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YOURSAY | Imagine Najib as our ‘economic saviour’

This article is 3 years old

YOURSAY | ‘Are we allowing the fox to watch over the hen house?’

Najib meets PM to discuss economic recovery

Fair Comments: A sitting prime minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, spent an hour of his precious time listening to the economic advice from a former premier, Najib Abdul Razak - a convicted person who has allegedly stolen billions from the country and still denying it.

How ludicrous can this be? This is unprecedented and can only happen in Malaysia.

If the convict is so sincere in helping the country's economy, he should pay back the billions he was accused of siphoning. Otherwise, it is just empty talk with our foolish PM giving him a big stage to mount a political comeback.

I am very afraid. This PM doesn't seem to be able to differentiate between the right and wrong thing to do.

Oriole: This is further proof of the madness of Malaysian politics. Are our leaders in Putrajaya so hopelessly tone-deaf or just completely drunk on power?

To even whisper this information (the meeting) to people is enough to provoke blinding disgust and anger. This man has put us on the world map for kleptocracy. And now he is going to be the saviour of our economic recovery?

On the other hand, here is how he can aid the country's recovery. Ask him and his family to pay the billions they allegedly owe in income tax. Because if he does not, it is the hardworking average Malaysian who is condemned to carry the load for him and his family.

Show the nation that he has settled these sums in full and then put him out to pasture. He has "done" enough to "help" the nation.

Vijay47: This may seem unusual but it is definitely a bold step for Ismail Sabri to consider including Najib in the Group of Minds to resolve our many economic challenges.

To be fair, we must agree that Najib, despite some doubtful decisions, has been tried and tested. He has eminently displayed his expertise in the micro and the macro; let us not forget Deng Xiaoping’s rat-catching cat.

Similarly, I do not see anything wrong or unwise in appointing Muhyiddin Yassin as head of the National Recovery Council (NRC). After all, he has been there and done it.

To make the takeover complete, all that remains is to bring back Arul Kanda and Jho Low.

Adek: Maybe he has good ideas, maybe he doesn't. The problem is that we keep thinking that only career politicians should be listened to, even those on trial for financial crimes.

When will those in power realise that they have a country full of smart people - both educated and street smart - who can contribute as much if not more than their colleagues?

Because when they do, they won't have to wonder whether our only chance of salvation is the captain who drove this ship into the iceberg, to begin with.

Open Mind: Indeed, Malaysia is not short on talent and capable professionals who are willing and able to contribute to the recovery of the economy and public health. In fact, the captains of the country’s diverse industries are more suited except they are not recognised by politicians.

With due respect to the former premier, he should stay out of government business pending his appeal against his conviction. It will not be good for Malaysia’s international image to solicit help from a convict who is still seeking to clear himself.

Guglu: I am not a fan of Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor. But let us separate his crime from his economic capability.

It goes without saying that Najib was the best prime minister we ever had when it comes to the economic management of our country. He introduced the goods and services tax (GST), removed petrol subsidy, spent a lot of money on infrastructure, attracted large foreign direct investments and increased the salaries of civil servants.

All of them make a lot of sense to me. It takes a lot of courage to introduce the GST, which is a fairer tax system used by 90 percent of countries in the world.

Pakatan Harapan said the country was going bankrupt, it didn’t. In fact, former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad himself admitted that most of the promises made by Harapan could not be implemented and even toyed with the idea of reintroducing the GST. In short, Harapan lied to us.

Unfortunately, Najib has been convicted for corruption. That is the one and only reason I dislike him. But that is another issue. Leave it for another day to discuss.

Anak Hutan: I pray that Najib genuinely turns over a new leaf, that he will live a life like normal people by living off what he rightly earned. Most important of all, demonstrate it by returning to the nation's coffer whatever was not rightly obtained in the past, and help to lower our national debt.

Then I believe all Malaysian can forgive the past and look toward the future. I hope this is not as difficult as wishing the sun to rise from the west!

New Day: What is wrong with this picture?

It is as if Najib’s trials and conviction do not even exist. If you really mean our Malaysian Family concept, PM, then you would distance yourself as far as possible from this person who has brought more disgrace to the Malaysian family than anyone else in Malaysia has ever done.

BlueShark1548: PM granted an audience to a former PM convicted in a crime linked to the world's largest scandal to discuss how he could assist in the nation's economic recovery?

Malaysia has no other men of competence? Ismail Sabri has put himself and the nation to shame.

This could only happen in a third world nation where there is no law and order and no values. Malaysia has now gone to that level.

GajahDuduk: It seems all economists have died. So, we need a convicted criminal who cannot even manage his bank account, to save the nation. What's the plan? Low Yat 3? 2MDB?

What's that hole in the floor? Must be Malaysia's economic and political credibility crashing down...

Jaycee: Are we asking for trouble by allowing the fox to watch over the hen house?

MS: Ousted prime minister Muhyiddin, who professed not to work with kleptocrats, has now revealed he doesn't mind doing just that through his stooge and trojan horse in Umno - the insecure fellow now posing as PM.

But then, it could all be for the good - the final destruction of both Bersatu and Umno.

Specialist Opening Batsman: The evil and treacherous Sheraton Move last year may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for the nation.

Many Malay brothers and sisters must have realised by now a Malay government for the Malay is just a myth aimed at preserving the privilege of the few well-connected Umno/BN/GPS corrupt elites.

The true political tsunami will take place at GE15. We have not given up. Malaysians of all races will rise, unite and send Umno/BN/GPS to complete political oblivion. Bersatu, at best, will be reduced to an insignificant cheerleader after GE15.


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