressing world economic trend that will inevitably has a negative impact on our people’s socio-economic welfare; we as a nation is as good as a living dead,” he said.
He added that when politicians care for nothing else but politicking to secure power, it tells of greed, power-crazy, selfishness, indifference and incompetency.
“Our country was once in the same league as Japan, South Korea and Singapore in the 1970s in terms of GDP and per capita income. While these countries have progressed to high-income nations, ours lags behind to see our leaders champion in ethno-religious politicking. What a crying shame,” he said.
