PKR MP has good wishes for the people, barbs for PN govt

 

PKR's Hang Tuah Jaya MP Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin issued a Chinese New Year message with a difference - while hoping for wealth, prosperity and well-being for the people, he has taken the PN government to task for its inability to make decisions on health SOPs after nearly a year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"A year has passed and we are still adjusting to the life of the new norm. We still feel awkward being away from our families and still less comfortable spending a lot of time at home compared to outdoor activities.

"We must face this discomfort because we have not yet won the battle against Covid-19 but certainly the most awkward thing is to celebrate festivals in this new norm," said Shamsul in his Chinese New Year message.

He said that the PN government has fallen short by failing to create a clear and culturally-sensitive SOPs.

"How can this government lead a plural Malaysia if it still fails to understand the culture of every race in Malaysia?" said Shamsul.

"Although it has been a year since the pandemic, the leadership is still not efficient in providing SOPs that are relevant and suitable for all.

"Only after the people voiced their opposition and it went viral on social media did the government change its SOPs and even then we are always confused by the SOPs that are in place here and there," he said.

Shamsul said that Malaysia needs a government that is proactive and not reactive as it is now, especially as the battle against the pandemic has not been won notwithstanding the economic tsunami that has befallen the country.

"Often I think of the fate of our friends who lost their sources of income, their great test.

"Our GDP declined 5.6 percent last year, the worst since 1998.

He questioned how the government could convince investors if it could not even get Covid-19 SOPs straight.

"A year ago I was employed as a deputy minister, I lost that income in the blink of an eye.

"Fortunately, there is still my salary as an MP, and it can help the people. But it is very sad for those who have lost their sources of income," he added.

Shamsul is also PKR vice-president and served as deputy minister of primary industries in the Pakatan Harapan administration. - Mkini