Registration to the PADU initiative mooted by the Anwar administration has begun but Malaysians are voicing mixed feelings as there are those who condemn and criticise the scheme while others are paying compliments to it.

The reason for this scenario emerging is understandable as those who oppose its implementation cite the failure of the New Economic Policy of Abdul Razak, a race based affirmative action plan that backfired horribly on the people.

Those who are against PADU contend that giving handouts only breeds a dependency mentality and state that this can’t possibly be the way forward and are urging the government to instead create gainful and meaningful employment as the alternative.

But those who favour the targeted subsidies for them are grateful and thankful and believe the government is doing the right thing as it is difficult to challenge the advent of technology and automation that have displaced them at the workplace.

The unity government is aware and has been collating feedback, suggestions and ideas from the people and are accordingly fine tuning the PADU scheme to ensure that it becomes a success and not a failure.

While pundits are of the opinion that it is still very early to figure out if PADU is a scheme that is useful and beneficial, they ask for Malaysians to cooperate with the government and give it a chance to work.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE