SHAH ALAM – Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) representing various interests urge all parties to settle for a political ceasefire and focus on solving the people's problems, especially in restoring the national economy.
Angkatan Belia Malaysia (ABIM) Vice President Zairudin Hashim said that the representatives of the people, whether from the government or the opposition side should stop playing politics because many people's issues that need to be addressed.
He said the people carried out the responsibility of choosing the leaders they wanted and now it was time for them to provide the best service.
"ABIM emphasises that political and economic stability are very important. So, all parties need to refrain from any effort or movement to topple a certain government outside the framework of elections.
"It is important to avoid any uncertainty (in the country) that could ultimately harm all parties, while the people expect their problems to be addressed, not the parties playing politics," he told Sinar Harian on Tuesday.
He said this when asked to comment on the order of the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj for all representatives of the people in the state to stop playing politics and instead focus on solving the people's problems, including efforts to restore the economy.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students (PKPIM) also voiced the same view because the people were now overwhelmed with various problems, especially the burden of the high cost of living.
Its president Ahmad Farhan Rosli said the actions of a few leaders who continue to play politics created greater division and did not solve the people's issues.
"The long-awaited state elections have ended and now is the time for (people's representatives) to work and provide the best service to the people as promised in their respective manifestos (during the election campaign).
"For example in Selangor itself, the people expect the government to immediately restore the economy and other problems such as floods, blocked drains and so on that have not been resolved until now," he said.
He said government and opposition representatives should find common ground, which was to work for the people by putting aside party politics for the sake of certain interests.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Women's Aspirations Association (Aswa) chairman Wan Azliana Wan Adnan was of the view that in certain situations, 'playing' politics was necessary to ensure that the people's rights are met.
However, she said, government or opposition representatives should see that the political issues brought up were based on the interests of the public.
"For me, if the political leader speaks in the capacity of the people's representative representing the party, it is not wrong because such actions are sometimes necessary as a process to reprimand so that the administration runs better.
"However, if the party politics is not good for the people, I think such actions should be stopped," she said.