International Trade and Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed today claimed that the post-13th general election rallies nationwide may cause an impact on the country’s investment climate.

"We have to move on. From the government’s point of view, businesses have to function as usual," he said during his opening speech in a dialogue with 11 business chambers and national associations.

NONE "Unfortunately, what happened in a couple of weeks were all the actions taken by (PKR de facto leader) Anwar Ibrahim to challenge the institution and police to fault the law. (Due to his actions,) I know there is an impact on the business climate," he said.

"This will give a little impact on the investment climate (particularly), and this is no good to the country," he added.

The Jeli parliamentarian urged the business groups to help deliver the government's message - to accept the election verdict and move on with life - to their members, who number in thousands.

"You are the business community leaders, you have to play a role in ensuring that they (the people) go back to their senses," he said, and stressed that the public should also be accepting the polls verdict.

When asked for the relevant investment statistics pertaining to the rallies, Mustapa admitted that what he was saying was merely a "general remark".

He, however, claimed there were investors who had complained that Malaysia had been embedded in an “election mood” for the past two years, and that they might withhold their investments if things kept on for another two years.

    

Besides the rallies, Mustapa pointed out another pressing matter that needed to be settled promptly - which was the political divide between the Malay and Chinese communities. On this issue, he noted that the business groups should be encouraging their members to “move on” as well.

'1Malaysia concept still relevant'

    

He said, what happened recently had cast doubt on the 1Malaysia concept by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, but that it is still "relevant".

NONE “Although the Election Commission (EC) had their weakness in running the election, but this doesn't mean that we can set aside the verdict. BN, in the end, still remains in power.”

Mustapa ( right ) also criticised Pakatan's proposal of a "one-man, one-vote, one-value" principle, as this will make the voices and number of representatives from Sabah, Sarawak and rural areas, smaller.

"I'm sure that the number of representatives from Sabah and Sarawak will be reduced into half," he alleged, adding that the two states had chosen to become part of Malaysia for their voices to be heard reasonably.

Not only do the urbanites want to survive, but so do the people living in the two states and the rural folk as well, he said, further urging Pakatan to respect the people and give them a chance to "survive".

Mustapa later stressed to the business representatives once more to "move on" with their lives and work, as the national polls have passed and BN has remained in power.