Pakatan manifesto tempting but execution doubtful
(Bernama) – The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) manifesto for 13th general election looks attractive, but there are doubts whether it is just lip service or can become reality.
Actually, some of the promises contained in the manifesto launched by PKR, DAP and PAS, today are being addressed by the administration of Datuk Seri Najib Razak towards making Malaysia a high income economy.
Various incentives listed in the PR manifesto did not describe in detail how the allocations and promises would be fulfilled.
Journalists covering the launch of the manifesto tried to get a response from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim but his reply was the same as before. The opposition leader tried to avoid giving accurate answers but claimed leakage, extravagance and corruption.
Without specifying financial resources, the PR manifesto offers every family minimum household income of RM4,000 per month after the first term (five-year) of rule from Putrajaya.
PR also claimed able to introduce a minimum wage of RM1,100 per month for employees and a Minimum Wage Implementation Fund of RM2 billion would be established to provide incentives and grants to eligible companies.
Sekretariat Orang Muda Selangor chairman Budiman Mohd Zohdi said PR should not make a conditional promise upon one term rule to ensure minimum household income of RM4,000 per month.
He slammed the Selangor government for not fully implementing minimum wage when only state government-linked companies (GLCs) enjoyed minimum wage of RM1,500 per month.
Gagasan Anti Penyelewengan Selangor (GAPS) chairman, Hamidzon Khairuddin said after five years of rule, the Selangor PR government could not afford to give RM500 to those in need much less to ensure income of RM4,000 per month.
Barisan Nasional (BN) has shown determination to aid families with household income below RM3,000 per month by giving 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) nationwide.
Moreover, he said, BR1M was not part of the BN manifesto for the 12th general election in 2008.
Hamidzon said PR should revisit its 12th general election manifesto because 80 percent of the manifesto has yet to be fulfilled.
“GAPS demands the Selangor government to fulfill the 80 percent within one month before the state legislative assembly is dissolved,” he said.
Budiman, Hamidzon and Selangor BN Coordinator Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said the people should be rational when considering the PR manifesto because Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had said the manifesto is not a promise.
“The people should consider PR’s hidden agenda despite their attractive offerings such as lower oil prices, abolishing of highway toll, National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) andso on,” Mohd Zin said when contacted.
However, the PR election manifesto does not show efforts to increase revenue but focuses on expenditure by introducing offers that are populist in nature.
“If in Selangor, promises made in the PR manifesto are not considered as promises, what will happen if they rule the country,” he added.
