Reforms should outlast govt of the day - Syed Saddiq

 

Reforms should be implemented to outlast the government of the day and not to serve any particular political party, said Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, the Muda president said when he pushed for “Undi 18” – a movement which saw Malaysia lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 - it did not cross his mind about helping any party to win the 15th general election.

“I have politician friends who came to me and said that I fought for Undi 18, but the voters of that group cast their ballots for the other side (opposition).

“That is the problem when people look at reforms from one political party’s perspective.

“Never crossed my mind that when fighting for reform is actually to help party A, party B, or party C. If the reform serves us, we are happy. But when we lose, we close (the door) on reform,” he said when debating Budget 2023 in Parliament today.

He also called for reforms to set a fair system in place which will reduce the toxicity in Malaysian politics.

“I’m confident that if this can be implemented, the tension in this Dewan Rakyat can be reduced.

“Reforms must go beyond any party and the government of the day.

“A developed Malaysia is a Malaysia that is led by strong institutions.”

PM cannot be finance minister

Meanwhile, Syed Saddiq said he agrees with Mohd Radzi Md Jidin’s (Perikatan Nasional-Putrajaya) suggestion for a law to prevent the prime minister from holding other ministerial positions.

“I agree. I can’t say I understand what the prime minister is going through, from the formation of the ‘unity government’, political instability, forming this government in the early stages.

“But moving forward, if we can agree to have an act that will not let the prime minister hold the finance minister portfolio, that would be a good step.

“This is not a new thing, it has been suggested a few years ago,” he said, adding that such an act would provide a check and balance system.

Previously, Radzi said there is a risk of power misuse without checks and balances.

Anwar holding both the prime minister and finance minister posts courted backlash from various quarters.

Before Anwar, Najib Abdul Razak was the last prime minister who also held the finance minister post.

Najib’s predecessors Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Dr Mahathir Mohamad also held both positions during their respective tenures. - Mkini