Malay unity means little without good governance, says analyst

Analyst Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad Sabri of Global Asia Consulting asserts that Malay unity holds little value without effective governance. He argues that political dominance does not inherently protect Malay interests. In fact, he claims that public institutions headed by Malays suffer when mismanaged, as is often the case due to political appointees lacking professional qualifications.

Zaharuddin points out that public funds, such as those in the Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) and the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT), are typically mismanaged by those leading these institutions. He highlights that poor decision-making and failures accumulated over years have weakened the management of TH, LTAT, and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

He argues that the Malaysian government is ultimately responsible for the underperforming assets acquired by Urusharta Jamaah (UJSB) for TH, and the outlay of RM17.8 billion to cover LTAT's financial shortfall. These decisions ultimately shift the financial burden from the institutions to taxpayers.

The analyst emphasizes that every ringgit spent to rescue public funds or repay debts is money that could have been allocated to healthcare, education, and food security. This, he argues, makes poor governance a critical issue. With an upcoming election, he suggests that the true test of leadership will be whether institutions are professionally managed, if early action is taken to address losses, and if those responsible are held accountable.