A Bersatu leader has accused former finance minister Lim Guan Eng of trying to disrupt Putrajaya's efforts to strengthen the country's economy.
Bersatu information bureau deputy chairperson Dr Afif Bahardin said the Bagan MP's criticism of the government was not based on facts.
He was responding to Lim who yesterday poured scorn on International Trade and Industry Minister Azmin Ali for arguing that the emergency proclamation will inspire confidence among foreign investors instead of spooking them.
Azmin had said the emergency proclamation showed the government's seriousness in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lim said such a view was delusional, highlighting Malaysia's Fitch Ratings downgrade, the recession and high unemployment.
Backing Azmin, Afif pointed out that Bursa Malaysia rose 1.53 percent a day after the emergency proclamation.
Afif also touted the net foreign inflow of RM326.1 billion into Malaysian equities last week.
As for the downgrade by Fitch Ratings, he said it was "normal" due to the global economic downturn from the pandemic.
"It is clear that the Bagan MP is trying to confuse the people and disrupt the government's efforts to revive the economy.
"His failure to refer to facts and data also proves his failure and weakness as the previous finance minister," Afif said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Bukit Mertajam MP Steven Sim accused Putrajaya of trying to kill the country's foreign direct investment (FDI) "golden goose".
Citing the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), Sim said seven out of 11 high-value gross domestic income (GDI) projects last year were in Penang, proving that it is a primary FDI destination.
"Hence it is pure political vengeance, which did not make any good economic sense, when the Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal government cancelled four important infrastructure projects in Penang," he said in a separate statement.
He said these were the RM100 million cable car project, RM800 million airport expansion, withdrawal of guarantee an Asian Development Bank loan to develop an LRT line and the replacement of Penang's iconic ferry service.
Sim added that the PN government should wake up to the fact that multinational corporations are turning to neighbouring countries, including South Korea's Hyundai which is closing its Asia Pacific headquarters in Malaysia to move to Indonesia.
He pointed out that Malaysia was the only Asean 5 countries to have its sovereign rating downgraded.
"Now PN wants to slaughter the 'golden goose' of FDI by denying much-needed infrastructure development in Penang.
"These four projects should be reinstated immediately, or Penang and Malaysia will suffer further economic decline this year," he said. - Mkini
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