Just a Short Note

My dear Subang constituents,

Just a very short note for this SJ Echo issue.

I have just returned from my family holiday. I had a restful time and feel somewhat energized despite the current jet lag.

Parliament is due to start in mid-July and my office is gearing up to pursue a more direct agenda of pushing for reforms. We have just crossed the half way point of the five-year Parliamentary term and as such the timing is crucial. In short, time for reforms is running out.

Even if we can deliver substantive reforms in the six months, these reforms will only see the light of day the following year in 2026, and that is also provided that these reforms can obtain the budget in December 2025 for its implementation in 2026. In addition, we will need a full year of policy implementation in 2026 to obtain feedbacks and enable us to pursue improvements in 2027. However, the next General Election cycle will begin in 2027.

In other words, the time for substantive political, economic and social reforms is running out. I teach public policy to my officers and interns and there is a basic rule on timing of policy implementations. Every new policy needs roughly a two to three-year window to implement and another three to five years window to see its maturity and thus enjoy the full results.

Despite whatever the media has been reporting based on my simple Facebook posting before talking my holiday (without the courtesy of asking me for any clarification) about my future as your MP, I want to assure all my constituents that I am fully committed to my job and will do my best to honour your trust and support. I was elected on a platform of promising to carry out substantial reforms. I have not forgotten that.

My political role as a government backbench MP is to support my government. It is not my job to publicly criticise our own government, that is the role of the Opposition MPs. For the last two and the half years, I have strived to work within the system through internal discussions. However, it has proven to be less effective, and as I stated earlier, time for reforms is running out.  I am convinced that polite niceties need to now take a back seat, and more direct engagements are needed if we are to achieve the reforms we promised our voters.

On that front, I am particularly happy to note that my friends, YB Rafizi Ramli and YB Nik Nazmi are returning to the backbench. Their policy knowledge and outspoken views will be important to re-invigorate the reform agenda from Parliament, pushing and nudging the Executive to act. I look forward to the next Parliament sitting and will continue to update you.