Kit Siang blames BN for Malaysia’s ‘lebih-kurang’ malaise

Four decades of Barisan Nasional (BN) “lebih kurang” rule has caused Malaysia to decline to a “lebih kurang” government, said Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang.

Lim (picture) told Parliament today during the debate of the Competition Commission Bill that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak remarked at Tokyo yesterday that Malaysia is no longer a high-achieving nation.

“In Bahasa Malaysia, we have “lebih kurang” or more or less; we should be less lebih kurang but more precise,” Lim quoted Najib as saying.

Lim added that Najib had correctly diagnosed the “lebih kurang” disease afflicting Malaysia that has turned Malaysia from one of the most advanced Asian nations since 1957 to a middle-income nation now falling behind Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, and is at risk at trailing even countries like Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

“It is this “lebih kurang” malaise which is the reason for institutions like the judiciary and the civil service losing public confidence,” Lim added.

“Maybe only cure is to vote out the Barisan Nasional government in the next general election so that the country can earnestly start on the process,” said Lim.

Lim cited several symptoms of this “lebih kurang disease”, such as the decrease of Malaysia’s international competitiveness, slipping to 24th placing in the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Global Competitiveness Report, compared to the 21st spot last year.

He added that the large brain drain of some two million talented Malaysians leaving Malaysia since the implementation of the New Economic Policy in 1970 was because “they are not convinced that they have a future in this country of mediocrity and “lebih kurang”.”

The “lebih kurang” disease has also caused the civil service to lose public confidence and is the reason behind the collapse of highways and stadium roofs, as well as sub-standard construction in hospitals,’’ according to Lim.

The Opposition Leader said that this “lebih kurang” mentality that has turned Malaysia into a “sick man” in the region must be eliminated if the Competition Commission Bill is to make Malaysia a focused and high-achieving nation.