More and more voices are being raised expressing grave concern about the state of Malaysian economy, governance and democracy.
Today, among those who have spoken range from the Sultan of Johor; the nation’s top banker and brother of the Prime Minister, CIMB group chairman Datuk Nazir Razak and former Cabinet Minster who was Minister for Trade and Industry for more than two decades from 1987-2008, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz.
Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Iskandar of Johor called on the federal government to resolve the instability facing the country as well as the falling ringgit.
He said that the “unstable political and economic situation“ the country is in now is a major issue which has to be dealt with immediately.
He said Putrajaya should not fool the rakyat by whitewashing the problems faced by the country.
Nazir voiced concern over the economy due to the ringgit freefall and said “people in power should stop saying ‘stupid things’ in order to help the economy”.
Rafidah questioned whether Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s acceptance of RM2.6 billion, said to be from a Middle Eastern donor, has opened Umno to being manipulated by foreigners.
She said: “Umno is the backbone of the BN government. Influencing Umno would mean influencing the government.”
Rafidah said that the RM2.6 billion incident has taken money politics plaguing Umno to new heights, and that other Umno leaders were also in some way responsible for the fiasco.
The Prime Minister must end his denial complex and address the reality that the country is faced with an unprecedented crisis over the state of the economy, governance and democracy.
The failure of his reshuffled Cabinet to address the country’s multiple crisis is best reflected by the freefall of the Malaysian ringgit, which plunted from 3.814 to the US dollar and 2.7770 to the Singapore dollar when the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was sacked and the Cabinet reshuffled on 28th July 2015 to 4.26 to the US dollar and 3.016 to the Singapore dollar today.
The Sultan of Johor ‘s call for urgent action to address the multiple crisis facing the country should be heeded and I urge the Prime Minister to convene an Emergency meeting of Parliament in the first week of September, which can address the triple issues of:
(I) Economic, Governance and Political Crisis confronting the country;
(ii) fill PAC vacancies including appointing a new PAC Chairman to end the sabotage of parliamentary investigations into the RM50 billion 1MDB scandal; and
(iii) address the nettlesome and unprecedented question whether the nation needs a new PM and new Government.
(Speech at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah (TUTA) Por Tor Dinner at Maedo Restaurant, Skudai, Gelang Patah on Tuesday, August 25, 2015 at 10 pm)
The best job one can dream, form a company access tax money to invest oversea, then can reverse back as donation to account here!
Other UMNO leaders are also to blame for the 2.7 billion fiasco, dear Rafidah? Perhaps such temerity arose in the Mahatir era when ruling party politicians were more powerful than kings. I remember a certain minister rushing to beg a top tearful politician to retract his resignation. Yes, spot on Rafidah!
Bersih 4 should have the effect to remind the government that dissent after a legal election can take place when the government abuses its power.When normal parliamentary proses does nor work dissent takes place.Thus the protest march by Bersih4 that is impending will unite the people and show to the government that it is better for them to change and bring to book those involved in stealing public booties.Coincidentally the deteriorating economic condition of Asia and some parts of the world are happening at the same time.Thus to relate that the Malaysian economy will be affected by the protests by UMNO man does not hold water.If only UMNO/BN had known how to manage the economy we will not be facing such dire straits.This march is for the nation to come peacefully and make the leaders listen even if they had got the mandate.I wish all Malaysians if they love the nation come out in huge numbers so that even if disruptors come to the march will realise that they are in the wrong!The organisers are people’s people and they have in mind to keep all participants intact when they attend and when they leave.Government interference by the Police or the Army are uncalled for as they(the Police and theArmy) themselves are part of the people.