Take the bull by the horns and save the country, Hamzah tells PM on declining ringgit

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim should "take the bull by the horns" and take measures to address the ringgit's decline, says Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin has told Prime Minister

The Opposition also accused Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, of not fulfilling his election pledges.

"And now the Prime Minister says not to politicise the ringgit's performance.

"When it comes back to you, you push the issue for the Bank Negara Governor to answer.

"You are the Prime Minister and Finance Minister. Take the bull by the horns and be responsible," he said when debating the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Feb 27).

Hamzah also questioned why a special task force had yet to be formed nor a contingency plan announced to tackle the matter.

"Find a way out. Save the country," said Hamzah.

He said the victims of the ringgit's decline were the economy and the people.

"The cost of imported items, especially food, will go up but what is the government doing?" he asked.

The ringgit was trading at 4.76 against the US Dollar at closing time on Tuesday (Feb 27), near its lowest of 4.88 in January 1998 during the height of the Asian financial crisis.