Based on the results of the recently concluded state elections (PRN 2023), it seems that support for the government has generally decreased.

The factors of genuine racial and religious insecurity as well as propaganda certainly played a huge role in these elections’ results.

But, the main reason behind the sentiments and choices of most voters is high socioeconomic insecurity.

Currently, the socioeconomic status of most Malaysians is dire.

Therefore, the way for the government to gain more support from the common people is to significantly improve and strengthen their socioeconomic status.

This means that the government needs to reform the country’s political and economic system so that it changes from prioritising the elite class’ greed for profits to prioritising ordinary people’s basic needs and dignity.

The government’s first step is to reform the economic and taxation system significantly, and as soon as possible to obtain sufficient funds in order to finance pro-people programs.

The economic and taxation system in Malaysia and throughout the world is broken and too one-sided, and lax towards the elite, foreign investors and multinational corporations.

Most in this group only care about profiting for themselves and don’t care at all about the common people’s welfare and well-being in the countries in which they invest.

Therefore, the Malaysian government, along with all other Asean countries, must collectively and gradually implement the following measures in their respective countries.

These collective efforts will prevent the withdrawal of assets and investments by the elites from the respective Asean countries. These measures are:

1. Increasing tax rates on the rich (T20) and high-income companies. These taxes include corporate income tax, personal income tax, inheritance tax, and property tax.

2. Changing the tax structure of capital gains, both realised and unrealised, by imposing notional equity interests on the assets of the richest people.

3. Creating a public registry for the beneficial owners of companies and trusts. Asean also needs to introduce legislation in each country that bans anonymous shell companies.

4. Implementing the Debt Monetisation Strategy gradually and by starting with a low debt amount.

It’s high time the government stops bending over backwards to please these elites and for these elites to be more responsible and considerate by paying their due level of taxes according to their actual wealth status.

The government must prioritise the people’s socioeconomic status, eradicate their insecurities and create a more thriving and prosperous society, instead of using the other side’s tactic of championing extremism and ultra-conservatism.

The government’s mission to eradicate corruption to stop fund wastage is very important and good.

However, our broken and one-sided economic and taxation system is indeed a big problem as well as a weakness that must be dealt with immediately in order for the government to acquire the much-needed funds.

With the acquisition of financial resources from the above measures, the government will be able to spend it on pro-people programs that can significantly improve the socioeconomic quality of ordinary people. Examples of such programs are:

a. Increasing the minimum wage to a more appropriate as well as fair level.

b. The establishment of trust funds using government funds for the provision of all basic needs and services to the B40 and lower half of the M40 groups throughout the country.

These include oil, gas, low-cost housing, education, medical treatment and services, first car purchase, etc.

c. Providing much more support in terms of finance, infrastructure, skill training and access to large markets for all micro and small enterprises in the country.

d. Implementing a monthly RM500 pension scheme to all retirees aged 65 years and above from the B40 and M40 categories, who are not covered by any other form of pension scheme.

e. Taking over the management and maintenance of low-cost flats by local councils throughout the country.

f. Strengthening programs for the development, maintenance and upgrading of public facilities and housing for rural residents.

It is also very important that government parties’ representatives go to the ground both at the level of DUN and parliamentary areas and meet with the common people regularly and consistently each month.

The purpose is for politicians and bureaucrats to get feedback and complaints from the common people about their daily problems and solve them quickly and effectively.

This will automatically strengthen the bond between the common people and the government, and will most certainly increase the much-needed support for the government.

In conclusion, all government efforts and funds must be seriously prioritised towards the common people’s socioeconomic status.

This is to eradicate any of the people’s insecurities and create a more thriving and prosperous society.

This must be the government’s main focus and tactic, instead of using the other side’s tactic of championing extremism and ultra-conservatism in terms of religion and nationalism.

The other side’s tactics are extremely dangerous and will not benefit any society at all.

In terms of religion and nationalism, the government must champion the spirit of moderation clearly, and not being too liberal or too conservative.

With the implementation of measures to obtain sufficient funds as well as effective pro-people programs such as the above, support for the government will most certainly increase significantly.

(Raveen Jeyakumar is a writer who is passionate about social and environmental issues, and whose work can be found at reform-the-system.com.)