This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on June 24, 2019 - June 30, 2019

Last week, economist Prof Dr Jomo Kwame Sundaram warned that Malaysians should set aside their political differences and work together to deal with issues ahead as the “external situation is very bad and is deteriorating almost on a daily basis”.

He added that while many of these problems are beyond the government’s control, the country can and should take steps to brace itself for the impact.

It is a warning that Malaysia’s elected leaders should heed seriously. Fourteen months since a historic change in federal government, we still have politicians in positions of power and influence who are more concerned about personal aggrandisement than their responsibilities as elected officials.

In the Cabinet, while many are seriously doing their job, there are a few who are still acclimatising to ministerial duties more than a year after they were appointed.

Embarrassingly, there are some ministers making the headlines — local and foreign — for silly blunders and indefensible gaffes.

This state of affairs is fuelling disenchantment among the people who had hoped for so much when they voted for change just over a year ago.

For one, Malaysians are still waiting for a clear economic strategy that will improve the people’s well-being,  tackle the rising cost of living and sustain economic growth.

While reforms take time, the message must be articulated to the grassroots. But it looks like Pakatan Harapan leaders are too engrossed in politicking to have much time left for that.

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