KUALA LUMPUR – The opposition needs to play its role constructively in the system of a democratic country and stop playing with sentiments of government transition, said Umno leader Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
The party’s secretary general said this was because such sentiments would not bring any benefit to the country, and the opposition should give the 19 parties that make up the unity government a chance to work throughout this term before contesting at the next general election.
“If we are still at loggerheads and playing with the government transition sentiments, all this will mean nothing. This is a message that has no positive and constructive meaning to the development of the country.
“It will only cause doubts to those who want to invest because they are worried about the unstable political problems in this country,” he said at a press conference after officiating the Mercu 2023 programme here, today.
He described the period of “fighting” and “bad-mouthing” between the government and the opposition as having ended as soon as the general and state elections are over, and in general the unity government has four years left to govern and will focus on the country’s stability.
Asyraf Wajdi said he was confident that during that period of time, the unity government would be able to ensure that the administration operates effectively, focuses on stability, generates the economy and creates the trust and confidence of investors.
Asked if there was a need for the government and the opposition to sit down to discuss an end to the country’s political crisis, he said that was not necessary because the opposition needed to play a role in implementing check and balance for the government.
“Everyone wanted to be a government, yet, when Tuanku [the Yang di-Pertuan Agong] ordered to establish a unity government, 19 parties agreed, except Perikatan Nasional who remained adamant to be the opposition,” he said.
Yesterday, Berita Harian reported that the New Straits Times Press editors’ conference called for an end to the nation’s political crisis and to focus on the people’s issues that need the government’s attention. – September 7, 2023