PM’s Keluarga Malaysia mantra can’t be mere lip service: analysts

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR – Just as Datuk Seri Najib Razak did with his idea of 1Malaysia more than a decade ago in a bid to promote unity and harmony, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob came up with the “Keluarga Malaysia” concept in his maiden speech as prime minister.

In Najib’s case, the idea would stay on with him until he was booted off his perch in the 14th general election, ultimately failing to do what mattered most – unite the nation.

Now as the country faces further uncertainty amid a raging health crisis and political instability, observers say it is up to Ismail Sabri to deliver on his concept of a Malaysian family in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

This comes amid criticisms being hurled at the Umno vice-president following his mooting of the concept, with many pointing towards his unpopular pro-Malay stance in the past.

This includes his infamous introduction of a digital mall similar to Low Yat Plaza in 2015 – but exclusively for Bumiputera traders – during his tenure as rural and regional development minister, a move deemed divisive and backwards.


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