KUALA LUMPUR – Politics of hate has deepened in the country to the point where people have become oblivious to facts and are quick to slander.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said despite the many measures taken by the government to improve the people’s lives, his decisions for the betterment of the country have earned him titles such as “dajal” (messiah of lies), Israeli agent, and Jew.
“People have also said that we sold the country to China. Sometimes, I respond to these attacks, but most of the time, I don’t care.
“I don’t take a salary, I am insulted. I’m good with Hamas, also insulted. I fight corruption, also insulted. Facts are now ignored, and only hatred is spewed,” he said.
Anwar was speaking during the Finance Ministry’s monthly assembly in Putrajaya today.
The prime minister, however, said that this shouldn’t be a deterrent for the government, especially for the nation’s frontliners, such as the staffers at the Finance Ministry and Treasury Department, to continue their service for the people.
In a recent announcement, Anwar said that students who obtained 10As and above in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam would be guaranteed a place in any matriculation programme, regardless of race or locality. He said that even this decision was politicised.
“These are our children, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Dayak, and others. All their achievements matter to us, and they should not be denied the right to a proper education.
“This is while maintaining the Bumiputera quota for matriculation students, as enshrined in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, which involves the special position of Malays and Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.
Citing Michael Slander in his book The Tyranny of Merit, Anwar said elites oftentimes neglect fairness and only focus on competition to achieve excellence.
“How do we compete fairly, the best schools with the best facilities from the poor schools with poor facilities and how are you going to compete fairly? That’s why (author) John Rawls says justice is fairness.
“That’s why everyone should understand: let us allow the smart students to be given equal opportunities, at the same time, we shouldn’t neglect the less smart ones who might not have the same opportunities.
“We need to help them also achieve success, and this is what is called social mobility,” he added.
Similarly, on the recently announced targeted diesel subsidy, Anwar said the government will never back down despite facing criticism.
This also includes stern actions to eradicate corruption.
He said the move was important to strengthen the country’s economy. Previously, he said the country’s revenue and subsidies were not channelled to the target groups.
The prime minister said the targeting of diesel subsidies was necessary considering that fuel smuggling activities had been rampant for decades and subsidy proceeds were sold illegally to other countries.
“Though we face difficulties explaining to the people what we do, therefore we must ensure the people see and benefit from the government’s action,” he added. – July 2, 2024