Now you know how tough being in govt is, Puad tells PKR

Puad Zarkashi said what PKR is experiencing now was what Umno faced in the past.

PETALING JAYA: PKR can now understand the difficulties that Umno faced governing the country in the past, says Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi

Puad cited how a delegate at PKR’s national congress yesterday said the government’s response to issues has been weak, urging for more prompt and consistent explanations on pressing matters from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his ministers.

“Only now do you know how tough it is being in government. It’s your turn to be defensive. Being in the opposition is much easier, you can say anything.

“This is what Umno faced in the past. The people believed the accusations. They just took it in, the truth came later,” he said in a Facebook post.

The Rengit assemblyman said the emergence of social media makes things harder.

He said Dr Mahathir Mohamad managed to lead the country for 22 years during his first stint as prime minister as there was no social media then.

“In the end, because of social media, he could only last 22 months (during his second tenure as prime minister).”

He said this is why the unity government’s focus in its first three years in power must be on ensuring that Malaysians can feel the benefits of Putrajaya’s economic policies.

Puad said government machinery like the community communications department (J-Kom) must be helmed by competent people capable of spreading information on Putrajaya’s policies and successes to the people.

At the PKR congress yesterday, Perak delegate Wong Chai Yi urged the unity government to respond “quickly and consistently” to criticism of “unpopular decisions” for effective damage control.

Wong said the age of social media requires that the government race against time to ensure accurate information is conveyed to the people before the opposition starts picking at the issues.