IPOH: Changes will be made to how information is disseminated to ensure the people understand the policies and programmes introduced by the government, says Fahmi Fadzil.
The Communications Minister said the government will review its plans and make the necessary changes.
“When we start a programme or a policy, the way we communicate needs to be streamlined.
“People may get information, but whether they understand it or the counter arguments by the Opposition, we need to manage this more thoroughly,” he said, adding that information disseminated on social media platforms could sometimes be taken out of context.
Fahmi said his ministry will get feedback from all relevant parties on how to better explain government policies and programmes.
“I will consider the feedback from all parties and our machinery.
“We need to ensure that feedback from the people, whether they understand a policy or not, is addressed by the relevant ministries,” he told a press conference after the opening of the National Information Dissemination Centre (Nadi) by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim here yesterday.
Fahmi was asked whether Pakatan Harapan’s defeat to Perikatan Nasional in the Sungai Bakap by-election in Penang on Saturday was due to the people rejecting some government policies.
PAS information chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari claimed Perikatan’s victory was due to the people rejecting the diesel subsidy rationalisation introduced by the government.
Perikatan candidate Abidin Ismail defeated Pakatan’s Dr Joohari Ariffin with a 4,267-vote majority, which was more than what the previous assemblyman, the late Nor Zamri Latiff, had garnered in the state election in 2023.
Abidin polled 14,489 votes while Joohari got 10,222 votes.
Fahmi said the government will look into all the factors that led to Pakatan’s defeat.
“To say it (the defeat) was due to one or several policies, we will look into it.
“We will learn from this, as mentioned by the Prime Minister, and spoken by the people through their votes,” he said, adding that Pakatan, PKR and the unity government will conduct a thorough discussion.
“We are aware that the polling date in Sungai Bakap was less than a month after the targeted diesel subsidy rationalisation was announced.
“Some of the applications to get Madani aid or fleet cards were also still being processed.
“We need to understand the pulse of the people,” added Fahmi, who is also the unity government spokesman.
