Nevertheless, the threat posed to the government by the widespread unrest that has followed should not be underestimated. The political crisis which followed the sacking of Ibrahim last year is widely believed to be also, in part, a consequence of the economic crisis that swept through the region in 1997. The Malaysian people too have begun to voice their worries about the climate of unrest. In such a context, the government may well have to revise its strategy, as it attempts to settle both the economic and the political crisis simultaneously. According to Azman, however, the government's major concern remains the welfare of the country.
Economic recovery needs fundamental political stability, which depends on many factors.