Newly-minted Prime Minister Ismail Sabri has wasted no time to be quick off the mark and to get down to business realizing that not only Malaysians but the international community at large is watching how he represents graft-tainted UMNO.

But Ismail Sabri has immediately reassured Malaysians that soon the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia will be brought under control and a reopening of the economy will mean being able to ‘balik kampung’, having inter-state travel and promoting domestic tourism.

Malaysians however don’t share his gushing enthusiasm and have a wish list for him. While they welcome his initial positive announcements the rakyat are aware of the ground realities and how it is like on the shop floor.

This is why their wish list for him douses the enthusiasm and exuberance and is replaced with the stark reality that there is widespread poverty, diseases are raging not just the coronavirus but heart diseases, dengue, cancer that have resulted in many premature deaths.

Unemployment is at runaway levels and finding meaningful, profitable work is so hard to come by for many while for many others the hunger pangs are unbearable and they have had to appeal for financial, food and aid in the form of household supplies.

The wish list of Malaysians include managing climate change, especially global warming in Malaysia and the fact life has become a misery and a burden for many that they feel the Prime Minister has a tall order to fulfill.

Ismail Sabri and his cabinet has an unenviable task of getting the nation back on track and there are many wishes by Malaysians but the present state of affairs of this country should suffice to give politicians ample work to do to fulfill our wishes.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE