It was a refreshing change to see Isham Jalil step away from his usual political commentary and return to economics — after all, economics is his actual vocation.  As an economics graduate from an Ivy League university in the United States, a former civil servant, and a former officer in the Prime Minister’s Department, one would expect him to be most comfortable discussing fiscal policy rather than engaging in personal attacks and political polemics. Political blogger Jepry Jaws once contrasted Isham with Nurhisham and observed that much of Isham’s public commentary tends to revolve around political attacks, emotional narratives, and one-sided arguments. Unfortunately, despite his prominence on social media, his political influence remains limited. He has yet to demonstrate significant electoral appeal, having struggled even at the party grassroots level. Perhaps that is why his recent appearance on Shamsul Akmar’s Khabarnya podcast was particularly interesting. For once, Isham ...