Reopen the economy, empower the Implementation and Coordination Unit!

THE Malay Consultative Council (MPM) urged the Government to reopen all economic sectors, within a month after forming the National Recovery Council (MPN) to help rejuvenate the ailing economy.

“Please empower the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) and place as it as a permanent secretariat for MPN as it is the federal agency that has the authority to coordinate and implement all Government initiatives.

“ICU should be able to get things back on track at all levels, from federal to district in an equitable manner,” said its secretary general Datuk Hasan Mad in a statement.

ICU is federal agency set up by the second Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, to ensure all policies enacted by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) are well implemented at all levels.

However, its significance has declined throughout the years after Razak’s untimely demise.

On July 16, Prime Minister Tan Sri Mahiaddin Yassin announced the formation of MPN, with him chairing it.

The council will have its own autonomy to deal with COVID-19 and rejuvenate the economy, answering to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, after getting feedback from the Parliament.

Elaborating on the economic revival strategy, Hasan urged the Government to optimise all resources, including from the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) to protect the rakyat from COVID-19 while they restart the economic engine.

“We need to customise our approach according to specific sector’s needs and enforce standard operating procedure (SOP) compliance strictly.

“If we can do this, businesses will regain their confidence and focus their energy on reviving the economy,” he opined.

On that note, Hasan lauded the synergy between the Health Ministry (MOH), Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) and Home Ministry in tackling the pandemic crisis, with other ministries playing complementary role to them.

Datuk Hasan Mad

“All it takes are a few more improvements and we will be able to contain COVID-19. Yes, it takes time but we need to expand our public health programmes and educate our people on how to live with the virus,” he opined.

As for the economy, Hasan said that the global economy was battered severely due to the coronavirus, adding it was important to for every nation come form its own solutions on savings lives and livelihoods.

He added that countries such as China and Japan are already marching towards recovery and Malaysia should also focus on the people’s economic needs.

“No one is really safe until the economy recovers too. By right, the Finance Ministry and all other economic-related agencies should have made plans during the Emergency on this.

“But we are only able to provide food baskets. Many entrepreneurs now dare to defy regulations due to sheer economic desperation,” he remarked.


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