Muyiddin asks PM Anwar if Pakatan's GE15 manifesto just rhetoric

KUALA LUMPUR, March 6 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today challenged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to admit that Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) manifesto is just rhetoric.

He claimed that almost all of PH’s promises in the manifesto have not been fulfilled or spoken about in Budget 2023.

“I found that the entire presentation of Budget 2023 offered by the PH-BN (Barisan Nasional) coalition government has yet to comprehensively work on a clear direction to restore the country’s economy more effectively.

“I made a comparison of Tambun’s (Tambun MP Anwar) Budget with the PH manifesto, there are promises in the manifesto that were not fulfilled or spoken about at all in Budget 2023.

“It’s sufficient that I only have to mention a few primary promises. Firstly, the equal allocation for all MPs, there is none; secondly, the government’s commitment to eliminate cartels in the food industry and basic needs, overwhelming profiteering activities, there is none,” Muhyiddin told the Parliament during his debate speech on the Budget 2023 today.

He also listed a few other promises PH made in its manifesto is not there including education — such as the targeted debt cancellation programme specially targeted for the poor and B40 (bottom 40 income group) households.

“Introduction of B40 (bottom 40 income group) scholarship programmes and additional funding for the free breakfast programme, it’s not there.

“These were all not spoken about in the presentation of Budget 2023 maybe to Tambun is not important.

“I want to ask if Tambun dares to admit that the promises in the PH manifesto are just rhetoric. What about the manifestos in other parties in the unity government?” he said.

He added that promises that were not fulfilled included those made in BN’s manifesto such as the basic income assistance scheme where the government said it would make an automatic credit top-up to all household accounts that earn less than RM2,208.

“That was in their (BN) manifesto. Maybe it’s not applicable anymore now,” he said.

He added that there was no mention of a solution to issues related to the cost of living in the Budget 2023 tabling and that it was regrettable since the rakyat’s primary wish was for the government to immediately solve the cost of living problems that are worsening.

“That should have been first on the list for the Prime Minister and the government.

“But it looks like Tambun has taken the ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude towards rakyat’s cost of living problems.

“I was told that the cost of the living task force, had its last meeting on December 13, but until now there is no meeting.

“If they were serious, they should have held a meeting every two weeks once, that would show their seriousness, but there is none. So the rakyat is waiting, but there is no answer,” Muhyiddin stressed.

Speaking about Felda settlers, the Bersatu Pagoh MP said he was disappointed with the government of the day for discontinuing efforts to cancel a portion of the settlers’ loans amounting to RM8.3 billion.

“I’m disappointed that the initiative which was introduced by the PN government has been discontinued by the government of the day based on an excuse that it would affect Felda’s cash flow.

“I don’t think the debt cancellation initiative that was done by the PN government gives a huge impact on Felda’s cash flow, because these debts are old debts.

“When it was not paid, there was no cash flow anyway back in the day. On top of that, Felda has published a RM9.9 billion worth of sukuk (Islamic bonds), that we guaranteed during our time in the government.

“This is still in place, so if there is no revenue, there is still the sukuk that we approved back then,” he said.

It was reported on October 28, 2020, in a statement by then Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, that the Cabinet had agreed to approve the proposed issuance of Felda’s sukuk worth RM9.9 billion with government guarantees for Felda’s recovery plan.

“So I don’t understand why part of the Felda settlers’ debts was cancelled, then now when they say it cannot be cancelled, and there are some not resolved, isn’t this persecuting the settlers?” he said.

He added that the Budget 2023 also did not touch on Felda settlers’ other problems, including housing for the next generation and other problems.

“Could it be that in the 15th general election (GE15), a big majority of all the Felda settlers supported PN?

“But I want to remind (the unity government) don’t persecute them, they are human beings and are facing hardship. Why do these kinds of things?”

In the GE15, PN managed to wipe out almost all of BN’s strongholds and some of PH’s safe seats.