Two worries in 'economic tsunami' says Yong

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah may have to consider insulating itself by using whatever advantages it has against the effect of the ¡°economic tsunami¡± currently affecting the country.

SAPP President Datuk Yong Teck Lee said this is because from the response of the Government and the leaders, it would appear that they do not know what to do about it.

"All the flip-flop, the indecisiveness and the changes going on give people the impression that they are going to do about it," he said.

Yong, a former Chief Minister, was referring to the rising inflation, low economic growth and expectation of the people, besides apparent indecisiveness of the government and leadership pertaining to the fuel price hike, ban on the sale of petrol to neighbourhood motorists, etc.

¡°So there are two worries here, that is firstly on the high inflation, low economic growth and expectation of the people, and secondly that the government does now seem to know what to do about it or even know what is happening,¡± he said.

He was speaking to reporters after closing a public forum entitled "Malaysia¡¯s Economy in Jeopardy" organised by the Progressive Institute of Public Policy and Analysis (PIPPA) at Sabah Trade Centre here, Saturday.

Yong said with the political and economic tsunamis coming in "we have to use all out advantages like the vast land, agriculture, tourism and education to insulate Sabah."

"Just like when we talk about education, out of the vast land of failed education policies we still have pockets of those community self-helped schools in Sabah like Tshung Tsin, Kian Kok and so which have managed to succeed while a lot others around them have failed."

The half day public forum attended by 184 people from various backgrounds dwelled in the present economic situation affecting the nation.A talk on the topic was delivered by a well-versed speaker and director of Megatrend, Foong Wai Fong.

SAPP think-tank chief Datuk Tham Nyip Shen,Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Vice President, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Likas Assembly and SAPP Deputy President , Datuk Liew Teck Chan, Federation of Sabah Manufacturing (FSM) President, Datuk Wong Khen Tau, and Consumer Assocociation of Sabah and Labuan (cash) President, Datuk Patrick Sindu, among others were also present.

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