Commentary by Mustafa K Anuar

IT was a black Monday for the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government when Muhyiddin Yassin officially informed the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of his resignation as Malaysia’s eighth prime minister.

This was later followed by Muhyiddin’s final address to the nation, which many had been waiting for, after going through moments of anxiety and concerns in recent weeks.   

In his final televised speech yesterday, the caretaker prime minister reminded Malaysians that he (and by extension his government) cared very much for their wellbeing in the midst of the raging Covid-19 virus.

Using the moniker ‘abah’, the Pagoh MP said he still treats the people as his children who should be cared for. However, the overall rate of his administration’s commitment towards this end is cause for concern.

The government, he insisted, had done its best to save and protect Malaysians from the pandemic, which is, admittedly, a phenomenon we have never seen in living memory.

Although the national vaccination programme had a slow start, it subsequently picked up and Muhyiddin recently assured Malaysians that more than 87 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines costing RM4.36 billion have been procured for them.  

However, the loved ones of those who succumbed to the vicious virus may not consider his ‘best’ as being good enough. The number of deaths and infections from Covid-19 has spiked in recent months. As of August 16, 12,784 people have died from Covid-19.

Nor would his ‘best’ be appreciated by those who had made desperate pleas on social media to the government for help as they endured the prolonged lockdowns that have brought about a loss of jobs, incomes and businesses.

The economic stimulus packages undertaken by his government reached the target groups unevenly, leaving certain quarters severely cash-strapped and vulnerable. Some received the financial aid rather late, while others did not get or qualify for it.

This is why the white flag initiative, which was spearheaded by a few individuals and local communities, was most welcome by the desperate in our midst, who have had problems putting food on the table, among other issues.

This was however frowned upon by the authorities, with reports even saying that some Malaysians were threatened for putting up a white flag. Muhyiddin even commented in jest that it is better to replace the white flag with a blue one, which is PN’s symbolic colour. He said this when he launched a government’s aid programme that has a similar objective.
Another bone of contention is the welfare of the health frontliners, particularly the contract doctors who have been dutifully and tirelessly treating Covid-19 patients, which has not been sufficiently addressed by his government.

This is apart from the fact that many hospitals, particularly those in the Klang Valley, have been overstretched owing to shortage of funds, equipment and manpower, putting some patients in danger of neglect.

The contract doctors would not have staged a strike had their woes been properly attended to by the supposedly caring government. In fact, they faced intimidation and harassment from the authorities for participating in the nationwide strike.

Educational needs of schoolchildren have not been given their due attention by the education ministry, particularly the basic necessities of those from poor families. For example, the 150,000 laptops that were promised to these needy kids have not reached them completely.

At the time of writing, only 13,000 laptops have reportedly been distributed. What happened to the rest?

Certain constituencies are fortunate enough to have lawmakers who took the effort to get funding from individuals and the private sector for the purpose of donating communication devices to needy students.

At this juncture, some Malaysians may wonder whatever happened to Makcik Kiah, a representation of the vulnerable in society that used to be mentioned so often in Muhyiddin’s earlier speeches. 

The arrogance of certain ministers is also a serious issue for many ordinary Malaysians. This is particularly stark in cases of the former flouting the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the movement-control order.

The general Malaysian public appreciate and understand that the SOP implemented by the government is meant to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

However, the double standards in its enforcement are too much to bear for the ordinary people, especially when the powerful and famous are often let off with a slap on the wrist. On the other hand, ordinary folks, many of whom are financially hard-pressed, were left to bear the brunt of strict enforcement and heavy penalties.

Thus, while we appreciate that some ministers have recently expressed apologies for the errors and shortcomings in their governance, their unwarranted arrogance still rankles in the minds of the people.

Humility, care, and empathy among politicians obviously should not be mere lip service, particularly by those who do not have the people’s mandate.  

So, what does it take to care for the ordinary Malaysians? All the above considered, and more? – August 17, 2021.