KHAIRY IS RIGHT: AS BERSATU MAKES SLOPPY EXCUSES, THE BURNING QUESTION IS WHY DID MAHATHIR & OTHER HARAPAN BIGWIGS SIGN MANIFESTO ‘DRAFTED FROM VAGUE DATA’

KUALA LUMPUR – Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin today questioned Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) ability to fulfil the promises it had made in its election manifesto following a lack of decision on the deferment of study loan payments by National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) borrowers.

Asking if PH had made the promises “without thinking”, Khairy said the education ministry’s reply in the Dewan Rakyat today that it was still studying the matter was disappointing.

Speaking to reporters at the Dewan Rakyat lobby, he noted that PH had only a month left in its 100-day timeframe for fulfilling its pledges.

“This shows that they made the promise without thinking about it properly,” he added.

In its manifesto for the May 9 general election, PH promised to allow PTPTN borrowers earning less than RM4,000 a month to defer repayments.

Khairy said this was an important promise as the people had voted for PH based on its election pledges.

“We should ensure that PH can fulfil its promises,” he said, adding that it would otherwise be unable to inspire confidence among the people. – FMT

Pakatan manifesto drafted from vague data, says Bersatu man

PAKATAN Harapan had difficulty drafting part of its election manifesto due to a lack of access to information and the country’s financial data, Bersatu supreme council member Wan Saiful Wan Jan said.

He admitted today that as a result, the new government was facing an uphill task in implementing the first core of promises related to easing the people’s burden.

Wan Saiful, who drafted Buku Harapan, said unlike the remaining four, the first core was formulated without having complete information from the previous government.

“The costing part couldn’t be done (for the first core) because we didn’t have the data. The rest are okay because it’s institutional reform, formulated based on studies done by so many different people, published papers, journals and various different reports.

“For example when I drafted the manifesto, I had no idea how many PTPTN (National Higher Education Fund) borrowers earned under RM4,000 monthly and when I asked PTPTN now, even they themselves don’t know (the figures),” he told reporters after attending a Universiti Malaya’s Centre for Democracy and Elections Seminar on ‘Pakatan Harapan Manifesto: Is it a real change?’

The pledge to let PTPTN borrowers earning less than RM4,000 a month defer repayment was one of 10 promises to be fulfilled within the first 100 days.

In its Buku Harapan, PH promised to implement 60 pledges that are spread out over five core sections: reduce the people’s burden, institutional and political reforms, spur sustainable and equitable economic growth, return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded in Malaysia Agreement 1963 and create a Malaysia that is inclusive, moderate and respected globally.

“I think everyone is still working on implementing them, the challenges are big and I’m only handling one of the promises.

“The adjustment (to the first core) really needs to be done and I think the prime minister is doing exactly that.

“Many of his statements lately have shown that he is aware of these challenges,” Wan Saiful, who is special advisor to the education minister said.

He is also PTPTN chairman. Wan Saiful had contested the Pendang parliamentary seat in Kedah in GE14 but lost.

He also admitted that the first 10 promises from the first core were populist in nature, but this had to be done in order to implement bigger reforms the country needed.

Among the 10 promises made under the first core are: Abolish the goods and services tax (GST), abolish tolls, targeted petrol subsidies, reduce young people’s burden, and increase the number of affordable housing units.

“We have to accept the reality that there are promises that cannot be implemented.

“The mindset now is still about implementing everything but it’s very important now to acknowledge that there were restrictions when we drafted (the manifesto) and maybe there are things that we have to admit we cannot implement,” he said.

Wan Saiful also urged the PH government to set a new precedent by allowing opposition parties access to latest government data ahead of the 15th general election.

“If we want a mature democracy, we cannot repeat what Umno and BN have done to us before this. If they want to write their manifesto, they should be given the access.

“And some sort of ethical code needs to be developed to ensure they get the access.”

– https://www.themalaysianinsight.com