{
  "id": 1245473,
  "title": "Saifuddin: End identity politics, focus on performance and economic recovery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/saifuddin-end-identity-politics-focus-on-performance-and-economic-1245473",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-16T09:23:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/08/16/saifuddin-end-identity-politics-focus-on-performance-and-economic-recovery/231596"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "PKR, led by vice-president Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, has urged the Malaysian people to move away from identity and racial politics and instead concentrate on performance-based politics and economic recovery. Ismail, who is also serving as Home Minister, emphasized that identity politics is merely a \"zero-sum game\" with no benefits for the nation's future. He urged voters to assess the party based on performance and their own well-being rather than engaging in divisive identity politics.\n\nIsmail highlighted that Malaysia's racial diversity is a reality that should not be exploited to instill fear among the populace. Instead, the country should focus on driving economic growth by \"making the pie of prosperity bigger\" and ensuring that its benefits are enjoyed by all segments of society. He proposed three key approaches for the Madani Government and party leadership: promoting economic growth, providing need-based assistance, and maintaining good governance to combat corruption.\n\nIsmail stressed that the real threat to any community is not the presence of other races, but poverty and social problems like drug abuse affecting the younger generation. He called on party members to increase efforts in spreading success stories of the Madani Government and targeting young voters ahead of the next election.",
  "summary": "MELAKA, Aug 16 — PKR has called for an end to identity and racial politics, instead urging a greater fo...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Saifuddin: End identity politics, focus on performance and economic recovery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/saifuddin-end-identity-politics-focus-on-performance-and-economic",
        "published": "2026-08-16T09:23:50.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}