PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Harapan government must focus on economic issues, including eradicating urban and rural poverty entirely, and move on from harping on preacher Dr Zakir Naik, according to the National Patriots Association (Patriot).
Patriot president Brig-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji (pix) said too much time has been wasted bickering on race-religion issues instigated by opposition parties, and the power struggle for domination within the PH coalition, and this has hampered efforts that could have been used to put the promised reforms into action.
“We are now into the second year of PH governance. Unity among the various ethnic groups is nowhere better. Inter-ethnic distrust remains high, and so is inter-religion. The level of trust from among Sabahans and Sarawakians towards the federal government has not improved.”
“There is a saying in the military that there are no bad soldiers, only bad officers. Applying the analogy to political leadership, if the people are in disarray, disunited, un-driven for a common cause, then it reflects on the poor leadership of politicians. The cabinet has to take responsibility,” he said in a statement today.
He also said all politicians should take heed of Perak ruler Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah’s advice that extremism should not be allowed to undermine national unity and those with short-term political aims should not be allowed to hijack the voice of unity and moderation in Malaysia.
“Acts and conduct that instigate hatred, sow enmity and distrust, irrespective of one’s status and position, must now stop. All, including politicians, should take heed of Sultan Nazrin’s advice. In this regard, Patriot supports IGP Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Bador that no more warning be given to those who incite racial and religious sensitivities. Culprits are to be arrested immediately,” he said.
He also urged the Cabinet members to take note of the country’s poverty rate which was highlighted by UN rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Philip Alston.
Alston had disputed the official 0.4% poverty rate, or the threshold of RM980 monthly household income, and said it should be around 15%.
“If Alston is correct, the 14.6% difference in miscalculating the poverty rate is a very serious omission. It has serious ramifications on our nation’s socio-economic policies, and the various five-year economic plans. It also means that our government policies have not been effective,” he said.
He added that he was disappointed with Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali’s quick dismissal of Alston’s suggested figure by saying it was a baseless claim.
“Azmin should rightfully ask his officers to reassess the statistics and the basis of the poverty line calculation. This denial syndrome of our government officials when suddenly caught with a blunder has to stop. Common sense will tell that a family of four will find it impossible to survive with a meagre income of RM980 a month in the Klang Valley,” he said.
