YOURSAY | ‘Seek professional advice and be bold in implementing solutions.’

Not just ringgit - PM says Japan, Asean currencies also sliding

OCT: There is no need to tell the rakyat that since the Japanese Yen and Chinese Yuan have taken a slide, our ringgit should also. They can afford it but not Malaysia.

The ringgit has been sliding for the past year, so don't talk rubbish.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also mentioned investments coming in but he didn't mention companies that had relocated. What is our net profit?

Other negative factors are the daily 2R issues that threaten the Constitution.

Also, there is rampant corruption and poor productivity from the civil servants. The huge pension payment is almost 50 percent of the budget expenses.

The overnight policy rate (OPR) is too low compared to other countries.

Thus, investors and the super-rich are going to countries that offer higher rates. Don't give the rakyat fancy news that doesn't arrest ringgit’s slide. It is meaningless.

The rakyat is at the mercy of the central bank governor and the unity government. Neither can do a good job. God bless Malaysia.

Don't blame other countries. Admit that both of you don't know the root cause else there is a solution. Sweet talk is not the right solution. Buck up or ship out Anwar.

Gulengtu: Like Anwar’s previous dialogue session, he is not equipped to respond to the economic affairs of the country.

To cite countries like Japan and China whose currency also fell is no consolation because their respective economies, like Malaysia, are also not doing well.

He should be telling us what strategic plans he has put in place for the country to ride through this turbulent first half of the year.

Don’t spend time organising congresses to address bumiputera interests, as the cake is getting smaller each month.

HOYOHOYO: Hello Mr Madani, we are inside an old taxi with a talkative and distracted driver without directions.

Rampant inflation, high debts, terms of trade and declining demand for the ringgit are signals of worsening economic fundamentals.

An economic czar with a team of experts, academics, global bankers and CEOs can safely steer the taxi.

From the taxi’s backseat, you can downsize the bloated civil service burdening the taxpayers. Reform the abysmal education system.

Limit the age and terms for future prime ministers and we need proper delineation of the rural and urban constituencies.

Stop Islamic extremists with the support of the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.

Your political muscle with a two-thirds parliamentary majority will restore market confidence to stop the ringgit’s depreciation.

Waze can help you with clear directions. Use it before the old taxi falls off a cliff. Boleh?

IndigoTrout2522: How does the ringgit compare to other currencies over the past one year, two years, five years or ten years?

Is the slide experienced by the ringgit primarily due to external factors or to mismanagement of the local economy, governance or politics?

Anwar should be trying to solve this problem instead of just spinning.

Honestly, the government really has nothing much to show on the economy, good governance and institutional reforms, among others, since the election.

LETDOWN 2018: A good leader will just manage his country to succeed.

He does not compare other countries' misfortunes to justify his ineptness and underperformance.

Enough of frivolous excuses. If one is not capable and able to perform, just resign, as has been suggested by oneself as the opposition leader.

If not given a chance to younger leaders, it will not be known if the younger ones are indeed better instead of being tied down.

Hmmmmmmmm: Slip, sliding away, slip, sliding away. The nearer to your destination, the more you slide away...

Anwar, are you admitting now that Singapore leaders are much better than ours?

By the way, China has the habit of purposely depreciating the yuan to increase their exports.

Yes, everybody's currency has depreciated, but ours is the worst-performing in this region.

I travel quite a bit and I have noticed that I get less every time I need to change currencies.

Please do something about this. Seek professional advice and don't be afraid to implement the solutions. Be a leader.

Mazhilamani: As somebody pointed out, let us not, in strongly holding on to our principles and beliefs, go on an offensive on countries that are linked to our major trading partners.

That could have negative effects on our economy and currency. Maybe that is what is already happening.

The government must be concerned about such matters, though the opposition may not, but what have they to lose? Nothing! They just don't care.

The meaningless demonstrations and boycotts may also have contributed to the currency decline.

I am not claiming we should ignore what is happening in other countries, but register our disapproval through diplomatic means, by countries that are friendly to the aggressor.

PurpleTrout9000: Increasing the OPR will have an immediate impact on loans and will affect the B40 and M40 adversely.

The prime minister is right. Please don't increase OPR. Our exports are boosted by the weakening ringgit.

For imports, we can find alternatives and sources from other countries whose currencies have weakened as well.

Not all is gloom and doom because of the weakening currency. Most currencies are weakening because of the US’ high-interest rates and not country-specific issues.

I applaud the government for not raising the OPR with careful thought for the B40 and M40.

Jaycee: The analogy is like when a child brings home a report card to show a failing grade on a subject.

When asked why the poor result, the child said that it was a difficult test and half the students in the class failed.

As a parent, are you supposed to accept the reasoning?

Or would you ask why half the students in the class passed? To excel, wouldn’t you want to benchmark against the best?

Just a Malaysian: The ringgit’s weakness is inevitable.

Years of abuse, race and religion-based policies have weakened Malaysia to the extent that both internal and external investors and laypeople have no confidence in ringgit.

I would say you deserve it for all for our collective narrow-mindedness, bigotry and pure stupidity.

Prime minister, please continue down this path to please the right wings and Islamists.

You are doing a great job sliding the country into destruction. May the mayhem begin.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.