YOURSAY | ‘Concentrate on reforms, instead of being derailed by inconsequential issues.’

Weed out 'clowns, comic characters', Harapan gov't told

Hopeful123: You are very correct, veteran newsperson A Kadir Jasin. Time to weed out the underperformers and bring in a vibrant and power-packed cabinet. Otherwise, come GE15, there will not be any progress and it will be time for a change in government.

Pakatan Harapan will complete its first year in government in two months’ time. Better hurry to make positive changes.

Headhunter: We can all argue till the cows come home and still not get anywhere. Take religion and race out of the equation and we may see some progress. The question is, can we achieve that?

Singapore is successful because they don't have to deal with these two divisive issues on a daily basis like we do.

Instead of using our multicultural diversity as a conduit to bond and strengthen us, our politicians deviously use it to rob us blind. Are we really that stupid?

Anon1: The "clowns and comic characters" are those who are busy wasting time countering all those racial and religious issues stirred up by PAS-Umno.

Instead of concentrating on reforms and policies to steer the nation forward, these fellows are being suckered and derailed by inconsequential issues.

It looks like they are more interested in remaining popular and compliant to ensure their own political survival.

Bluemountains: Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's cases are of national interest and therefore must be given priority and be fast-tracked. Other cases of lesser importance must be allowed to be deferred to a later date.

Whether he is guilty or innocent, the result must be made known as early as possible. The people are getting fed up with the justice system which does not prioritise cases of national importance.

Harapan has to act fast before it becomes a one-term government.

Mosquito Brain: Yes, I fully agreed with Kadir. The Harapan government should possess the political will to expedite corruption cases of ex-leaders or lawmakers, to show its seriousness to weed out corruption.

Cogito Ergo Sum: There is a lack of a singular message coming from the Harapan government. The sheer diversity in the composition of political parties is both a boon and a bane.

There must be a central communications strategy to handle the race and religion-baiting by fringe members of the opposition. There must be countermoves to deny and show proof that one party is not calling the shots or is the puppet master of the coalition.

And instead of reacting to the next stupid accusation of racial and religious discrimination, be proactive and put the other side on the defensive.

We expect Harapan to be an intelligent, reasonable and fair government. Nothing more, nothing less.

My dear gov't - do simple things to keep the faith

David Dass: Yes, the cumulative effect of small improvements could be huge. The political significance could be even bigger.

The reforms must take place. They do not cost money but are essential to ensure better governance and deeper democracy.

But the small things that writer Martin Vengadesan speaks about will give everyone a visible demonstration of a good and efficient government. There were improvements in Selangor and Penang when the opposition came into power in 2008. But this is not enough.

A tree planting campaign is a great idea. 10 million trees in a year would make a difference to the environment. 10 million trees or more taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen. 10 million trees giving shade and shelter to birds and squirrels.

Restore our catchment areas and our parks so that rain falls where it should and children and adults can walk, exercise and play in wooded areas. Unclog our drains. Let water flow easily and quickly.

Clear rubbish quickly. Let us see fogging teams frequently destroy the mosquitoes. Let our enforcement teams be vigilant and firm with people who dump rubbish everywhere, who keep unlicensed dogs, who build illegal extensions and structures on their premises.

Discipline our people into good behaviour with rigorous enforcement of the law. Enforcement agencies should also ensure that restaurants and their kitchens are super clean and that the source of their cleaning water is not the drains or the toilet bowls.

Double parking, triple parking occurs everywhere. There are insufficient parking places. Do something about that but also make it expensive for those who flout the law and park anyway and anywhere they like with no thought or consideration for other road users.

Anonymous 33227154: Now that Harapan has won the election, please govern properly to make Malaysia better and improve our lives. It takes two hands to clap, so come up with good enforcement and proper education, so that the people can learn to be responsible as well.

It's not enough for the government to clear the rubbish. People should not throw rubbish anywhere they like. Singapore has managed to solve this problem through proper enforcement and education. We need leaders, not merely politicians.

Anonymous_1537050742: Spot on! I can't agree more. Do the simple things first and the more lofty goals can come later. Go for the low hanging fruits before we scale for higher ones.

We do not need rocket science or flying cars - Proton and Kancil are good enough.

Clever Voter: The public understand reforms will require time and efforts. The once admired Harapan has lost its way. It is not lacking financial capacity, but people.

Bureaucracy has turned out to be a massive obstacle. Resistance to change is strong but with weak leadership at the frontline, the task is daunting. The tendency to recycle old names is obvious, giving the impression there isn't much thought given to problem-solving.

Basic services from housing to traffic should be improved, but the ones to lead have no idea where to start. It's easier to shout slogans than to even draft a plan. This seems to be the case.

Even the issues on race and religion have become favourites among the self-serving politicians in opposition, but the government is clueless and prefers to be bullied. The favourite excuse of relying on the rule of law has its limits.

The Harapan government has the power to start putting together an integrated plan - one for changes at policy level, and the other for execution. But if they continue to be preoccupied with the race agenda, the country will not see any difference except business as usual.

There is no shortage of quick wins. Removing many expensive compliance costs is one. Also, populist policies on handouts must be reviewed. High-profile cases must be carried out without further delay. The list goes on.

Indeed, the prime minister may be excused for his age but he should realise the demands will be huge. While things are easier said than done, time is something they cannot afford.

Failure to do so will see them go down in history as the one-term government that could have made the difference.

Quigonbond: Simple things won't help. We need to fix the biggest thing of them all - if you want lower cost of living, the first thing to do is to strengthen the ringgit. It means political stability so that investors will flock in.

This will happen when there is a planned and announced premiership transition. The sooner the better.

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