PH has no choice but to deliver without making excuses: Dr Awang
KUCHING: A sharp decline in the Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s popularity does not bode well for his influence in Pakatan Harapan (PH), says a political analyst.
Universiti Malaya associate professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said it also shows that the people are less convinced now of his leadership than they were immediately after he assumed premiership.
A survey by the Merdeka Centre showed that Dr Mahathir’s popularity has plunged by 25 per cent to 46 per cent from 76 per cent in August last year.
He said the rakyat have placed high expectations for the prime minister to improve the economic situation.
“The majority of the people are not patient enough as they are faced with tough economic situation.”
He opined that based on the survey, the people might have also observed that the country has yet to move in the right direction, more so when economic focus does not impact positively on them.
“People are struggling with higher cost of living under the present government.
“The people’s confidence in the government’s ability to manage the country’s economy is just at 40 per cent despite the various allocations and subsidies.
“Currently, the public confidence is at 39 per cent. It is already a red alert, which should remind PH to work harder, implement better policies and to do less on the politicking.
“Issues involving the rulers, for example, are seen by certain groups and individuals as PH’s tactic to move focus away from the fact that PH is incapable of managing the country’s economy.
“PH should ensure that they are not just a one-term government even if it means forming a coalition government with opposition parties in the future, or otherwise face the risk defeat in the next general election,” said Dr Awang.
He further said that the PH government continues to struggle with trying to fulfill its election promises.
“To the Malay community PH has failed to tackle issues affecting them, Islam and the institution of Malay Rulers,” said Dr Awang.
He said very annoying to Malaysians is the PH leaders’ habit of continuously putting the blame on the previous government.
Make good its word
He said the people voted PH into power because PH told them they could right all the wrongs, it is therefore the PH government’s responsibility to make good its word.
Dr Awang said it may be that people are seeing that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a better leader to helm the country’s administration in the current situation.
Meanwhile, Batang Sadong MP Datuk Nancy Shukri said strangely the PH government does not come across as a modern government.
“They come with high-sounding ‘Malaysia Baru’ but what do we get other than rebranding of old products by old-fashioned, vindictive and arrogant leaders who are indecisive and make U-turns without an iota of shame,” she said.
