KUCHING: Malaysia is not a failed state as its government institutions are still strong and functioning as usual despite the Covid-19 crisis, stressed Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Affairs) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
He said this while commenting on a Bloomberg recent report that said Malaysia was becoming a failed state.
According to him, a state fails when it faces various conflicts, chaos and is unable to manage the administration well.
“If a state fails, its people will be starving and so on.
“Among the countries that have been deemed to have failed are Somalia, Myanmar and several countries in Latin America,” he said.
Mustapa added Malaysia had done its best as a country, especially in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic that was plaguing the world today.
He said all government institutions and administrations such as the Ministry of Health were still fully functional and working as usual.
“If the government fails, it means we are paralysed, but alhamdulillah, our public administration is still running as usual,” he pointed out.
The Jeli Member of Parliament also stated that the appointment of Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz as the coordinating minister for the National Recovery Plan (PPN) also proves that the government is consistent in reviving the country’s economy.
He added that the government has also adopted an open attitude, which is to accept criticism from any party to ensure that the country recovers even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The government is always open to receiving constructive criticism in the face of the current crisis.
“Through our experience managing the Covid-19, many of the views we take into account either from the federal or state governments,” he explained.
