What PK promises, BN has already delivered.

 

Malaysian Review

Puvan Marimuthu



A close examination of PK's election Manifesto will reveal that 80  per cent of its promises have already been fulfilled--by the BN Government. The remaining 20 per cent are non--deliverables.  We shall soon see why.



Let's look at PK's promises one by one.



1. To create one million jobs in the agricultural, construction and service sectors...
There are currently 1.58 million foreign workers in these sectors.  If locals are willing to take over their jobs, there will already be 1.58 million vacancies.

2.  To implement a minimum wage of RM1,100 a month.

The BN Government has proposed a minimum wage of RM900 a month in Peninsular Malaysia. Some SMEs are resisting this because they say they will be adversely affected. If the market cannot afford RM900, can it afford RM1,100?

3.  To set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry to improve the education system.

The BN Government has been regularly reviewing the education system to meet the demands of the domestic market as well as to face the challenges of globalisation.  Remember the major study called the Razak Report?  And now, there is the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025.

4. To break up the monopoly in the services sector by setting up an Anti-Monopoly Commission and to revamp existing law in regard to competition in order to stop unfair trade practices.

These matters are already well covered in Competition Act 2012

5. To dissolve 1MDB in order for Khazanah Nasional Bhd to remain as the sole body in charge of overseeing the nation’s investments.

This PR proposal contradicts No. 4 above.

6. To reduce the price of petrol, diesel...

Over the years, petrol and diesel prices have been revised, mostly downwards, in line with the movement of world oil prices.  More recently, prices were slashed in 2008 and in 2012.

7. To abolish tolls eventually.

Tolls have already been abolished in some major roads in Kuala Lumpur and elsewhere.  More will be considered at the end of the concession periods.

8. To revamp the National Automotive Policy to lessen the people’s burden by getting rid of the excise tax and to ensure that the lowest car price will be RM25,000.

The BN Government has already announced the gradual reduction in car duties from Japan and Australia.  This will lead to cheaper cars.  But it is not realistic to lower the price of the cheapest car to RM25,000.  What is more relevant is to view the cost of transportation, which includes also the cost of fuel, road tax, insurance and other costs. If all these costs are taken into consideration, Malaysia ranks as among the lowest cost of transportation in Asean.

9. To abolish PTPTN (student loans) with the public university fees being borne by the government and a cost-of-living allowance will be given to each and every student.

If implemented, Malaysia will be the first country in the world to go bust for providing tuition-fee-less education in public universities. Free university education will also lead to a host of undesirable socio-economic consequences.

10. To stop the implementation of the AES (Automated Enforcement System).

The AES is another initiative to ensure road safety.  Abolish it and all motorists and passengers in school buses, stage buses, taxis, motor cycles and in private cars will continue to be held to ransom by reckless drivers.

11. To revamp the share structure in Felda Global Ventures (FGV) with the aim of returning the operations and landownership of Felda lands to the Felda settlers and Felda staff.

It was the Alliance/ BN Government that started the Felda scheme and its was the same government that has been shepherding the settlers and their families all these years.  Their interests have always been of paramount concern, and it will continue to be so in the future.



12. To ensure a monthly household income of RM4,000 within the next five years

The BN Government  has done better.  It has achieved a RM5,000 income per household per month in March 2013



13. To free the civil servants from being in the grip of their political masters and provide them with a good remuneration package in order to attract the best talent into the civil service.

Civil servants in Malaysia, like their counterparts in the rest of the world, serve the Government of the day.  The BN government has periodically been increasing the salaries of civil servants with a view to attracting the best talents.  Salaries were further adjusted this month.



14.  To implement Bersih’s eight demands, automatic voter registration at age 21 and to clean up the electoral roll within 100 days in power.

This is the responsibility of the Election Commission which is an independent body, answerable only to Parliament.  The Commission will continue to serve the public, whichever government is in power. It has already met most of Bersih's implementable demands.



15. To free the national institutions such as the Judiciary, Attorney-General’s Chambers, MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) and the police force from being in the grip of politicians.

Only government agencies entrusted with oversight duties to ensure strict separation of powers and jurisdiction can do this.  These agencies will be staffed by the same people, under BN or under any other government.



16. To ensure that Parliament is the voice of the people to check and balance the Executive powers. To set up Parliamentary Select Committees for important sectors ... to increase the effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of programmes and projects.

There are already in place many checks and balances such  as  provided by the Auditor-General and Public Accounts Committee( PAC) which perform these tasks.



17.  To abolish laws that curb media freedom.

The BN government has already amended the Printing Presses Act. There is no such thing as complete media freedom anywhere in the world.  All media are subject to the same laws as those that apply to the ordinary citizens, eg defamation, sedition, natural security, and official secrets.

On the other hand, the degree of freedom enjoyed by the social media is unprecedented. Some of them, especially those aligned to the opposition, are often licentious.



18. To abolish the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) within 100 days in power.

Contentious clauses in the Act have been amended, freeing students to participate in politics. Why abolish the other provisions of the Act continue to serve a purpose?



19. To review and revamp or abolish all laws that are against the principles and spirit of justice and people’s freedom within the first year in power.

There are no such laws in existence.  In a democracy, all laws in the statute books are those passed by Parliament which represents the will of the people.  So, if Parliament passes a Bill, its because it is in the interest of the large majority of society.They all fall  within the principles and spirit of justice and people's freedoms.  In fact, so was the ISA. The ISA was meant  to protect the people against the enemies of the state.  So, there was nothing wrong with the law, but there could have been excesses.  That is not the fault of the law.  That was the fault of enforcement or interpretation. Of course, these excesses should be curtailed. But that is a moot point, since the ISA has now been abolished.



20. To release all ISA (Internal Security Act) detainees and a public apology be tendered by the government.

And jeopardise national security, and open the door for another Lahad Datu-type national security threat? No way!  Over the years, the ISA has kept us safe. Releasing ISA detainees is like releasing criminal and terrorist elements into society, jeopardising public safety. This will be an act of utter irresponsibility.  It would have been reasonable however to promise to review the cases of those currently detained under the Act.