Govt invites reps from opposition to join National Recovery Council

The government has extended an invitation to opposition politicians as well as other prominent persons from professional circles to be part of the newly announced National Recovery Council to oversee the nation’s exit from the Covid-19 crisis.

“In line with the National Recovery Plan’s approach based on the principles of collaboration, inclusiveness and the whole-of-nation, it has agreed to invite representatives from opposition parties, namely Pakatan Harapan, Warisan and Pejuang, to become members of the council,” Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said following the council’s first meeting chaired by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today.

Zafrul said representatives from the Sarawak and Sabah governments had also been invited, apart from several individuals representing a number of professions.

They include former finance minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop, former Khazanah Nasional managing director Azman Mokhtar and aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes.

Others who have been invited to contribute to the council are Star Media Group adviser Wong Chun Wai, SME Association of Malaysia president Michael Kang, former education director-general Habibah Abdul Rahim, child expert Dr Hartini Zainuddin, psychiatrist Dr Sivakumar Thurairajasingam and infectious diseases expert Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman.

The council, first mooted by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was announced by the government on July 16.

Zafrul said then that the Cabinet had also agreed to table the proposal for the council during the special Dewan Rakyat sitting on July 26.