We must not be too hasty in executing reforms, says Anwar

 

The prime minister was speaking at the first day of PKR’s congress, held today at Putrajaya International Convention Centre.

PUTRAJAYA: PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said the government must not be too hasty in executing its reform policy or else it risks being rejected by the people.

While officiating PKR’s congress at Putrajaya International Convention Centre, he said the government must learn from mistakes of the past like the rush to recognise the international convention against discrimination and the Rome Statute during Pakatan Harapan’s first term in 2018.

He claimed certain coalition “elites” had pushed for the international guidelines to be ratified without wider consultations.

“Were there discussions in the Cabinet? Did MPs discuss this? Did they engage with the people? No.

“It was forced, it caused unrest among those who did not understand it and it was exploited by the opposition.

“If we rush, whether in implementing Islam or this reform agenda, we will be rejected by the people,” he said.

Anwar also said Putrajaya would strive to take a “moderate” approach to implementing its plans that considered the interests of all parties.

Previously, critics had urged the prime minister to shift his focus towards repairing the economy and his reform agenda as his government marked its first year in power.

Minorities not silenced

Amid questions being raised by some non-Malay members that PKR was becoming overly Malay-centric, Anwar insisted that the party would not sideline other races.

“The pillars of the party may remain Malay and Islamic, but we will guarantee fairness for all races and religions.”

Earlier, FMT quoted a source who said non-Malay party leaders and members had been complaining about being increasingly sidelined since Anwar’s rise to power, despite strongly backing him and the party for years.

In particular, they pointed to his administration’s supposedly conservative stance on certain issues, including empowering the Islamic development department, ruling out the recognition of secularism and gay rights, and defending race-based affirmative action policies.

PKR’s non-Malay members’ concerns have also been compounded by the party’s decision to only nominate Malays for state exco posts in the Pakatan Harapan-run states of Penang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. - FMT