Press statement by MP for Seputeh, Teresa Kok on 8 February 2021:

It’s About Time the PN Government pull up their socks and Tackle Urgent National Issues Confronting the Nation. Allow Parliament sittings and Engage the Opposition 

As an elected representative in Kuala Lumpur, I am most concerned on the Unicef report about the increase in unemployment amongst the low-income urban households, which doubled in the Klang Valley from September to December last year.  

We can safely forecast the unemployment rates to climb this year especially when the government had imposed the latest MCO and declared  emergency rule, simultaneously.

As a MP in KL, thus far, no much action has been taken with only one whereby the FT minister announced that DBKL will allow hawkers to put up stalls at any place they wished. And Tan Sri Muhyiddin announced that the government will donate 5,700 packets of rice for the poor on Federal Territory Day, on top of the various one-off handouts to the poor.  

We all know that this kind of piecemeal approach will not resolve the increase in urban poverty in Kuala Lumpur and in the Klang Valley. 

It is also an irony that there are many economic sectors in the Valley that are facing problems of shortage of workers, and these companies don’t seem to know where to recruit local workers, to fill the vacancies left by the foreign workers.    

It is high time for the government to be take a proactive stance immediately to tackle growing unemployment and urban poverty. The government must engage all stakeholders including the KL MPs and the PH state governments.

It is high time the PN government take urgent steps to improve the economic livelihood of the rakyat and move beyond its agenda of sheer political survival. 

For a start, the PN government should revoke the State of  Emergency. Undoubtedly, the proclamation of emergency rule will deter investors from investing in the Malaysia. 

I urge the PM to resume parliamentary and DUN sittings to allow elected representatives to participate in debates in reviving the economy, and to take part in issues such as unemployment, urban poverty and more.

Teresa Kok 
MP for Seputeh