An Umno Youth leader has cast aspersion on Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng's claim that the nation's economy is doing well.

If this is the case, Shahril Hamdan questioned the need for the federal government to establish the Economic Action Council (EAC).

“Is it a tacit admission that things on the ground are bad?” the Umno Youth deputy chief asked.

Regardless of the economic situation, Shahril queried the rationale of setting up a special body.

“Isn't it the everyday job of the administration and cabinet, especially key ministries like the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to improve the economy anyway?” he told Malaysiakini.

Shahril also reiterated Umno Youth chief Asyraf Wajdi's poser at a press conference earlier today on why Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is not part of the council.

“Is it a tacit admission that the cabinet isn't functioning as it should be? Don't we have National University of Singapore and Cambridge graduates in the cabinet?” he added.

Previously, questions were also raised on PKR president Anwar Ibrahim's exclusion from the council given that he was a former finance minister and the designated successor to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Yesterday, Mahathir defended the need for the council, saying that even if the cabinet consisted of brilliant minds, it could still be susceptible to mistakes.

The premier was responding to veteran newsman A Kadir Jasin who claimed that the council's formation showed Mahathir's lack of confidence in his ministers.

Kadir is also Mahathir's advisor on media and communication matters.

Apart from the finance minister, others on the council headed by the prime minister are Azmin Ali (Economic Affairs Minister), Darell Leiking (International Trade and Industry Minister), Baru Bian (Works Minister), Muhammed Abdul Khalid (Economic adviser to the prime minister), Jomo Kwame Sundaram (Council of Eminent Persons member), Tay Ah Lek (Public Bank managing director), Hasnita Hashim (Mara chairperson), Shireen Ann Zaharah Muhiudeen (Bursa Malaysia chairperson), Mohd Munir Abdul Majid (Asean Business Advisory Council Malaysia chairperson), Paul Selvaraj (Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations CEO), Bah Tony @ Amani William Hunt Abdullah (Lawyer), Nizam Mahshar (Institut Masa trustee), Rafidah Aziz (Former international trade and industry minister and Zeti Aktar Aziz (Former Bank Negara chairperson).