Nothing new about Bersama’s 12-point agenda, says Hassan Karim

 The PKR Pasir Gudang MP says several proposals mooted by Rafizi Ramli's outfit do not require a new platform.

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said the proposals outlined in Bersama’s agenda do not offer anything substantially different from the reforms promised by Pakatan Harapan.

PETALING JAYA:

A PKR MP has called Parti Bersama Malaysia’s (Bersama) 12-point agenda into question, noting that it does not offer anything substantially new from the reforms promised by Pakatan Harapan (PH).

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim said several proposals mooted by Bersama, which former PKR leaders Rafizi Ramli and Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad took over this week, did not require a new political platform.

One such proposal was the national social security system, he said.

“The present PH government can do it,” Hassan told FMT, adding that financial constraints remain a major challenge for any government implementing such programmes.

On Bersama’s aim to reduce migrant workers to 5% of the labour force, the outspoken MP said previous administrations had already recognised the need to scale down the nation’s dependence on foreign labour.

“These past governments realised it was not good for Malaysia to rely heavily on foreign workers,” Hassan said.

He cited the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 – a 10-year development blueprint introduced by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2019 – and the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as examples of government policies to address the issue.

Hassan said Rafizi helped prepare the 13MP during his tenure as the economy minister to reduce dependency on foreign workers.

The Bersama agenda unveiled by Rafizi and Nik Nazmi, the former natural resources and environmental sustainability minister, on May 17 touched on institutional reforms, universal childcare, stronger social protection, and the migrant workers’ reduction plan.

Azmi Hassan of Akademi Nusantara said the institutional reforms Bersama intends to push are not significantly different from policies already being pursued by Anwar.

He also questioned the targeted reduction of migrant workers to 5% of the labour force, saying Malaysia remains heavily dependent on foreign labour.

“Currently, migrant workers make up around 14% to 15% of the workforce. It (reducing it to 5%) seems to be a lofty ambition,” he said, adding that PH is also pushing to reduce foreign labour dependency.

Bersatu information chief Tun Faisal Ismail Aziz said Bersama had recycled PH’s earlier election promises.

“And, even then, some of the promises made in the manifesto have yet to be fulfilled,” he said.

Johor PKR chief Dr Zaliha Mustafa, meanwhile, said there is a “huge difference” between drafting an agenda and governing a country.

Zaliha said PKR will remain committed to the reform agenda championed since the party’s inception and will continue to deliver meaningful and structured reforms for the nation. - FMT