The saying that “politics makes strange bedfellows” was plain to see in Malaysia following the country's 15th General Election on Nov 19, 2022. People were flabbergasted to see politicians of widely disparate parties getting together in a ruling coalition. Time will tell how this potpourri pack works out. Perhaps this unity government can usher in a new political era. A more diverse Cabinet would have been good, but I guess tough choices had to be made.
Congratulations to the new ministers. I hope we’ll see professionalism, not political patronage or privileges from you. And do excuse me if I don’t address you as “YB” (yang berhomat, or the honourable), I’d rather skip the honorifics. Honour has to be earned. Remember, the public gave you this mandate. You work for us.
I have some words for a few ministers.
Firstly, to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim: you have a gargantuan task ahead. You’ve wanted this job for so long, now show us what you can do.
You’ve been criticised for bagging the finance post – that’s not good for checks and balances. Look at the precedent set by former premier turned prisoner Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Perhaps you made this decision to resolve a tussle over this prime post, which holds the purse strings. I just hope it’s temporary.
Glad to hear you’re looking at the rising cost of living and subsidies that can help the poor. But fuel subsidies benefit the rich more while sugar subsidies are crazy with such high obesity and diabetes rates in Malaysia.
Consider the big picture, of alarming poverty levels and low wages. Household incomes need to grow faster than the cost of living. Last year, a quarter of a million hardcore poor households earned less than RM1,169 a month. They are struggling. The poor are getting poorer, while the rich get richer. Inequality is growing.
I’m relieved the words “climate change” are back in the title of a ministry after it was dropped two years ago. Now we have a Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister: Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.
Thank God you’ve shown an interest in climate issues, because there is a staggering amount of catching up to do, far more than most ministries. Floods, water crises, heatwaves, logging, air pollution, wildlife loss – so many issues.
The most challenging, though, is energy reform, which is urgently needed and extraordinarily complex. In the last two years, industry reform has been shelved and prior work dropped. Previous ministers seemed either uninterested or lacked understanding of this issue.
Malaysia has made little progress in lowering emissions of global-warming carbon. The energy sector is stuck on fossil fuels and we’re bound by deals that favour independent power producers. Solar power makes up less than 1% of our energy mix, despite all the sunlight we enjoy. We have too many power plants (they’re cash cows for the operators) producing way too much power – our excess power (or reserve margin) is 48%. That costs an insane RM1.2bil a year! We’re also barely working on energy efficiency. This has to change. The clock is ticking to cap global warming.
Other ministers, including two female newbies, also face considerable challenges. Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa: you face crises related to the public healthcare workforce, chronic diseases and Covid-19 (don’t assume it’s over yet!). You’ll have to go beyond the health ministry to resolve them. For example, the nursing shortage will involve higher education.
And far more needs to be done in health prevention – good health doesn’t begin in the hospital but in nutritious diets, anti-smoking measures, and so on. Think multisectoralism. The pandemic showed how much health cuts across sectors. I’m glad to hear that you’re open to consulting your predecessor – he did a good job.
Fadhlina Sidek, your post of Education Minister has always been important, and one that matters deeply to people. There’s a lot to do, beginning with finding out why parents have lost faith in national schools. And why one in five children doesn’t complete secondary school.
Please do tread carefully when bringing in new policies, especially if they are wide-ranging. Our country is diverse and complex, and so are the issues.
In Sabah and Sarawak, there are hundreds of dilapidated schools, some even unsafe. For some Orang Asli, access to schools is an issue. And for some poor children, school meals can prevent them dropping out.
To Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, you have to show that this government cares for women and children. The country’s welfare department needs to be reformed, and we need far stronger social services. Remember Richard Huckle? We need to protect our children!
Hannah Yeoh, we miss having you in this ministry, but I know you’ll do well as Youth and Sports Minister. Don’t dismiss how important this job is. Getting children off their phones and into sports will have a huge impact on their health and social lives, and can prevent social problems. Iceland invested heavily in sports clubs for youth and today, it has the cleanest teens in Europe. Sports matters.
Good luck to all ministers. We’ll be watching your first 100 days!
Human Writes columnist Mangai Balasegaram writes mostly on health but also delves into anything on being human. She has worked with international public health bodies and has a Masters in public health. Write to her at lifestyle@thestar.com.my. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.
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