Meeting the people: Ismail Sabri posing with Barisan supporters at the Mengkarak Town Hall meeting yesterday. — Bernama
BERA: Do not be influenced by elections survey, findings and predictions as they serve as propaganda for certain parties, says the caretaker Prime Minister.
Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the findings could also be psychological warfare by Opposition parties to attract voters, especially fence-sitters, to support them.
“The outcome of the findings depends on the party that appoints the company doing the survey. If it is party A that engages company B, then the report will indicate that party A is getting more support.
“That is why we should not be influenced by the findings,” he said after attending a programme in Mengkarak, Bera yesterday.
The Prime Minister was asked about several reports by independent bodies predicting public acceptance towards political parties contesting in GE15, claiming Barisan Nasional was lagging in securing parliamentary seats.
He also noted that sentiments of the young towards Barisan had improved.
“This is what I have been informed, not just in Bera but also in other areas. To reach out to the young people, Barisan needs to fully utilise social media platforms because that is where the young ones are,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, who acknowledged that his last Cabinet was large, has assured to form a lean one if he gets the mandate in the general election.
“I must admit that the Cabinet was big, but for sure, I intend to lead a lean Cabinet, comprising individuals with different backgrounds, experience and expertise, and not just politicians.
“I want to create an administrative team that is strong, capable, visionary, knowledgeable and creative,” he said in an interview aired over major television stations on Tuesday night.
There were 32 Cabinet members (including the Prime Minister) along with 38 deputy ministers when Ismail Sabri took over the helm of the federal administration in August last year.
He said creating a conducive climate for investors and outlining workable strategies to overcome a possible slow economy were also on the cards.
Cutting red tape would be one area that needed to be further improved, he said, citing that having to go through various agencies and applications could hamper foreign investors’ interest in Malaysia.
The Prime Minister also intends to relook Malaysia’s foreign policies so that the country’s presence is once again felt and its voice heard on global platforms.
Acknowledging that this had not been the case lately, changes need to be made so that Malaysia could once again stand out internationally.
“We want to return to the days when our views on the world were sought after.
“We need to be seen as more involved and our presence better felt in championing major issues,” he added.
Ismail Sabri said political stability would remain his core focus if he gets the mandate to lead Malaysia for the next five years, pointing out that prosperity and economic growth could only happen with political stability.
“Because of political stability, we have managed to bring economic recovery post-Covid-19 pandemic, and this can be seen with the latest report on the Gross Domestic Product growth of 14.2% in the third quarter of the year,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said that if Barisan were to win GE15, the coalition would invite Gabungan Parti Sarawak and Gabungan Rakyat Sabah to form the Federal Government.
“We must have representation from Sabah and Sarawak in the government, that’s for sure. We must include them because their voices are important,” he added.
On claims that there were groups which did not benefit from the government’s initiatives, the Prime Minister said no one was left behind in the programmes that had been rolled out.
“The subsidies that were given, all RM77.7bil of it, were enjoyed by the people, even those in the M40 and T20 income bracket.
“The subsidies such as RM37.3bil for petrol, diesel and LPG, the RM1.1bil for chicken and eggs, and RM5.8bil for electricity subsidy were in bulk to ensure that everyone enjoyed the benefits,” he explained.
