LETTER | I have many things to remind the Pakatan Harapan government. Many Harapan supporters will probably accuse me of being impatient. However, I am feeling uneasy rather than impatient.

First, all the lions of Harapan have gone silent, for whatever reason. Issues which usually would have caused strong reactions from them, no longer stir them. It is as if no one is fighting for a multiracial and multicultural Malaysia anymore. Even the opposition led by Umno and Pas is essentially Malay-Islamic centric.

It is not like new Chinese primary schools were being approved every day in the past. It took us a general election campaign to get 10 new schools approved by the previous government. Hence, I find it too "convenient" that the new minister of education has suspended the project pending review. He has to give us the time frame of this review.

The same goes for the recognition of the UEC qualification. By all means, go ahead with another "holistic study" but please spare us the charades. Please tell us what "other factors" are being considered by the Ministry of Education and what the time frame for this review is.

What is the impact of zero GST? Were we supposed to get at least a six percent reduction in prices of goods and services that had previously been levied with GST? If not, why not? So far, the abolition of the GST has had a very minimal effect on prices. The government will be reintroducing the SST in the near future. I hope the government is prepared to face the music from another round of price increase when the SST comes into effect.

Why do we need Suhakam and certain NGOs to remind the federal government of the evils of child marriage? Why is the government so afraid to do something right? We complained about the lack of federal power at one time. Now what? Are the power and jurisdiction of the federal government subject to the sanctions and decrees of some religious organisations?

We need cogent and serious consideration in appointing the Dewan Rakyat Speaker. We do not need another "don’t challenge me" speaker like the one before. Neither do we need a speaker who only knows how to run errands or is beholden to someone. We need a speaker who has the tenacity to uphold the legislature against the onslaught of the executive branch.

I am glad the PM has taken notice of the “clandestine” appointment of politicians’ friends and supporters to government positions without proper justification. I think the restriction should not be confined to federal ministers. Has anyone read the proposal by state MBs and CMs to appoint special advisers and officers to appease party supporters? At the rate Harapan is going, we may attain reach 17,000 political appointees faster than BN did.

If we have a good reason not to deport Zakir Naik, we must have an even better reason for second-guessing India’s motive in seeking his extradition. If that is the case, India, too, must have guessed Malaysia’s motive not to acquiesce to her request.