Put up or shut up, PKR tells Husni

Opposition party PKR has challenged Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah to back up his criticism of the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto with actual figures and calculations instead of just mere allegations and rhetoric.

"We challenge him to provide the data and analysis," said party Trade and Industry Bureau chairperson Wong Chen at a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.

Last week, Ahmad Husni (left) accused that the manifesto will push up the country’s deficit to 11.5 percent and increase national debt to 62.1 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

"Until today, he has not provided the figures and calculations to back up his claims," chimed in the party’s director of strategy, Rafizi Ramli, who joined Wong.

"Just by saying something and because it is reported, you expect people to buy it. (This) is the old way, it no longer works."

The enlightened public of today, argued Rafizi, requires not only pronouncements, but also the facts and figures.

"They (BN) can continue this way to their detriment," warned the director of strategy. 

He said that, as Pakatan has engaged with the rakyat with their manifesto along with the data supporting it, the discerning public now wants to hear BN's argument and see what they have to offer.

However, Rafizi (right) does not has his hopes up that the BN will come forward to constructively engage with Pakatan in a debate that is the bone of democratic contention in more mature democracies.

"It’s a waste of breath to ask them for a debate," he said.

Despite this, he hopes to see some facts and figures soon from the second finance minister, for if the BN doesn't do that, he believes that this will be detrimental to their standing with the rakyat.

Pakatan released its manifesto in February, promising a slew of popular benefit and reforms.

This was met with extreme criticism from the BN leadership whose argument were oft conclude that the Pakatan manifesto will "bankrupt" the nation.