PKR sees PM, DPM as cowardly bullies

They ridicule the Pakatan manifesto but won’t debate on it, says Saifuddin.

SEREMBAN: PKR has accused the Prime Minister and his deputy of cowardice for using the mainstream media to belittle Pakatan Rakyat’s election promises while backing off from debates on them.

Speaking at a PAS fund-raising dinner last weekend at Lenggeng, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail noted that neither Najib Tun Razak nor Muhyiddin Yassin had ever stood up in Parliament to challenge the Pakatan manifesto or answered any call for any debate on it.

At the same time, he added, they had never been shy of using the bullying tactic of ridiculing the manifesto through the media organisations that Barisan Nasional controls.

“Whenever I mentioned Pakatan’s offering in Parliament, neither Najib nor Muhyiddin dared to question or debate with me,” he told the cheering 2,000-strong crowd.

“But the moment they were outside, they would tell RTM or TV3 that the country would go bankrupt if Pakatan’s manifesto were to be implemented.

“Najib and Muhyiddin say we are daydreaming and making promises that cannot be fulfilled.

“But why won’t they debate with us?”

Saifuddin explained some of the Pakatan promises, telling his audience there was no fear of adverse financial implications.

“We promised to reduce the price of cars.

“Currently a Perodua MyVi sells for around RM50,000 but the actual out-of-factory price is just RM25,000. Car buyers have to pay 10% in sales tax and 90% in excise duty. That’s why the price we pay is double the original price.

“If we come to power, we will reduce the excise duty gradually to make sure buyers pay less to the bank and have some savings.

“We also promised to abolish highway tolls.

“We were told that PLUS (the concessionaire for the North-South Expressway) earns RM2 billion a year.

“The cost of constructing the expressway was around RM8 billion. So just imagine how much PLUS has already earned.

“Since PLUS is a government subsidiary, can’t the government think of to reducing the burden of the people by abolishing toll on the expressway?”

Free education

Another item in the Pakatan manifesto that BN leaders have often ridiculed is the promise to provide free education.

“It costs around RM6 billion a year to provide free education from pre-school to the university level,” Saifuddin said.

“Najib says the country will go bankrupt if we give free education.

“The government’s yearly expenditure is around RM120 billion. Would spending RM6 billion on education bankrupt us? Najib’s argument has no logic at all.”

Saifuddin said Pakatan was highly confident of winning the 13th general election.

“This time we enter the general election with a track record of successfully managing four states. None of the Pakatan leaders from Kelantan, Selangor, Penang or Kedah has been dragged to court on corruption charges.

“We have been thrifty in managing funds—no leaks and no overspending.”

He praised Kelantan Menteri Besar Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for introducing the “kifalah” insurance on funeral expenses.

“There is no strain on the state treasury,” he said. “Only 10% of the Kelantan population is made up of senior citizens, and the state pays only RM24 per year per individual for the insurance.

“Now Selangor, Penang and Kedah are following suit and will have their own ‘kifalah’ schemes for senior citizens.”