IPOH, 16 March 2009: The Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah wants people to be kept abreast of the present economic downturn and given guidance on how to deal with it.
He called for the sermons and events in mosques to assume the role of helping to deliver the right message to the people while the government machinery should focus on efforts to relieve people’s hardships.
“The economy has been forecast to undergo a long crisis. It is expected that the world economy in 2009 will contract for the first time since the Second World War,” he said at the 165th conference of the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Custom Council here today.
Raja Nazrin said the public who had lost income due to being laid off or received lower revenues due to the sharp drop in commodity prices and business slowdown should be given attention.
He hoped the government machinery would ease work procedures to speed up action and reduce bureaucracy while people’s basic necessities from the aspects of food items, homes, security, health and education should continue to be assured.
Raja Nazrin explained that global recession could reach a point where people would be forced to do whatever in order to survive.
Crimes such as snatch-theft, housebreaking, stealing and robbery were expected to rise while smuggling including of drugs and the influx of immigrants could also increase, he said.
Raja Nazrin said that in such situations, the police should focus on efforts to put crime, public order and national security under control.
He reminded political parties, non-governmental organisations and the public to sympathise and understand the heavy burden that had to be shouldered by the police.
“Extreme and excessive political activities will also add to the police’s burden,” he said. — Bernama
