DESPITE recent economic figures indicating positive growth, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin questioned whether they truly translated into improvements in the lives of ordinary Malaysians.
He claimed that many are struggling with the rising cost of living, with salaries barely able to last the entire month.
“This shows that people are in a desperate situation, as if they are in survival mode just to ensure their kitchens don’t go empty,” said the Larut MP while debating the royal address.
Hamzah also noted that while the official unemployment rate stands at 3.1%, he claimed that in reality, nearly two million Malaysians are currently underemployed.
“Their work is not commensurate with their qualifications, and their salaries are not enough to support a dignified life.
“This was recently highlighted by a local professor who is also a respected economist,” he said.
Hamzah recounted his recent visit to a village in Sembulan, Sabah, where many of the residents were living in impoverished conditions.
“Their living conditions were heartbreaking. Please, go to the ground and see for yourself how difficult life is for the people,” he added.
Hamzah said the Opposition had been consistent in raising these issues.
“If you don’t listen to the people, the people will decide when the time comes,” he said.
He also drew attention to the RM22.32bil foreign investment figure provided by Bursa Malaysia, which he said was comparable during the pandemic period.
“Foreign investors don’t make emotional decisions. They conduct studies, they evaluate policy consistency, clarity and also economic stability in the long term,” he said.
“It is bitter when foreign investors leave on a large scale.”
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that total trade surpassed RM3 trillion for the first time last year.
He also said Malaysia recorded a 4.9% GDP growth last year, surpassing official projections of 4% to 4.8%.
