Solution to Malaysia's daily problems? No elections - Nazri
TASNIM LOKMAN , HANI SHAMIRA SHAHRUDIN , SITI NURFATIHAH PIRDAUS
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians are under a lot of stress at the moment.
Traffic congestion seems to be a 24-hour issue while its alternative public transportation is equally congested and unreliable.
Even worse, the food and goods prices have been soaring at an all-time high and unemployment rate has not improved.
What can the government do to cushion this plight faced by Malaysians? According to Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz: “We should not do a General Election (GE)”.
Vehemently against the polls, the six-term Padang Rengas MP says that it was suicidal to do so during a price hike.
He even joked saying Barisan Nasional’s abbreviation is “BN” for Barang Naik - which surely would be used against them during the campaign period.
He said BN was in government now and in the position to help the people, fight inflation and overcome all the problems thus if they were to ask for an election, people would say that they were stupid.
“You have the power, (and) you call (for) GE - what does it mean? It means you have no confidence that you can overcome the problem.
“You are already in power to do everything.
“I was a member of the Cabinet those days when we faced inflation but we faced the problem by the horns.
“We are expected to do that because we are in government. The bark stops at us,” he told Sinar Daily in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
Nazri cited issue such as the chicken supply where the decision to abolish Approved Permits (AP) was the right move as it had been causing price controls.
Further endorsing Prime Minister, he said Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s policies had always been pro-rakyat and would not only help the people but benefit the Umno as well.
“That’s why I cannot understand why people within the party where Prime Minister is a member of is asking for GE.
“What do you want GE for? Power.
“If you ask for GE, that means we are not confident and the people will say if you are in power and you do not use your power to help the people thus come election we will not help you,” he said.
Nazri described Ismail Sabri, who he considers a successor of his generation, as a pleasant man and comes from a poor family, a son of a settler.
“When he talks about the needs of the common people, he means it because he went through it.
“Unlike some of us, when I talk about kesusahan rakyat (people’s hardship)- who would believe it.
“They would say Datuk Nazri has lots of money and is rich, and I don’t pretend to know also but when Ismail Sabri says something about how difficult it is, the life of the people now, he meant it because he went through it.
“There’s a lot of sincerity from him,” he said.
Nazri called out those who had been spreading attacks about his clothing choices, cars and even family members, labelling them as “jealous”.
Admitting that these people were coming from Umno itself, he said they were jealous that the new next generation’s prime minister has already been determined and that their chance was out the window.
“My generation is over, it’s time for the next generation and me, as a veteran, we must facilitate and support it.
“But right now, those who are older than me still want to be the prime minister,” he jokes.
