LETTERS: The 15th General Election (GE15) is over. There's only one message to the incoming government; it's now all about improving the nation's wellbeing.
There are many things to address, the most important being the economy.
We have been advised that stability in governance will help us.
Remember that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic are still being felt.
Also the challenge has been harder due to the political instability since the beginning of 2020. Both of these issues caused a contraction in Malaysia's gross domestic product of 5.5 per cent.
This, said Future Labour Market Studies chief economist Associate Professor Dr Mohd Yusof Saari recently, had never happened since the country achieved independence.
Then there's is the small matter of rising cost of living.
We understand that the government, for a short term, gave cash aid to vulnerable groups to help them deal with their expenditure.
But the government's coffers are not unlimited. Better salary and economic conditions, including investment climate, might solve that.
The new government must also tackle rising unemployment among the youth.
Youth unemployment is said to involve more than 700,000 graduates.
The other challenge is addressing the needs of the elderly for we are going to be an ageing nation in about two decades.
Another is mental health. An estimated 15 per cent of working-aged adults had a mental disorder in 2019, said a Sept 28, 2022, report by the World Health Organisation.
It is good that there are plans to establish a national mental health care centre, apart from an increase in budget allocation for the Health Ministry.
One suggestion for us to consider is to introduce sick leave due to stress, like in the Netherlands and United Kingdom.
Other issues include taking steps to manage climate change, reduce traffic and improve the state of education
Coming back to politics, my hope is for a more positive kind of politicking.
In other words, don't just criticise, but also offer solutions.
That's why whenever people ask me whom should one vote for, I tell them to vote for someone who offers solutions.
Post-GE15, everybody must close ranks for a better 2023.
A. SAMAD
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times