Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof speaks to reporters during a press conference in Cyberjaya October 4, 2018. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 — The Pakatan Harapan (PH) government has been slow with progress because of the “politicking” of some ministers, Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof said.

The entrepreneur development minister from Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) said he was not “stepping on the toes” of his Cabinet colleagues whom he called his friends, but said some of them appeared to be more occupied with being popular to the detriment of their portfolios.

“Tell, me, in the last eight months, how much have we progressed? It is because people are busy politicking,” the Alor Gajah MP told The Sunday Star in an interview published today.

Mohd Redzuan lamented that the country today is driven by popularity-seeking politicians rather than professional managers.

“Politics to me is just a month before the elections — just to tell people I can do this and you make policies and make laws that benefit the people, that is how I read politics.

“But today everything they want is popularity. You want to seek popularity and you slow down progress. That is my view,” he said.

While civil servants had been criticised by the PH government, Mohd Redzuan expressed a different view and said the inefficiency of the government machinery lies with its current leadership.

“To me, people can just talk and criticise the government machinery. They have been there for 60 years. You have to take leadership.

“A lot of people think PTD officers are not efficient, slowing things down. I disagree, because things that are slowing down are the leaders themselves when they have a political inclination,” he was quoted saying, using the Malay abbreviation for the administrative and diplomatic services.

“I may be wrong but that’s how I observe it. Without getting through the opinions from people they know in politics, things are not getting done quickly. The government machinery is ready to move.

“They are those who are still in a state of denial, think like an Opposition and not government of the day,” he was reported to have said.

Mohd Redzuan said he is looking into bringing in roughly US$4 billion (RM16.3 billion) liquidity to help Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector indirectly, but plans to channel it towards entrepreneurship development.

With the blessing of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Mohd Redzuan said he went on a private overseas visit to meet his contacts and with potential investors.

“I want to bring in liquidity to help SME sector indirectly. I went to see investors, people that I know people that are serious about it. I went on my own expenditure.

“... I don’t just say come in and do investment in Malaysia or we got this climate, we got this incentive.

“I am more inclined to understanding what the investors want to do. I get these people to come and then I bring them to Miti and get them to help explain the regulations or to as Miti to seep up such investments, so it’s got to be connected,” he told the weekly newspaper, in reference to the International Trade and Industry Ministry.