Daim promises justice for everybody

I refer to, Daim Zainuddin's exclusive interview with Bernama yesterday, when he announced, as chairperson of the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP), that in economic and financial management, the government should "ensure justice for everybody". 

This is indeed a welcome breakthrough in the new government's economic policies. Interestingly this was indeed the original philosophy stated in the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1970.

Unfortunately, this fair and reasonable thinking got distorted and derailed later due to abuse and cronyism.

Then income inequality set in and seeped right through the whole economic and financial system.

This unhealthy trend was then aggravated by corruption, expenditure wastage, inefficiencies and the politicisation of finance and economic management, as we now see from the red files revealed by the Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The NEP aimed to eradicate poverty regardless of race, but it also created many wealthy politically aligned business cronies and widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

Although the NEP in all fairness, did reduce overall poverty substantially, its poor implementation left too many Malaysians of all races, in financial straits, that made it exceedingly difficult for them to make ends meet and put food on the table.

The NEP itself provided more protection in trade and industry and caused less competition and more and higher inflation and wider corruption.

Hence income disparities worsened and the people and voters showed their resentment and rejection at the polls at GE14.

Economic breakthrough at last

Daim and the venerable CEP have now finally made a breakthrough in economic and financial management. They must be highly commended for addressing the punitive problem of income inequality, regardless of race and religion.

We have to now move more strongly towards income based economic and financial policies - and phase out of race-based economic policies. The poor of all races and religions must be shown the same compassion and care according to justice and our religious and moral values. All the poor Malaysians in the peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak, must be helped as a matter of priority now, as Malaysians first.

In fact, this ketuanan and race-based policies were seen by most Malaysians, to be un-compassionate, unfair, and un-Malaysian by all true Malaysians for a long time over about 50 years. That is why the Pakatan Harapan won so dramatically and deservedly just one month ago.

As Daim rightly stressed - "once you address inequalities, everybody will be happy".

Yes Daim and the CEP, we are mostly happy already by your breakthrough in introducing new policies and new planning in the new government. We hope the pace of change gathers more momentum, but in cautious and prudent ways.

We all hope that Daim and the CEP will carry on with their fresh thinking and planning and better implementation, so that the new Malaysia will continue to move forward for the benefit of all Malaysians and especially the less fortunate.

Like many, I also hope that the CEP will continue to serve us all Malaysians, as a national advisory and monitoring council - even after the first 100 days.

All we want is for the government, as Daim says, "to be fair to everybody and to take care of their welfare", in the new Malaysia under zaman baru.

Selamat Hari Raya, maaf zahir batin to all Malaysians!

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RAMON NAVARATNAM is chairperson of Asli Center for Public Policy Studies. - Mkini

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