KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — The Opposition has proposed the formation of a Special Cross-Party Committee to scrutinize the shortfalls in achieving the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12) targets and to develop more effective implementation strategies for the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13) and future national development plans.
Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin said the committee should comprise Members of Parliament from both the government and opposition to ensure transparent and objective monitoring of national policy implementation. This, he said, would allow for the identification and rectification of current policy weaknesses.
“During the tenure of the Member of Parliament for Tambun (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) as Prime Minister, the aggregate GDP growth from 2023 to 2025 stands at only around 4.3 percent, which is below the minimum RMK12 target of 4.5 percent.
“For example, GDP growth was only 3.6 percent in 2023, followed by 5.1 percent in 2024, and as of the first half of 2025, growth is hovering around 4.4 percent,” he said while debating the RMK13 performance report in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday.
Hamzah said these figures clearly indicate that the current government has fallen short of RMK12 targets, especially when compared to the performance under the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) administration.
“In 2021 and 2022, during PN’s administration, the aggregate GDP growth was 5.9 percent, surpassing RMK12’s maximum target of 5.5 percent. This was achieved through accurate policy decisions and well-structured economic stimulus packages introduced by the government at the time,” he stressed.
Hamzah urged the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers to uphold transparency and accountability by not merely making statements but by ‘walking the talk’ and explaining the actual performance of RMK12 to the public.
“The government must come forward with a clear and transparent explanation to the people, and at the same time, a cross-party committee must be established to thoroughly monitor the performance gaps and address the weaknesses in policy implementation,” he added.
Separately, Hamzah also called on the government to explain the compromises made during recent tariff negotiations with the United States.
He reaffirmed PN’s stance that Malaysia must trade with dignity, defending the nation’s interests and sovereignty despite any external pressure.
“The ongoing trade war between global superpowers demands that we remain cautious in every action and statement. As a trading nation, if we fail to position ourselves wisely, we risk being sidelined at the negotiating table — becoming nothing more than pawns in the geopolitical games of the major powers,” he warned.
— Agency
