Anwar defends gov't against manifesto critics

Amid criticisms over unfulfilled promises of the Pakatan Harapan's election manifesto, PKR president-elect Anwar Ibrahim said he believes the government has done its part to address many core issues related to institutional reforms.

Speaking during a press conference in Parliament, the newly sworn-in Port Dickson MP said much thought had been given to drafting Harapan's manifesto although certain promises were first curated when it was the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition.

"We had considered most of these issues and deliberated at great length over the manifesto.

"I cannot claim any credit because I was just assisting in a limited way when I was in prison.

"But the key components of the manifesto were actually decided and taken from the earlier Pakatan Rakyat manifesto," Anwar said when asked for comments on the backlash triggered by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks opposing the abolitionof highway tolls.

"The stark realities do demand that we re-look and take stock of the current situation," he stressed.

Anwar said it was also "not quite right" to say that the people were entirely unhappy with the government as they could see that progress has been made in other areas of the manifesto.

"What are the core issues? The issue of governance, the issue of anti-corruption, abuse of power...

"That to me are the core issues that this government must uphold," he said.

Asked for his views on the upcoming Harapan's maiden federal budget, Anwar said he notes the challenges faced by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng given the financial constraints.

"Of course, he (Lim) empathises with the concerns of the people, and that is most important to me.

"I have seen his discussions, how he appreciates fully the concerns, difficulties, economic problems faced by the people," he said.

At the same time, he said Lim and the government have to deal with the actual prevalent economic realities and financial constraints, in drafting the upcoming Budget 2019.

Lim had previously cautioned that Budget 2019 would be a difficult one for the government, as it is in the process of fixing its fiscal finances.

-Mkini