Yoursay: Mustapa, here’s how to save our virus-hit economy

YOURSAY | ‘If the MCO is extended by a few more weeks, that’s when the real trouble begins.’

Gov't invites public to give feedback on improving economy via new platform

Vgeorgemy: We have no time to reinvent the wheel as the time is of the essence. We already have scores of governments introduced stimulus packages aiming to protect the people.

In the UK, the finance minister launched three stimulus budgets since March 11. We can adapt most of the measures that support the immediate needs of the general population.

Due to the particular situation of the toppling of an elected government by the renegades, racists and extremists, a bipartisan approach that is currently undertaken by the US Senate would be the appropriate route for us.

Fair Play: Depends on one’s perspective, I see we are on the brink. If the movement control order (MCO) is extended by a few more weeks into April, that’s when the real trouble begins.

How long can small businesses last with an extended interruption to their business and how long can the B40 (bottom 40 percent) last without adequate income to look after their basic needs and without assistance from the government.

All the human resources minister said was this - employers must pay their employees during the shutdown. Just take a look at the US. Both Congress and the Senate are burning the midnight oil to struck a deal to pump US$1 trillion into the system.

And what do we have here? Still talking about MCO with revision 1, 2, 3...

Enlighten: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Mustapa Mohamed, be prepared to pay for the salaries of workers if the lockdown is extended beyond March 31 or the whole economy will collapse.

Simply forcing the employers to pay is not the way. UK is paying for 80% of the salaries.

Kural: Discrimination against the many who are talented and hardworking is one primary cause for economic failure. Deliberately hiding incompetencies in many, and in many forms, are other primary causes for socioeconomic failure.

Let’s do some serious national homework on many fronts if there is genuine interest to introduce and foster leadership effectiveness and new strategies.

One’s long tenure in poor governance will not be continuing held negatively against one if there is an honest intention to learn anew and change for the better.

There comes a time when the social psychology that has been predominantly influencing a nation for some decades in every weave of its polity needs to be assessed in-depth for a paradigm shift towards dynamism and progress.

Are we up to it as a nation? The US, which has been perceived as a parochial nation for long, has welcomed so much talent from abroad and from the East, including China and India, to sustain its pre-eminence in global economic status.

Are we not already housing generations of them here?

Fair Malaysian: At the end of the day, even if my daughter/son gets the best results, it will boil down to race on where she/he will land in public office.

Sorry to be sceptical but I can't find in my mind not to see the unfairness. The non-Malays have been contributing so much, paying taxes and yet they are ignored in this fairness game.

Do the Malays trust us? Would they accept a non-Malay inspector-general of police (IGP), or non-Malay Armed Forces chief, or even the non-elective posts as governors of either Malacca and Penang? The answer is there already.

The Singapore president is Halimah Yacob, a Malay Muslim. Singapore accepts plurality. Just put one non-Malay governor and see how hysterical the Malays will become, starting with the politicians.

This backdoor government told us that it wanted to do a good job. I rather concentrate on my tea-stall and sell ‘vadai’ (a popular Indian snack) to my customers and I can still survive. I am not greedy and I don't need RM2 million as pocket money.

With whatever I earn, it is enough to put food on the table, finance my children's education and buy a simple house, with no bumiputera discount.

I don't need to dine at the Sheraton Hotel to bring down an elected government while the country was imploding. Did they care about us or were they striking deals for themselves?

As we are concerned for our fellow citizens, we will support the government in dealing with this health issue. As for the economy, let them handle it - that's what they claimed when they came through the backdoor, isn't it?

Anonymous_585203cb: It is so obvious. Sarawak has so much land. Just work out a scheme and offer people here to produce agriculture products such as vegetables, fruits, grains and even domestic birds and animals.

We should do less trading at stock exchanges or listing companies and more on agriculture. In times of famines, agriculture is the saviour.

Don't discriminate among races: the ones who produce get the reward. Even a primary school kid can tell you that.

Asitis: Mustapa, if you need us to tell you what to do, then you might as well step aside and let others take over the government.

If you are clueless on how to do your job as a minister, you have no business being in government. You should not even waste time and resources running for election. Let somebody else more capable do it.

There are so many capable Malaysians, yet we ended up with these substandard politicians in the cabinet to run the country at a critical time like this.

And we did not even elect them into the government. They backdoored their way in. So the usual saying "you got the government you elected" does not even apply here.

P_CBM: Yes, it’s time to leave if you are clueless. Remember, we gave the Pakatan Harapan government the mandate to administrate for a reason. Imagine the resources, time and monies we have utilised to achieve this feat.

In the past, pre-GE14, not even in my wildest dream I would have visualised myself of being a poll worker. I, like many Malaysians, did what we had to do.

And then you and your fellow backdoor plotters cozened us big time, and now you want feedback on how to stabilise and boost the economy? Some chutzpah you guys thought you had.

WayangMalaysia: Mustapa, please get the face masks at fixed price and made it available to the public. That’s priority no 1. When that’s done, we can give you all the feedback you need. -Mkini