Lower tolls, zero GST, ending racial politics among PH’s polls goodies
(The Malaysian Insight) – The aim is to dilute the power of one person to decide everything
AMBITIOUS.
That one word describes Pakatan Harapan’s reform agenda for Malaysia if it forms the next government. It believes if it manages to fix the mangled macro policies or philosophies that have influenced policy-making in Malaysia for decades, the country’s true potential will be unleashed.
For a start, it wants to dilute the powers of the prime minister. He will no longer have the sole discretion to appoint the attorney-general or inspector-general of police.
The coalition also wants to reform how laws are made. It pledges to provide free tertiary education for children from lower-income families. It wants to slash the size of the bloated Malaysian cabinet.
It wants to reduce toll charges. It wants to push for a royal pardon for Anwar Ibrahim, the opposition leader serving a five-year jail sentence for sodomy.
It will make sure that the positions of the prime minister and finance minister are held by different individuals – a move aimed at providing more check and balance in key areas of decision-making.
Saifuddin Abdullah, head of Pakatan Harapan’s secretariat, said the newly minted coalition’s policies for the first 100 days will be driven by some overarching themes, namely ending racial politics, having an independent judiciary, as well as making the executive branches of the government from federal ministries to municipal councils more accountable.
PH is made up of PKR, Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah), DAP and Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu).
“Instead of cash handouts, such as the 1Malaysia People’s Aid Scheme (BR1M), PH will introduce a regime of targeted subsidies, such as those in place in Selangor.”
“We want people to trust the country’s system again. When people trust the system, only then can we unleash their true potential,” said Saifuddin, a former deputy education minister.
