KUALA LUMPUR: Despite recent economic figures indicating positive growth, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin questioned whether this truly reflected in the lives of regular Malaysians.
According to Hamzah, regular Malaysians are grappling with the rising cost of living, where many whom he spoke to had told him that their salaries are barely enough to last till the end of the month.
Hamzah, in citing reports, said because of inadequate salaries, many Malaysians have now resorted to second jobs such as e-hailing drivers.
“This shows that the people are in a desperate situation, as though they are in a survival mode just to make sure that their kitchens don’t go empty,” the Larut MP said when debating the Royal Address in Parliament on Tuesday (Jan 20)
Hamzah noted that unemployment figures stood at 3.1%, but said the reality is that nearly two million Malaysians are currently underemployed.
“The work does not commensurate with their qualifications and their salaries aren't enough to live a dignified life.
“This was recently raised by a local professor who is also a respected economics thinker,” said Hamzah.
Hamzah then recalled a recent visit to a village in Sembulan, Sabah, where he saw locals in impoverished living conditions.
“Their living conditions were heartbreaking. So please, go down and see for yourself, how hard life is for the people.
“This is what we raised before, and today, I will raise it again. If you don’t listen to the people, the people will decide when the time comes,” he said.
At the same time, Hamzah said figures from Bursa Malaysia showed that foreign investment amounted to RM22.32bil last year.
“This is a figure that is comparable to pandemic levels,” he added.
On Tuesday (Jan 20), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that total trade surpassed RM3 trillion for the first time last year.
Anwar also said Malaysia recorded a 4.9% GDP growth last year, surpassing official projections of between 4.0% to 4.8%
