Don’t steal our manifesto ideas, PH candidate tells MCA man

The PH candidate for the Balakong by-election calls on her opponent, MCA’s Tan Chee Teong, to be more creative in his manifesto ideas

Pakatan Harapan’s candidate for the Balakong by-election, Wong Siew Ki.

BANGI: Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) candidate for the Balakong by-election, Wong Siew Ki, today hit out at her opponent, urging him to be more creative in his manifesto ideas.

Wong claimed that MCA’s Tan Chee Teong had promised, among others, to upgrade the infrastructure in Balakong and to abolish tolls if he won the by-election on Sept 8.

“Tan needs to be more creative. Don’t always steal our manifesto,” she said.

“Abolishing tolls gradually is part of PH’s manifesto, not MCA’s. As for infrastructure, we are in the process of building that. My point is, don’t ride on our manifesto,” she told reporters after a talk at a coffee shop here today.

Also present were DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah.

Works Minister Baru Bian recently said Putrajaya had suspended plans to abolish highway tolls due to the high cost of compensating concessionaires.

Baru said the government would have to fork out some RM400 billion, adding that this could only be done when the country’s finances had stabilised.

Former Employees Provident Fund (EPF) CEO Shahril Ridza Ridzuan was reported as saying that the proposal to abolish toll collection could not be finalised within 100 days as outlined in PH’s manifesto as toll restructuring was complicated since the interests of all parties must be considered.

The EPF has a 49% stake in toll highway operator PLUS Malaysia Bhd, while Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s unit UEM Group Bhd owns the remaining equity.

The Balakong seat fell vacant following the death of its assemblyman, Eddie Ng of DAP, in an accident on the Grand Saga Expressway on July 20.

The by-election on Sept 8 will see a straight fight between Wong and Tan. -FMT