Sunday July 6, 2008

Groups: Stop the bickering

By LOONG MENG YEE, MANJIT KAUR, FLORENCE A.SAMY, NURBAITI HAMDAN and SALINEE GANESON

Ramon: ‘People expect quality leadership

PETALING JAYA: Stop bickering and get cracking! This is the overwhelming call by Malaysians who are getting increasingly concerned with latest developments in the country.

Various groups have expressed frustration, what with all the unfolding political drama, and have demanded that the Government and the Opposition put public interest above everything else.

Transparency International president Tan Sri Ramon V. Navaratnam said the country risked facing “stagflation” (inflation and stagnant growth) if the current situation was not resolved.

Syed Shahir: ‘Focus on helping low-wage workers’

“There is too much politicking and too little performance. People expect quality leadership from elected leaders but instead are being served with a great deal of polarisation and there is a poverty of ideas,” he said.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud lent his support to the calls, saying low-wage workers were facing the onslaught of rising costs.

Efforts must be focused on helping this group overcome their plight, he added.

Noor Nirwandy: ‘The country should move forward’

Fomca secretary-general Muhammad Sha’ani Abdullah said the public were entitled to speak up against the political bickering that was getting out of hand.

“Let the police and enforcement authorities investigate the allegations,” he added.

National Evangelical Christian Fellowship Malaysia secretary-general Rev Wong Kim Kong called for clear-thinking and dynamic leadership.

“The latest political development where leaders accuse one another of immoral conduct certainly does not boost public confidence and it gives Malaysia a bad international image,” he said.

Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia project director Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin said the people had chosen their leaders and the country should move forward.

» Leaders accusing each other of immoral conduct certainly does not boost public confidence « REV WONG KIM KONG

Even the disabled have been troubled by the latest events, to the point that they are feeling even more neglected with too much focus on the political twist of events.

“Nobody is bothered about our suffering,” charged Disabled Persons’ Integrated Family Services chairman Chris S. Kali Thasan about the political power play gripping the nation.