Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad takes a group photo with Cabinet ministers and Pakatan Harapan leaders in Putrajaya May 9, 2019, during an event to mark the coalition’s first year in government. — Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Federal ministers, particularly those handling the economy, finance and trade portfolios, must step up efforts to explain Malaysia’s situation to the world, Datuk A. Kadir Jasin said.

The prime minister’s media advisor asserted that Cabinet members and senior Pakatan Harapan (PH) politicians were not doing enough to convince local and international audiences about the country’s continued prospects and accomplishments post-14th general election.

“It’s unreasonable to leave everything to the prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“Ministers in charge of the economy, finance and trade in particular must be both ‘jaguh kampong’ (village champions) and ‘jaguh dunia’ (global champions),” he wrote on his personal blog today.

Kadir’s comments dovetail with Dr Mahathir’s remarks during interviews ahead of PH’s first anniversary, in which the 92-year-old prime minister said he now needed to take on more burden due to the inexperience within his present Cabinet

Today, the former news veteran said the world appeared unaware of the PH government’s many achievements since the general election as these were not being effectively conveyed.

During his visit to Singapore for Forum Asia 2019, Kadir said he received complaints about lack of communication from Malaysian ministers.

“I am annoyed by the reluctance of some key ministers to engage with local and international businessmen, investors and fund managers.

“I think after a year, they should have gathered sufficient knowledge, experience and courage to be able to engage with the key stakeholders at home and abroad, and leave the day-to-day running of the ministries of the civil servants,” he added.