YOURSAY | 'He will encounter resistance from cartels, monopolies, middlemen and corrupt officials'

Anwar's 100 days: Analysts laud tax move, addressing inequality

Despite mixed feelings, many still rooting for Anwar’s govt

Justice: On the ground, many Malaysians are not aware or do not understand what policy, legislative or institutional reforms or changes and improvements are supposed to be implemented by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

The main reason is that the Communications and Digital Ministry have not been creative, thus not effective in disseminating the information.

Unlike Astro Awani, TV channels like TV1, TV2 and TV3 are not watched very much by Malaysians. Regional TV like TVS in Sarawak is much watched by Sarawakians especially in rural areas and kampungs, mostly by those over 50 years old.

So, the Communications and Digital Ministry must review the effectiveness of its information service.

Secondly, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security must ensure that budget allocations for subsidies and assistance to farmers, poultry breeders and fishermen truly reach and benefit them, not the middle persons who colluded with corrupt officials and siphoned off, diverted and pocketed the budget allocations.

And the ministry must break up manipulations by middlemen and cartels of the markets who control the price of farm produce which had exploited and oppressed farmers by paying them cheap prices for their produce. They resell the same produce at a higher cost to consumers.

The role and effectiveness of the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) must be revamped or reviewed to make it relevant and more effective in assisting farmers in marketing their produce, to obtain a good fair price for their produce.

The control of the cartels and corporations which had monopolies of essential food items and services must be broken as well.

Open tender for projects including minor rural projects and projects under constituency funds of elected representatives should be mandatory.

Implementation of those projects must be closely monitored to ensure that they are implemented according to their approved costs and specifications.

Malaysia generates sufficient income annually for its development needs but suffered from huge and many leakages in billions of ringgit through corruption in the process of implementation of its development programmes and projects.

Anwar has a good sincere intention to overhaul and reform our system and institutions and he needs our support and patience to succeed.

To change or reform the establishment will inevitably encounter resistance from the cartels, monopolies, middle persons and corrupt officials who would try by hook or by crook to defend and protect their vested interests including sponsoring or financing Anwar's political enemies politically.

Apanama is back: Nothing is great about 100 days of Anwar's administration. I will wait at least 12 to 18 months to see the impact of all his policies, actions and budget implementation.

Meanwhile, we need to push him and his cabinet to buck up.

Hundred days is nothing. Maybe chest-thumping will be there among his supporters, hardcore supporters or Anwaristas but these are just 'syiok sendiri syndrome.'

The real tangible economic impact is not yet felt on the ground. The cost of living is still stubbornly high. B60 is still struggling.

Frans Rozario: I'll give him an A++. Anwar's 100 days are full of manoeuvring, mainly because of the type of politics our politicians play.

Their desperation is already showing, they are trying to oust him so all their corrupt deeds will not surface.

This is from the likes of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his son Mukhriz, former PM Muhyiddin Yassin, MCA, especially its president Wee Ka Siong, and the rest of the BN.

The name of the game is "look after us and we'll give you some peace, stamp on our feet by trying to expose us and we'll give you hell"; considering the trouble makers he is doing exceptionally well.

Most certainly this taxation move, although I am on the receiving end, and it is good, we need to strengthen our economy, his stand on the Employees Provident Fund withdrawal is commendable, to say the least.

Darmakochi: I agree. Within 100 days he is doing very well. It is very difficult to disentangle the political mess and corruption that started after Hussein Onn who left a good government and generally people were satisfied and started hoping for better times.

After that, corruption set in slowly and gained momentum with each change of government because the culprits started creating millionaires and billionaires including themselves using the New Economic Policy.

The present PM is having a very tough time charting the new course for our nation. We must give him our full support to prevent all the previous vultures from undermining his efforts.

Undecided: “100 days is too short a time to make any meaningful assessment of the performance of the prime minister.

"Nevertheless, my view is that Anwar has been giving the right signals and is setting the right direction,” said Consumers Association of Penang honorary secretary Meena Raman.

I believe many of us can agree with this statement. The key to the success of the unity government is the patience and timing of those race-sensitive reforms that may give the opposition the ammunition to bring down the unity government by using race and/or religion.

More race-blind initiatives like Menu Rahmah are needed as ordinary people can judge for themselves whether they are helpful and cannot be politically sabotaged easily.

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