Opposition suggestion on Jerusalem issue can bankrupt nation, says analyst

PETALING JAYA: PKR must stop its “selfish acts” of prioritising political interests over the country’s wellbeing, an economic analyst said.

Economic analyst Prof Dr Hoo Ke Ping expressed disbelief that the pary could request the government to suspend commercial and diplomatic commitments with the US.

Responding to a statement by PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar, Hoo told FMT that she was speaking “like a headless chicken”.

“How did she arrive at such an idea? It is as good as asking the Penang chief minister to shut down the island because most of the electronic factories owned by the Americans are located on Penang island.

“By suspending commercial and diplomatic commitments, it also means all these factories shifting out and we do not have any protection against them leaving. Penang will go bankrupt.

“Did she discuss with Lim Guan Eng (Penang chief minister) before she made such remarks? Has she ever thought about how the US is one of the highest contributors to our economy?

“Did she calculate the pros and cons before making such a statement? The moment they move out, Penang is finished,” he said.

Hoo added that when the Americans “interfered” during former finance minister and current opposition de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim’s time, it almost created chaos.

“Does she want to be the cause of chaos happening in the country? When the Americans leave, it will affect the economy badly and this will even lead to the country to become a failed state. The country will go bankrupt,” he said.

Hoo, asked whether US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and shift the US embassy to Jerusalem was a bad move, said it was not necessarily so.

“It depends on how you look at it. But by condemning the US and thinking that they care, I can tell you, they don’t.

“Israel and Palestine have had this problem and have been struggling since 1948. They are still struggling after more than 60 years.

“Do you think that this matters to Trump? To the Muslims it is a huge deal, but to Trump, he is headed on a different path and has no interest in the Middle East.

“The fact that he stopped (former US president) Barack Obama from helping Palestine shows that he is trying to lead the US towards washing its hands off the problem,” said Hoo.

He added that, there was no need for the Lembah Pantai MP to react in such a way.

“What she (Nurul Izzah) did, she only had political interests vested in it. The opposition must stop speaking for their political interests, forgetting about the people in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader and PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail voiced her concerns in a different tone.

Wan Azizah had, in a statement, condemned Trump’s actions and called on Prime Minister Najib Razak to convene a special meeting of the Dewan Rakyat to discuss developments following the decision made by the US president.

“I urge the PM to table a motion and take a stand to criticise Trump’s decision and open a debate to allow the necessary steps to be taken by the parliament in addressing this issue.

“All parties should set aside partisan sentiments to achieve a bipartisan resolution,” she said. -FMT