LETTER | New Year blessing of a new PM

LETTER | We are ready to hop into a promising year under the leadership of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Many critics have been silenced by the simple administrative decisions that benefited the people across the nation.

From Malaysians living on the east coast under Perikatan Nasional who were devastated by the monsoon floods, to Sabahans and Sarawakians denied of their equitable rights for decades, the current PM's altruism has truly captured the hearts and minds of the nation.

Famously quoted for saying a leader's responsibility is to heal and not worsen the wound, may suggest a polarity of conscience in our PM that is truly the making of a Madani society.

Many remain bewildered why Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a statesman and two times PM, still refuses to acknowledge the much-needed cure this nation longed for.

It does not come as a surprise that voters wholeheartedly rejected him and his party Pejuang during the last general election. After losing their faith in his leadership and his inability to keep up with the nation’s needs.

As a matter of fact, the prime reason for the political instability suffered by this nation for the past six years was brought forth by Mahathir's back-door dealings.

His selfish political manoeuvring which eventually led to the Sheraton Move was to further his own personal agenda and that of his cronies.

Despite the bitter truth in a shameful defeat in all seats contested by Pejuang together with losing election deposits, he shamelessly continues to attack any form of leadership which is helming the nation.

His lack of foresight in the needs of the nation is evident in many different spaces which had led to many modern-day problems for the people. The biggest example is in urban centre planning with sprouting homes that overflowed the market to benefit his cronies.

Instead of investing in the public transportation sector significantly, Mahathir chose to burden the people with his national automotive policy and constant push for the national car agenda.

This has now morphed into 600,000 new cars being sold annually due to the lack of proper public transportation alternatives forcing people to use private vehicles.

Concurrently there was no significant planning for roads and parking spaces to sustain the rocketing volume of car sales entering the nation’s roads.

We now witness haphazard parking with double and sometimes triple parking in urban areas as a result. Lack of vision in the planning of urbanisation is a sign of incompetent administration and nation-building.

Mahathir’s grandeur ideas of building the nation’s administrative capital Putrajaya in remote areas which are only accessible by cars with no initial plan to factor in public transportation speak volumes of his personal agenda. There was no consideration for the well-being of the citizens in this matter.

The other unseen ticking issue from the massive car sales volumes is burdening of public finances with ballooning petrol subsidies which are to the tune of close to RM30 billion annually.

This is denying the country of using its financial resources for better alternatives which the citizens need including stimulating the economy with real investments to create real jobs and income.

Subsidy management requires a real strategy under the guidance of an empathetic leader who understands economics and the role of the state in welfare.

The days of a PM calling the shots by controlling government agencies to his whim and fancy are over.

Malaysia needs an altruistic leader who is able to steer this nation into the global arena on a level playing field.

It is never too late for Mahathir to fully retire and stop meddling with politics. The democratic insult has already been thrown towards him during the last GE.

Any attempts to shake Malaysians again will only be responded unfavourably to what is left of his legacy.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.