MALAYSIANS are starving because they have lost their jobs because of the Covid-19 pandemic but Perikatan Nasional still has yet to find a sustainable solution, said Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

The former prime minister said the PN government should address this issue immediately as people are already feeling the pinch and some have even committed suicide from stress. 

“I look forward to a specific action to address the Covid-19 problem and also the economic downturn, but there are not many ideas to address this problem, especially the impact of Covid-19 on the economy.

“There is no plan or advice from the government. How can the people cope with the pressure caused by Covid-19? There are people who are currently starving because their income has been completely lost,” Dr Mahathir told The Malaysian Insight yesterday. 

He cites the example of a manager who rammed into his workplace in Ipoh before his death. The manager recorded a video prior claiming he was wrongfully terminated because of cost-cutting measures. 

“Not only this person (who is depressed), there are a lot more people who are under stress. 

“Efforts must be made to mitigate the impact of this economic downturn, especially to help those who are currently unemployed. They used to earn enough but now they can’t.”

The Langkawi MP said although the government announced some assistance via programmes like Prihatin and Laksana, there are still many who are falling through the cracks. 

“There are still many who do not benefit from the government’s recent announcements,” Dr Mahathir said. 

Dr Mahathir’s observations about those in hunger stem from reports of protests by residents in Lahad Datu, Sabah, who objected to the extension of restrictions on movement, most of whom were reportedly working on daily wages.

The latest data released by the department of statistics this week shows that the unemployment rate dropped to 4.6% with 737,500 unemployed.

However, the figure is still high compared with the situation pre-pandemic in January, which was only at 3.2% or 511,700. 

Time-related and skill-related underemployment numbers also went up in September, as people were no longer working full time or get jobs in tandem with their qualifications. 

According to Dr Mahathir, despite the physical restrictions, the government can boost the economy by venturing into creating online platforms for business and work.

“We used to go to the store to buy goods, now we do not have to go to the store. We buy goods through the online market. We can sell also through the same way. This however is not being exploited adequately.” 

People for people

Dr Mahathir agrees with taglines trending on social media like “Kita jaga kita” and “Rakyat jaga rakyat” as reflecting the frustration and anger against the government’s inaction during the pandemic. 

“This is the reflection of the feelings of the people towards the administration, especially which involves politicians, too. The government is the one who makes the policies and the government is the one who implements them.” 

The Pejuang chairman added that people are increasingly frustrated with the government as it has not delivered on the promises, especially during the pandemic. 

“Therefore, they think it is better for them to take care of themselves than to rely on a government that seems to have no idea at all to solve the people’s problems.”

When asked what he would do if he was still prime minister, the 95-year-old said he will set up a council of experts from both the government and the private sector to advise him on the actions to be taken in the pandemic.

“I do not know everything, everything. At this point, we need to consult. We need to invite experts to advise us on how we can solve the problem.

“I am sure they can come up with ideas that we have not thought of. We can also use not only government officials but those outside the government who are known for their expertise.” – November 12, 2020.