JiaZhenFei

𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗜 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗞𝗧𝗨𝗥 𝗘𝗞𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗜 𝗡𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗥𝗔 Saya ditanya apa yang dibuat semasa menjadi Menteri Ekonomi? Menteri Ekonomi bertanggungjawab menyelia perancangan negara (termasuk hal ehwal ekonomi) buat jangka masa panjang. Tumpuan utama saya sepanjang memikul amanah itu ialah mengubah struktur dan pendekatan, supaya kita tidak melakukan perkara kosmetik yang membelanjakan wang rakyat tetapi tidak kekal berpanjangan (kerana struktur tidak berubah). Tekanan mendesak ekonomi negara ialah daya saingnya yang perlu ditingkatkan. Ini melibatkan usaha mengukuhkan kedudukan fiskal kerajaan, mengubah struktur ekonomi negara (agar kita beralih kepada aktiviti bernilai tinggi) dan melakukan reformasi pasaran kerja (agar pekerja mendapat kenaikan gaji yang setimpal dan negara tidak terlalu bergantung kepada pekerja asing). Ada yang kesannya boleh dinilai terus oleh rakyat. Melalui Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR), kita merangka bentuk bantuan kerajaan agar penerima perlu bekerja untuk mendapat tambahan pendapatan, sementera pelaburan kerajaan mewujudkan infrastruktur kekal yang boleh membantu penerima akan datang menjana pendapatan. Ada yang kesannya sudah dirasai. Contohnya, penubuhan JSSEZ (Zon Ekonomi Khas Johor-Singapura) mewujudkan enjin pertumbuhan yang menarik pelaburan baru atas sifatnya sebagai zon pertama di rantau ini yang melibatkan dua negara. Integrasi ekonomi Johor dan Singapura menjadi kes ujian pertama ke arah integrasi ekonomi Asean, yang mempunyai potensi besar di masa hadapan. Ada yang kesannya dirasai oleh sebahagian penerima tetapi perlu ditingkatkan pelaksanaan supaya lebih ramai menyertai. Contohnya, Dasar Gaji Progresif telah berjaya menaikkan gaji pekerja yang majikannya telah menyertai skim ini, tetapi kita perlu percepatkan supaya lebih ramai majikan menyertainya. Insya-Allah, saya akan huraikan kenapa dan bagaimana dasar dan program besar yang dimulakan oleh Kementerian Ekonomi sebelum ini wajar diteruskan dan ditingkatkan, ke arah menambah baik struktur ekonomi negara.

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 I have run many election campaigns before. Never in any of them so many nameless people echoed the messages so loudly, yet so resoundingly beaten in the result. For that, I owe a mountain of gratitude to the average Malaysians who supported my campaign. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much, only Allah can repay your kindness. I will not dwell on the outcome. I have been very transparent and vocal in sharing my concerns on numerous issues, from the change in one member one vote voting system, to the integrity of the digital voting system, to the lackadaisical efforts to resolve them. I can understand the frustration and disillusionment of ordinary PKR members and supporters out there. It will take time to shake off the sense that many years of dedication to PKR ideals have gone to waste. I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t feel the same, even if only momentarily. I’ve spent a good part of my adult life, nearly 27 years, to be precise, serving the party: from running the International Free Anwar Campaign, to a leadership role in the PKR Youth Wing in its early years, to writing a book explaining Anwar Ibrahim’s court case to the layperson. I left a promising corporate career at a relatively young age, at Anwar’s request, to become his Chief of Staff at the Selangor Economic Advisory Office. To date, I have had to endure 16 court cases: 7 criminal and 9 civil defamation suits, for exposing numerous financial scandals. I have probably spent more time in court than the average lawyer. I was sentenced to three years' imprisonment (suspended) under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for my role in exposing 1MDB. Honestly, I don’t feel that bad. If anything, I feel a great deal of relief that I can return to living a private life, away from the shenanigans of the corridors of power. When I joined reformasi (before PKR was even launched), I was driven by an ideal. I wanted to see the first democratic change of government because I believe in competition. I believe the public deserves the best set of people to run the government. Competition promotes merit and keeps politicians on their toes. It is an antidote to rampant corruption. I believe in a multiracial, progressive Malaysia because we are but a small nation. Multiracialism opens our minds to competition. It allows us to learn from one another and adapt the best practices. It builds empathy and compassion. Competition prepares us to be an outstanding member of the global market. All of this can lead to prosperity and provide a much better life for many Malaysians. I joined PKR because of the promise of this ideal. I did not join PKR for public office or ministerial positions, let alone for financial gain. I understand that Anwar Ibrahim’s fate is intertwined with PKR’s, but I believe PKR’s relevance transcends Anwar or any one personality. Leaders come and go, but the ideal endures. I stayed in PKR for 27 years, outlasting many of the pioneers and senior members of the party, because I believe PKR is still a work in progress. We have made substantial contributions to the coming of age of Malaysians as a mature society, yet we are still far from achieving the ideal we espoused. I have never believed that holding a government position is the only way to achieve our ideals. Society must change faster than the government in order to realize a multiracial, progressive Malaysia - a goal that remains a work in progress. I am proud of the ordinary PKR members and supporters who have staunchly stood by this ideal throughout the campaign, even when all odds were stacked against me. There is hope after all. Thank you for the hundreds of messages expressing support. Thank you to those who offered their prayers. I was deeply moved when a few young party members shed tears, pleading with me not to walk away from PKR despite the sting of betrayal. There is hope after all. I have no intention of giving up on the idealistic belief that Malaysia deserves better, a belief that inadvertently drew me into activism and politics in the first place. For every problem, there are multiple solutions. For every obstacle, there are many ways to overcome it. With more time on my hands, I am grateful that I can now spend more time with everyday Malaysians. In the meantime, the least I can do is to respond to as many of the supportive messages I’ve received as possible. To those who feel disappointed, all I can say is: we must trust the process. Allah knows best what is good for us. Once again, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. 𝗥𝗮𝗳𝗶𝘇𝗶 𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗶 𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱