COMMENT | Back PM to eradicate corruption and hardcore poverty
COMMENT | Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been spreading positive vibes around in recent days, as he rightly should.
And he has actually been very successful in that direction, principally because of his oratorical skills, which is a definite plus for a man in his position. The prime minister is blessed with a distinct speaking voice. (I’m not sure I can say that about his singing tone though. Ahem.)
When you are able to speak well and armed with a strong vocabulary in your chosen language in a public setting, your message will be clear and understood fully by your listeners. In both Bahasa and English, Anwar shines through like a beacon. (In Arabic, I think he is trying too hard at times as if to impress, which is unnecessary.)
I’m always proud to state that whenever Anwar addresses an international conference, Malaysians feel confident that the prime minister will carry himself and the nation well. I wouldn’t say that for other former prime ministers, though.
Back home, Anwar’s delivery of his speeches at public events has been impressive...
COMMENT | Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been spreading positive vibes around in recent days, as he rightly should.
And he has actually been very successful in that direction, principally because of his oratorical skills, which is a definite plus for a man in his position. The prime minister is blessed with a distinct speaking voice. (I’m not sure I can say that about his singing tone though. Ahem.)
When you are able to speak well and armed with a strong vocabulary in your chosen language in a public setting, your message will be clear and understood fully by your listeners. In both Bahasa and English, Anwar shines through like a beacon. (In Arabic, I think he is trying too hard at times as if to impress, which is unnecessary.)
I’m always proud to state that whenever Anwar addresses an international conference, Malaysians feel confident that the prime minister will carry himself and the nation well. I wouldn’t say that for other former prime ministers, though.
Back home, Anwar’s delivery of his speeches at public events has been impressive. When you notice that those in the audience are paying rapt attention to him, you know that they are really interested in what the prime minister has to say.
Poverty and corruption
This past week, I have received Anwar’s quote on hardcore poverty numerous times in my inbox: “The country is still facing hardcore poverty issues and a very wide gap exists between the rich and the poor.
“And there are those who still talk of saving the Malays, yet have billions in assets. Why don’t you bring back your wealth in Vancouver and African banks, sell them off, and help the Malays?
“I know many do not wish to touch on the subject but why should I be the prime minister if I cannot take money from ‘penyakau’ (robbers) and just focus on charging taxes to the public?”
Such a statement from the prime minister will surely resonate with the people, common folks in particular, for it strikes at the very core of their being – poor, helpless, and needy souls crying out for just the bare necessities to survive.
We were also told that some of those whom we had trusted and elected to be our leaders in the past had abused their power, stealing billions from the country in the process.
If the prime minister wants to put things right by bringing the corrupt to justice and restitute what had been looted from our national coffers, we should give him and his government our full support.
It is known that corruption can exacerbate poverty and when corruption is rampant within a society, resources that should be allocated towards addressing poverty - such as funds for education, healthcare, and infrastructure - can be diverted or stolen by those in power.
Overall, corruption deepens and perpetuates poverty, making it more difficult for individuals and communities to improve their economic circumstances and quality of life.
Rich country, poor people
Malaysians must be happy to hear the recent declaration by the prime minister that the government wants to completely eradicate hardcore poverty in the country.
“Disgraceful” was the term he used to describe absolute poverty in a country that is rich in resources such as oil and gas.
“It’s humiliating for a country that has enormous resources such as oil and gas, palm oil, and various industries (but) cannot solve the basic problem of hardcore poverty in our country,” he said.
The prime minister is aware that corruption is the biggest obstacle to its eradication. Anwar stressed: “We must focus on management and governance. Malaysia can become a prosperous nation if only we can manage the country well.
“And this will require us rejecting the scourge of corruption as well as abuse of power and use government machinery to protect people’s welfare and maintain harmony in multiracial Malaysia.”
I have written extensively over the past months on the new prime minister’s anti-graft crusade and why Malaysians must support him on this important quest.
At the end of it all, Anwar’s success in his anti-corruption drive will also help bring about a better quality of life for Malaysians.
The anti-graft crusade will play an important role in the prime minister’s determination to eradicate hardcore poverty.
Early this week, in connection with the many positive statements from our prime minister, I circulated this message to many of my fellow Sarawakians:
“I believe I must have repeated this statement every time the subject of absolute poverty is broached.
“There is no reason why there is hardcore poverty in Sarawak when we are blessed with rich natural resources to be shared by only three million Sarawakians.
“Seriously, I believe no Sarawakian has to be poor. The same goes for a nation like Malaysia with a population of 30 million.
“Let us fully support the prime minister in his dual plans to eradicate corruption and hardcore poverty. At the end of it all, it is a win-win situation for everyone”.
Let’s do it, not so much for Anwar or his team but for the sake of our future generations and the nation.
FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.
