Media Statement Parti Keadilan Rakyat (People�s Justice Party)
ONE YEAR OF ABDULLAH�S PREMIERSHIP On 31st October 2004 Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi completes his first year as Prime Minister. When he assumed this highest political office in the country, he was widely welcomed as someone promising to be more pleasant and less autocratic than his predecessor. His modest and unassuming ways together with his many well-timed statements and actions to wage a tough battle against corruption, to be more prudent in public expenditure and to concentrate more on rural and agricultural development, undoubtedly increased his popularity and stature at the beginning of his premiership. But Abdullah�s honeymoon is over now. His popularity is declining and more people are having lesser faith in his ability to fulfill most of the attractive promises he had made. After the dramatic arrests of minister Kasitah Gadam and tycoon Eric Chia on the eve of the last general elections, Abdullah has not proven that he is going to seriously and successfully pursue what he originally set out to do about fighting corruption. In fact, there was widespread disappointment that more prominent ministers, on whom police reports were made on their corrupt practices, have until now been spared, and that Eric Chia has been charged only with what is regarded as his least serious crime. In fact, Abdullah�s fight against corruption has proven to be a failure, all within one year. A survey carried out by Merdeka Centre a few months ago already noted that the majority of the people surveyed were not convinced that Abdullah would succeed to eliminate this social evil. Now we are informed by the International Transparency that Malaysia�s corruption rating has gone down from position 37 to 39. By now Abdullah must have realised that corruption is deeply rooted in various government departments and among especially government political leaders. Many are oubting that he has the political will, courage and strength to carry out his declared mission against it. As for the promise to concentrate more on rural and agricultural development, Abdullah�s words have failed to match his deeds. As Finance Minister, he could not deliver any allocation more substantial and more significant for these sectors, compared to the budget allocations made by his predecessors. Furthermore, the latest budget shows that the allocations for the corporate sector and for entrepreneurial development (which of course will benefit much lesser number of people compared to the rural populace involved in agriculture) are much bigger. Although the incidence of poverty will slowly be reduced, the more serious phenomenon in future will be the increasing socio-economic gap between the poor and less will to do, the majority of whom are in the rural areas and involved in agriculture, and the rich or very well to do who are mainly in the cities. Abdullah has not shown any sign of focusing his attention on this problem. In fact, during his first year in office, he has continued the practices of cronyism and nepotism, which obviously favour and will enrich only a small number of people who surround the top leaders of the country. On the other hand, the poor and less well to do continue to be burdened with growing cost of living. Finally, under Abdullah�s one year rule, there has been no sign or signal to show that he would at least be attempting to review and amend, if he cannot abrogate, some of the draconian laws, especially the ISA and the Printing and Publications Act. At the same time, despite all the hopes expressed after the release of Anwar, the judiciary does not appear to be more independent under Abdullah. As for the media, ironically there seems to be more direct control and interference now from �upstairs� than ever before. At the beginning Abdullah promised change. But judging from the past one year, he has found it extremely difficult to implement his dreams and intentions, because he appears to be very much a prisoner of a constricting system. Furthermore, he is surrounded by leaders who are not seen to be as clean and as modest as he is perceived to be. Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail President Parti Keadilan Rakyat 27th October 2004 _________________________________________________________________ Download ringtones, logos and picture messages from MSN Malaysia http://www.msn.com.my/mobile/ringtones/default.asp ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. 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