Ignoring meritocracy led us to the mess today, says Zaid

[superadmin]

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s failure to manage Covid-19 and the economy is not only an indictment of the Perikatan Nasional government, but also the country’s refusal to recognise talent over the years, says a former minister.

Zaid Ibrahim, the former de facto law minister, said Malaysia was paying the price for neglecting meritocracy through the previous decades.

“We are in an unprecedented crisis today, and what do we still see in the news? Race, religion and political patronage, things we used to see in the 1980s; it isn’t going to save us from the bigger issues we are facing now,” he told FMT.

Zaid said it was sad that the country appeared to have learned nothing from the failures of the past.

He said the current social media label of “Kerajaan Gagal” being used against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s administration reflected the lack of talent at the highest levels which stemmed from the continued promotion of policies and practices which encouraged mediocrity.


- More -