I was indeed pleased when the prime minister requested Bank Negara to consult all concerned stakeholders on the changes proposed to be made to motor insurance coverage.  

And I understand that Bank Negara has initiated meetings with consumer associations and other relevant bodies on the same and have invited feedback from them.  Bank Negara has also requested feedback from the public.   

All these feedback were to have been given by May 14. I have given my feedback and I believe so  have many others.

To my utter dismay, I then read in the media that the new motor policy scheme proposed by Bank Negara will replace the existing third-party motor insurance policy and this will be implemented by early next year.  

The report stated that a Finance Ministry source said the government would have to subsidise the new scheme.

It appears that while Bank Negara has, following the prime minister’s personal intervention, taken the step of seeking public feedback including from the relevant stakeholders, yet even before the feedback is considered and deliberated, the Ministry of Finance is saying that the new scheme will be implemented early next year.

Have I and many others wasted our time in giving our feedback? Was the request for feedback just a sham? Was it all along the intention to implement the new scheme regardless of public feedback?

An immediate clarification on this issue is needed.  Otherwise, it looks like the prime minister would have to intervene again so that the views of the rakyat are given due consideration.