KUALA LUMPUR: The opposition and critics have been told to wait until the new government completes 100 days in office before bombarding it with "valid" criticism.
Political analysts agree that the first 100 days would be the best period to evaluate the performance of the unity government.
Political analyst Associate Professor Dr Azmi Hassan told the New Straits Times that it was too early to judge the cabinet's performance.
"A hundred days is a good benchmark to assess their performance, to see which ministries and ministers have contributed to the country.
"In the next few days, the ministers should put out what they would like to achieve by then.
"For instance, (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Law and Institutional Reform Datuk Seri) Azalina (Othman Said) could table a bill for political funding.
"If these targets are made public, then we can evaluate their (ministers') performance."
Another political analyst, Dr Ainul Adzellie Hasnul, also proposed a 100-day benchmark for the cabinet.
He said the government could also set mid-term and end-term goals.
"The key performance index is also one way to evaluate the performance of the ministers.
"(But) the best time to evaluate their progress in governing the country should be after 100 days."
The unity government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been facing criticism from the opposition.
Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin labelled the cabinet line-up as the most disappointing in the nation's history.
This followed the appointment of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as one of two deputy prime ministers.
Zahid is facing corruption charges.
Associate Professor Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya said the criticism was a reaction of the opposition's disappointment, which did not obtain the necessary support to form the government.
He said the opposition could not move past its disappointment and had resorted to sentimental criticism.
"He (Zahid) was made the target of the opposition's anger because the opposition's attempt to form a government through individual statutory declarations failed.
"The opposition's criticism is more sentimental than constructive, which is based on facts and arguments." By Mohamed Basyir