He cited the example of the brouhaha surrounding the government’s plan to bring 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers into the country, which was later clarified to be a less-than-accurate statement.
Kadir said if the federal government had communicated its plan with full and accurate details, the issue would not have become such a huge controversy.
(The miscommunication) shows that our government, despite having so many ministries, ministers, media outlets and advisers, is still unable to communicate comprehensively,” he told FMT.
The controversy erupted after Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued a statement on a government-to-government initiative with Bangladesh, which he said would result in 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers being brought to Malaysia over three years for jobs in various sections.
However Human Resources Minister Richard Riot Jaem, who signed an agreement with Bangladesh on Thursday, clarified that the 1.5 million figure referred to the number of Bangladeshis registered with their government for employment in 139 countries, including Malaysia.
“Why didn’t you from the beginning say that the 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers were to be exported to 138 other countries? Instead, you gave the impression that that’s what we are getting,” said Kadir, who is a former chief editor of New Straits Times Press.
The big fiasco could have easily been avoided if the government had been honest and transparent to the public, instead of waiting until it was at the edge of the cliff before caring to soothe public concerns, added Kadir.
“The problems the government is facing are the result of its own ineptitude.
“The result of this haphazard and unprofessional communication is that it confuses the public. When people are confused, they will choose to believe the worst.
“But we can’t blame them, especially given the government’s record of constantly turning back on its word. When people are not looking, the government goes back to doing what it said it wouldn’t.”
Kadir gave Lembaga Tabung Haji’s purchase of Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) land as another example.
He said the pilgrimage fund’s chairman, Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, had last year, after receiving flak over the purchase, told the “whole world” that it would sell the land.
However, months down the road, he said Tabung Haji would keep the land and develop it instead.
“It is this kind of ‘forked tongue’ statements and presumptuous public relations that are causing so much problems for the government.”