Zaid: Incompetence a bane to M'sia's progress, not ideology
Published: Sep 12, 2025 9:55 AM
Updated: 11:55 AM
Upset over moves to cast PAS as the bogeyman of Malaysian politics, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim reminded the public that the real problem affecting the country is incompetence, not ideology.
“Malaysia is not at risk of collapse because of ideology. It is at risk because of incompetence.
“Nations fall when their leaders fail to govern effectively, when debts spiral beyond control, when resources are squandered, and when corruption robs citizens of their future,” he said on Facebook.
Zaid added that the dangers facing the country are clear for everyone to see, beginning with the high national debt.
The former Umno MP stated that Malaysia borrows to survive, yet hardly anything fruitful comes of it.
“Oil, gas, timber, and land; our natural inheritance is depleted or monopolised. An economy stolen. Cartels, cronies, and politically connected companies enrich themselves while ordinary Malaysians are asked to (tighten) their belts.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki holds RM1 million in cash at a press conference on money seized from a safehouse, March 2025
“This is how countries slide into decline; not because their people pray more, but because their leaders know less about how to govern responsibly,” Zaid mentioned.
Nepal, Indonesia
Citing Nepal and Indonesia, Zaid pointed out that the problems plaguing both countries had nothing to do with extremism.
“Nepal did not become one of Asia’s poorest nations because of extremism. It became poor because of chronic political instability and weak governance.
“Indonesia, in 1997, did not collapse because its people were too religious. It collapsed because of crony capitalism, corruption, and unsustainable debt. Madani is leading us that way,” he added.
On that note, Zaid said Malaysia’s problems are structural and stressed the need for the public to be honest with themselves.
He added that the obsession over the dangers of extremism is a convenient tool for the government to distract the public from the need to reform governance.
“Malaysia needs an honest reckoning. Our crisis is not ideological. It is structural. It lies in the way we mismanage our wealth, education, the way we allow cartels to control food and fuel, and the way we use laws to silence critics instead of building capacity.
“If we cannot undo these things, then it does not matter whether the ruling party is Malay, Chinese, or Indian; whether it is Islamic or liberal. Incompetence wears all colours.”
“This is how countries slide into decline; not because their people pray more, but because their leaders know less about how to govern responsibly,” Zaid mentioned.
Nepal, Indonesia
Citing Nepal and Indonesia, Zaid pointed out that the problems plaguing both countries had nothing to do with extremism.
“Nepal did not become one of Asia’s poorest nations because of extremism. It became poor because of chronic political instability and weak governance.
“Indonesia, in 1997, did not collapse because its people were too religious. It collapsed because of crony capitalism, corruption, and unsustainable debt. Madani is leading us that way,” he added.
On that note, Zaid said Malaysia’s problems are structural and stressed the need for the public to be honest with themselves.
He added that the obsession over the dangers of extremism is a convenient tool for the government to distract the public from the need to reform governance.
“Malaysia needs an honest reckoning. Our crisis is not ideological. It is structural. It lies in the way we mismanage our wealth, education, the way we allow cartels to control food and fuel, and the way we use laws to silence critics instead of building capacity.
“If we cannot undo these things, then it does not matter whether the ruling party is Malay, Chinese, or Indian; whether it is Islamic or liberal. Incompetence wears all colours.”
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I like Zaid but I've to say that of late he has become very pro PAS. He should look at how Kelantan and to a certain extent Kedah & Perlis, the trio under PAS, govern themselves economically.
Ironically, the incompetence of the 3R mob mitigates their extreme ideology from their worst intentions. They fail to execute or fail to figure out how to walk their talk..
ReplyDeleteMalaysia would be a much darker place if 3R extremists manage to carry out their plans with competence.