KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysians who criticised the government’s handling of the missing Flight MH370 should not be seen as “anti-nationals” or troublemakers but patriots, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers said today.
Pointing to a survey released yesterday showing 53 per cent of Malaysians giving the Najib administration the thumbs-down in managing the crisis, opposition leaders said the disapproval was a form of silent protest against the government’s incompetence.
“This reflects the public’s view. It must be taken seriously. I hope there will be no efforts to label them an anti-national, bad elements that do not love the country or deny their views although they were not voiced openly because we love the country.
“But this does not mean we do not question,” DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang told reporters outside the Dewan Rakyat here.
The survey, conducted by independent pollster Merdeka Center, had listed the responses of citizens according to their ethnicity and found that Chinese and Indians to be the most unimpressed with Putrajaya’s efforts.
Three quarters of Chinese respondents and 59 per cent of Indian respondents said they were “dissatisfied” with the crisis management.
The Malay community, however, voted in favour of the government with 63 per cent saying they were satisfied with the way the country has co-ordinated the ongoing search operation, compared to 30 per cent dissenting.
Criticism over the government’s management of the crisis was also high among youths, with 56 per cent of those in the 21-30 years age group and 58 per cent of those aged between 31 and 40 saying they were unhappy with how it is being done.
Lim said the survey also reinforced the view that PR should head a Parliamentary Select Committee inquiry into the disaster, a point he had repeatedly made.
Malaysia has borne the brunt of international criticism over its handling of the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines-owned Boeing 777-200ER. Malay Mail