By Fitri Hazim Hazam
SHAH ALAM, Dec 24 — The Cabinet and MPs from the governing bloc must work together for the country’s development, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said any success or failure must not rest solely on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and that the responsibility must be shouldered collectively by the entire administration.
Fahmi, who is also Lembah Pantai MP and the Unity Government spokesman, reminded government leaders to support the prime minister in countering attacks from certain quarters in today’s political and economic landscape.
“If the Cabinet fails to communicate, I am the one who will bear the responsibility as the communications minister and government spokesman.
“We have many MPs, including ministers, which means we are part of the governing bloc that administers together, so the burden must be shared collectively,” he said during the Sembang Malam talk show organised by Media Selangor and hosted by National Journalism Laureate Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar last night.
The programme also featured Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari and Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar.
Fahmi noted that mistrust towards the government is a challenge the Anwar administration faces.
“This trend peaked during the Covid-19 pandemic. During that time, we had to listen to and comply with government directives, especially regarding the vaccination campaign.
“This was when the ‘virus’ of distrust began, which I believe has become a new phenomenon in administrations around the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, Hisommudin said it is not too late for Anwar to address the issue of Malay voters’ confidence in the unity government, and that focus should be on efforts to counter mistrust towards the leadership in safeguarding the interests of Muslims.
He said there is growing concern among the Malay community who are sceptical about the Madani government’s ability to respond effectively to issues involving their religion and ethnicity.
“This creates a disruption between perception and facts. The government must put in extra effort and work when dealing with sensitive issues, such as the display of a China flag in Teluk Intan recently.
“We can see the public’s response to this issue, so the government needs to neutralise that anger. In the next two years, there is still room for the government to respond,” he said.
