'To win GE15, Harapan gov't must focus on developing east coast economies'

AMANAH AGM | The Pakatan Harapan government must prioritise the economic development of the east coast states if it wants to win the next general election, a Kelantan Amanah delegate said at the party's national convention today.

The delegate, Wan Shah Jihan Wan Din, said there had been an imbalance between the economic development of the west coast territories and the east coast.

"When the economy is weak, I believe the rakyat cannot think maturely... they will not get access to the correct information and will be swayed more easily by religious rhetoric.

"But when they get a better share of the economy, I believe that they will become more open. Because we want to bring the party towards being more open and transparent, but if the people do not understand, it makes it harder for us to bring such abstract concepts to them," he told Malaysiakini.

Earlier, during the debate on the Amanah president's policy speech, Wan Shah Jihan told delegates and the party leaders that Harapan should focus on bridging the economic gap within the country.

This, he added, included the gap between the rich and poor, the maju and mundur (the advanced states and those left behind in development), and the gap between the east and west coasts.

Citing data from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, Wan Shah Jihan said Kelantan was the worst-performing among east coast states in regard to attracting investment, as it only received one project worth RM3.7 million last year.

"And it is the same case with the overall number of workers, where the total number from all east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang, plus Perlis, only makes up 12 percent of the nation's total workforce.

"The only thing that the east coast states is champion at is the number of drug addicts," he said.

"...If we look at the results of the last election, the states that Harapan lost were Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perlis. And if we want to improve the country's economy, we must focus on the economy of these states.

"If Harapan wants to win in the 15th general election, the economic development of these states must be put at the forefront," Wan Jihan added.

Amanah’s national convention is being held this weekend at the Casuarina Hotel in Ipoh, Perak. - Mkini