Guan Eng: People expect more from us so we'll need to work harder

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said Pakatan Harapan accepts the people's verdict in the just concluded Kimanis by-election where BN won by a 2,029-vote majority.

Despite the loss, Lim said the DAP would continue to support Shafie Apdal as Sabah's chief minister.

"I'm sure Shafie and all Harapan elected representatives will work harder. This should apply to all representatives in the country who should work harder to fulfil the people's expectations," said Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general.

"There are winners and losers in all elections, and we understand people expect more from us, we hope to fulfil these expectations as best we can," he added.

Lim said at a press conference after presenting RM100 cheques to 660 primary school children in Bagan, his parliamentary constituency.

Lim was asked to comment on yesterday's by-election results where BN's Mohamad Alamin won the Kimanis by-election.

Alamin polled 12,706 votes to the 10,677 votes garnered by Warisan's Karim Bujang.

In the 2018 general election, BN's Anifah Aman narrowly won the seat by a 156-vote majority, polling 11,942 votes.

In that election, Karim received 11,786 votes, 1,109 votes more than yesterday's by-election.

Lim said the Harapan government was working on programmes beneficial to the rakyat such as the #mykerja project where those who are jobless would be provided financial aid of RM500 monthly while RM300 monthly would be provided for employers who hire local workers.

"We are willing to dish out RM800 per month for each employee, and the government will be allocating a total RM6.5 billion for this five-year programme," he said.

Lim also mentioned the e-wallet initiative as another programme that benefits the people.

Asked if the Kimanis by-election result was an indication of Harapan's future in the coming 2023 polls, the finance minister disagreed.

"We lost in many by-elections before GE14, yet we shocked everyone, and even ourselves, when we emerged victorious in the May 2018 polls where we even managed to change the government.

"People want us to fulfil their expectations quicker, that is understandable. But in the end, do they want to choose a corrupt government as compared with a clean government?

"I think they would still choose a clean government," he said.

"Do they want to choose an incompetent government that run bankrupt states or a competent government that can still keep the economy going and ensure Malaysia does not go bankrupt.

"I'm sure they will choose a competent government that does not bankrupt the country," he added.

Lim noted when Harapan first took over the administration, people's expectations were very high, yet "things are moving".

He claimed reforms which did not happen before is happening, such as the reduction in toll rates.

Lim added that Malaysia is becoming a democracy and no longer a kleptocracy, while freedom and democratic rights are respected.

"Of course, we have to face challenges from racists and extremists. Since they have more freedom, they can also stir up more racial and religious hatred.

"This is something we have to counter with arguments, the force of logic and by results, which we want to show.

"I said it before and will say it again, the economy this year will be better as results will start showing this year," he said.

Asked if other than monetary aid, was the government planning to speed up legal reforms, Lim said: "We are still proceeding. We do encounter resistance from within the government, from some of the agencies, which we need to overcome but at least we are moving along."

On why the government can't overcome this resistance since these promises were already in Harapan's election manifesto, Lim said: "We need to make sure the implementation of these reforms is effective.

"I agree with you, but I'm not running the government. So we have to take that into account as we move forward but its a question of pace. I can feel your impatience, but we want everyone to move together."

Commenting on former Bersih chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan's (above) views that she no longer "recognise" some leaders in the Harapan government, Lim said that the government respects her views.

"That's why I said we have to work harder to fulfil people's expectations.

"Part of the reforms is that everybody has the right to express their views," he said.

Lim added that it is the people's right to demonstrate peacefully when responding to Ambiga's warning that if Harapan does not perform, a street protest would be organised. - Mkini