Hisham: Harapan's problems more than just poor communication
Poor communication skills is not the only problem Pakatan Harapan ministers are facing, Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein said today.
"No, not just communication (skills), it is also about their policies. They have to give some certainty, credibility and they have to make their position clear," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today...
UPDATED 6.55PM | Ex-minister says gov't needs to provide certainty and clarity on its policies.
Poor communication skills is not the only problem Pakatan Harapan ministers are facing, Sembrong MP Hishammuddin Hussein said today.
"No, not just communication (skills), it is also about their policies. They have to give some certainty, credibility and they have to make their position clear," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.
"Take the Defence Ministry for an example. One of their announcements just involved repackaging policies that we already had, and it took 10 months (to implement). There is nothing new for the military," he said.
"Look at the International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima). What was actually signed (at the event)? What is the future for the industry? There is nothing new that I saw," said the former defence minister.
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Hishammuddin was responding to the prime minister’s adviser Daim Zainuddin, who said in a recent interview with The Star that the public was unhappy with Harapan, as its ministers had not done enough to explain the new government's policies.
Daim said that there has been a "failure of communication," and that Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad is often relied upon to explain the government's policies.
Commenting further, Hishammuddin said that Harapan ministers often make contradictory remarks, which leaves the people confused.
This, he added, could also lead to foreign investors thinking twice before investing in the country.
The former Umno vice-president identified internal infighting as another of Harapan’s alleged weaknesses that it needs to address.
Without naming names, he said some Harapan members had called Mahathir a "dictator."
In this matter, he believed BN lawmakers would back Mahathir against any attempt to topple the prime minister.
'Not enough' facts
Meanwhile, BN Padang Terap MP Mahdzir Khalid said some ministers were overemotional and did not supply enough facts to support their statements, especially when they were in Parliament.
He said Harapan ministers sometimes reversed their decisions and that some of them were unable to express government policies clearly.
As an example, Mahdzir pointed to an alleged divide between Harapan ministers on the controversy involving Australian firm Lynas' rare-earth processing plant in Pahang.
According to him, one faction says Lynas can operate the plant with conditions, while another faction wants it to be closed down.
Kuantan MP and deputy minister Fuziah Salleh has expressed opposition to the Lynas plant, and has stated that the plant should export its existing radioactive waste before generating further residue.
The Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry (Mestecc) had stated last year that Lynas would be required to export radioactive waste from the plant out of the country.
However, Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Yusof had said yesterday that Mestecc Minister Yeo Bee Yin's stance on exporting waste was not endorsed by the cabinet.
