‘Country’s fate in your hands’

 

(The Star) - MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that with the general election coming, the people should know what was best for the nation and endorse leaders who had been able to steer the economy away from uncertainties.

Although Malaysia's economic fundamentals are backed by strong reserves and the country is free of any debt crisis, the present Government needs the mandate to rule for the next five years to ensure continuous growth.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said that with the general election coming, the people should know what was best for the nation and endorse leaders who had been able to steer the economy away from uncertainties.

He added that the Government was optimistic that 2013 would be another good year and experts, both local and foreign, had vouched for this.

“Several sectors of the economy, such as construction, tourism and manufacturing, are expected to continue to do well despite the economic uncertainties in many parts of the world.

“But despite the good indicators, the country's destiny is in your hands,” he said at the Air Kuning Kim Lan Association annual dinner on Wednesday night.

Dr Chua said the Government had introduced sound policies to ensure the nation registered a growth of 5% last year, at a time when many developed nations in Europe as well as the United States were experiencing problems.

“This goes to show that the Government's well thought out economic transformation programmes have yielded results and we expect the coming years to be good as well,” he said.

Dr Chua said the Opposition was not capable of managing the nation as they neither had the experience nor the ability to do so, and the fact that they were constantly at loggerheads with one another was also detrimental to the people's wellbeing.

“Until today, the Opposition has been unable to produce a convincing and comprehensive economic and social development plan for the nation.

“Whatever they propose such as abolishing the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) and giving every household RM4,000 a month will bankrupt this country in a matter of months,” he said.

Citing another example, Dr Chua said some PAS leaders were against non-Muslims using the word “Allah” but there were others in the party who said Islam allowed this.

“The Opposition has been raising petty issues to hide their own weaknesses. They have been unable to even agree on who would be their choice of Prime Minister.

“Such uncertainties will be bad for business,” he said, adding that investors would shy away from Malaysia as there would be no political stability.

“The first to be affected would be the businessmen, especially the Chinese,” he said.

Dr Chua said some Malaysians might be impressed with the promises made by the Opposition but they should do their homework to see if these could be realised.

“Has any of you given a thought where Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will get the money to fund the programmes he has promised to carry out if they are elected?” he said, adding that the Opposition's proposal to abolish PTPTN scheme alone would cost taxpayers RM43bil.

Dr Chua later donated RM10,000 to the Air Kuning Kim Lan Association while Tampin MP Datuk Seri Shaziman Abu Mansor gave another RM5,000 to enable the body to carry out its programmes.