Discontent over living costs floods PM's Facebook

Disgruntlement over the rising cost of living heading into 2014 has flooded Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s Facebook page for almost all of his recent posts in late December.

An overwhelming majority of commenters on his page had began pleading to the premier to look into the living costs, with some even reminding him about promises made before elections, which they claim were subsequently broken.

Najib’s latest Facebook post, promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2014 and urging all Malaysians to welcome tourists with a smile and warm welcome, soon became a discourse about price hikes among more than 900 different comments posted there.

Many are also urging his resignation.

“Our PM has no dignity, he has been insulted yet still holds on to the position,” said a Facebook user, Harry Lanz.

“During GE you said you understood the problems faced by the people about living costs, now you play deaf. What is so happy if all prices go up, only the people will suffer,” said Zuhairy Jb.

Several Facebook users also said that the government seemed to be focusing more on tourists than its own people, questioning the amount spent on tourist programmes.

“Foreigners are more important than the people, just because they want to reap profits in a Visit Malaysia Year all prices were increased without considering the people’s livelihood,” said Sultan Arif.

Such comments were not limited to the particular posting about tourism alone, but are spread all over his recent posts.

In another posting praising Malaysia being chosen as the theme country for the Tokyo International Book Festival next year, commenters again demanded answers over the cost of living.

“If you are just going to update and then leave, without giving any sort of response, it’s better not to update Facebook,” said Eff Eusoff.

“If you really want to understand the pulse of the people then interact with them. Then you will know the sufferings of those who voted for you,” the commenter further said.

Najib rarely interacts or comments back on comments posted to the posts on his Facebook account, and also rarely tweets back from his Twitter account to queries from the general public.