KUCHING: The new Cabinet reshuffle must place urgent focus on easing the cost of living, which has continued to burden ordinary Malaysians amid rising prices of goods and services.
Political observer Datuk Peter Minos said public frustration over household expenses remains high, with many struggling to cope with increasing daily costs, making economic relief the most pressing expectation from the reconfigured Cabinet.
Beyond cost pressures, he said attention should also be given to education reforms, particularly in improving English proficiency and analytical skills among graduates to better meet current workforce demands.
“It has been very tough for ordinary Malaysians facing high and rising costs of goods and services. Malaysians have been complaining and bemoaning. That must be a top priority. I go shopping for my wife, and I know how it hurts my wallet.
“Next is sorting out our education system. Get English back, follow Sarawak. It is sad to see that graduates lack quality and are not analytical enough,” he said when contacted by Sarawak Tribune today (Dec 17).
He was commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet reshuffle announced on Tuesday (Dec 16).
Minos also called for the government to address rising racial and religious polarisation in the Peninsular, warning that growing extremism could undermine national unity and development.
He said Malaysia should take a cue from Sarawak’s model of openness, tolerance and mutual respect, which he described as essential in maintaining harmony in a multiracial society.
“Extreme racial and religious problems will pull Malaysia down for sure. We should be open, tolerant and respect one another, just like in Sarawak,” he added.
He further urged Cabinet members to act collectively and avoid internal divisions, saying public confidence depended on a united administration focused on delivery.
“The Cabinet must stop the back-biting and back-stabbing. They must act as one, collectively. The public wants it that way,” he said.
