Daim said it is of no use to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government to have a good policy if it could not be implemented due to a lack of cooperation from government officials.
He pointed out that every policy made by the government would eventually be implemented by the officials.
“What is important is the execution. There is no use coming up with a good policy if the execution is poor. At the end of the day, we want to see results.
“We want the policies we formulate to achieve the desired results, so there must be faith in government officers. They are the ones who will implement them.
“So we meet up with them. Ministers need to work with government officers and explain to them that these are the policies of the new government, and that it is their duty to execute them,” he said in an interview with Astro Awani tonight.
In the interview, Daim jokingly said that he was fortunate enough to “live a long life” and go through three economic downturns.
Daim, who headed the Council of Eminent Persons (CEP), was referring to previous economic crises which occured in 1985, 1997 and 2008.
Meanwhile when asked about his views being seen as overriding the Cabinet’s decisions, he dismissed it as mere perception.
Daim said while many viewed him as an economic expert, he would rather not be regarded as one.
“I am not an economic expert but I do have enough experience.
“I don’t have power to decide on anything. In the end, the government makes the final call. I am only here to offer advice,” he said.
Despite his role in the CEP, Daim said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad did not have to accept the views and advice he gave.
He also denied allegations by some quarters that many early decisions of the PH government were made at Menara Ilham instead of Putrajaya.
“We were here (at Menara Ilham) when we won, yet there was no Cabinet. Dr Mahathir said it was better to have a team with experience to look into what happened during the former administration.
“Dr Mahathir wanted to be quick, so after careful consideration, we handed our recommendations over to the prime minister. So that is why it looks as though Menara Ilham were the ones calling the shots. How can that be? Only the government makes decisions,” he said.
Daim is also against “disrupting” the present Cabinet with a reshuffle.
“They have only been in the office for six months. Give them time. Don’t disturb them.
“Give them one year to sort things out,” he said.
There has been speculation that a Cabinet reshuffle may be on the cards to include newcomers such as Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim and Jeli MP Mustapa Mohamed.
When asked how can the country’s 61-year-old mindset be changed, Daim pointed to the importance of education.
“Education is the only way to change mindsets. We need to teach the children to accept knowledge, to think how to solve problems, as they will be the ones who will lead the country one day.
“Right now they cannot. All they do is memorise and reproduce. If they can’t think critically, they cannot debate and solve problems logically,” he said.
He added that if Malaysia wants to be on par with the Asian region or the US and the UK, Malaysians need to have adequate knowledge to be able to compete.
“My advice for the youths today, while you can, gain as much knowledge as you can. Knowledge is the key to success. Tomorrow, when you become rich, don’t forget the poor. The poor has once helped you become rich,” he said.