Enough of Political Slogans from PAS – Ekonomi Madani Is Delivering Tangible Results

DR SHAHNOR BASRI

The recent statement by PAS MP for Bachok accusing the government of engaging in “family drama” and chanting Ekonomi Madani slogans without bringing real change is not only misleading but dangerously divorced from economic reality. Such populist rhetoric, unsupported by data or vision, undermines serious efforts to rebuild Malaysia after years of institutional decay, corruption, and pandemic-driven setbacks.

Let us set the record straight.

Ekonomi Madani Is Not a Slogan — It’s a Framework of Action

Unlike the simplistic and regressive economic rhetoric often spouted by PAS leaders, Ekonomi Madani is a holistic national framework designed to drive inclusive, sustainable, and high-value growth. It is rooted in seven key targets: raising wages, creating quality jobs, reducing dependency on foreign labor, expanding fiscal space, reforming public service delivery, increasing women’s participation in the economy, and enhancing national competitiveness.

Since its launch by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2023, the Ekonomi Madani initiative has delivered measurable progress across several key dimensions:

  • Record-High Investments:
    According to MITI’s Investment Performance Report 2023, Malaysia achieved RM329.5 billion in approved investments — the highest in national history. These were spread across manufacturing (RM152 billion), services (RM153.7 billion), and primary sectors (RM23.8 billion), signaling strong investor confidence in structural reforms and future growth potential.
  • Fiscal Reforms and Targeted Subsidies:
    The Unity Government boldly implemented targeted subsidy mechanisms to reduce leakages and ensure that assistance reaches the B40 and M40 segments. According to the Ministry of Finance’s 2024 Fiscal Outlook, subsidy savings are being redirected towards improving healthcare, education, and public infrastructure — essential for long-term national resilience.
  • Reduction in Hardcore Poverty:
    Based on the latest data from DOSM, hardcore poverty incidence was slashed by over 60% in 2023 through the Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat (IPR) and focused welfare targeting under Ekonomi Madani. The multidimensional poverty index has shown measurable improvements, especially in rural and indigenous communities.
  • Boost in Employment and Wages:
    The Salaries and Wages Report Malaysia 2023 by DOSM reported that median monthly salaries increased by 5.7%, reaching RM2,600 in 2023 from RM2,460 in 2022. Youth unemployment fell to 10.2%, the lowest in five years, thanks to coordinated efforts through GLCs, GLICs, and private sector transformation programs under the Madani Economy agenda.

These are not slogans — they are concrete indicators of economic recovery, resilience, and reform. They demonstrate what happens when serious leadership meets focused implementation.

PAS Has No Economic Blueprint — Only Nostalgia and Negativity

The irony of the PAS MP for Bachok speaking of “real economic change” is glaring. His party, both at the federal level (during the brief Perikatan Nasional administration) and in the states it governs — Kelantan, Terengganu, and Kedah — has failed to demonstrate any coherent economic strategy.

  • Take Kelantan, PAS’ long-time stronghold. After 33 years of PAS rule, the state remains among the poorest in Malaysia, with:
  • Persistent water crises and substandard infrastructure.
  • Low development expenditure despite federal allocations.
  • One of the highest youth out-migration rates in the country due to lack of job opportunities.
  • A tourism sector with massive untapped potential, stifled by over-regulation and religious conservatism.
  • The latest Household Income and Basic Amenities Survey Report (2022) by DOSM shows Kelantan’s median household income at RM3,614 — well below the national average of RM5,873. Foreign direct investment (FDI) into PAS-led states lags behind progressive states like Penang, Selangor, and Johor, which continue to attract capital due to better governance, infrastructure, and openness.

During PAS’s tenure in the federal government (2020–2022), there was no strategic vision. No economic doctrine. No investor roadmap. No reform. Their tenure was marked by populist handouts, bloated GLC appointments, and disastrous pandemic management.

In short, PAS has no credibility on the economy — only slogans disguised as piety and moral policing masquerading as governance.

Ekonomi Madani is Reform with Results, Not Rhetoric

Bachok MP’s attack on Ekonomi Madani fails because it is not grounded in fact. The Unity Government is pursuing long-overdue structural reforms that previous administrations, including those PAS supported, lacked the courage or capability to undertake.

These include:

  • Industrial upgrading to move Malaysia out of the middle-income trap.
  • Green energy transition and digital economy policies, including incentives for EVs, solar manufacturing, and data centers.
  • Public sector reform, including rationalization of procurement, digitization of services, and anti-corruption enforcement — all key for long-term fiscal discipline and public trust.

And unlike PAS’s theocratic rigidity, Madani governance is built on values: compassion (ihsan), responsibility (amanah), and innovation (ijtihad). It draws strength from Malaysia’s Islamic heritage while engaging modern economic tools to empower all Malaysians — regardless of race, region, or religion.

Conclusion: The Real Slogan Masters Are in PAS, Not Putrajaya

If anyone is guilty of chanting slogans without delivering results, it is PAS — not the Unity Government. Their decades in Kelantan and brief spell in Putrajaya have yielded little more than superficial religiosity, policy paralysis, and economic backwardness. They offer no vision, no model, no evidence — only complaints from the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Ekonomi Madani is not only a comprehensive framework — it is an evolving national strategy backed by data, global investor interest, institutional rebuilding, and a growing sense of rakyat empowerment.

The Bachok MP and PAS should look in the mirror before accusing others of sloganeering. Ekonomi Madani is building a Malaysia for the future — inclusive, innovative, and just. It is not a chant. It is a commitment.

And unlike PAS’s hollow rhetoric, this commitment is being delivered — one policy, one reform, and one rakyat at a time.