KOTA BAHARU, Feb 26 – The opposition pact’s manifesto can affect national economic growth which is now growing at a rapid pace as the pledges involved significant economic implication, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin(Pic).
“All the pledges involve substantial expenditure. Secondly, it will reduce the government revenue as some taxes would be abolished, such as the reduced car prices and this will have a great impact on national revenue,” he said.
“Such financial matter is of utmost importance. For example, there are some countries in Europe that have gone bankrupt or almost bankrupt because of their failure to handle their finances well,” he told reporters after opening the programme, “Evaluation of Learning for Performance Improvement International Postgraduate Colloquium (ELPIIC2013)” here today.
The two-day colloquium was also attended by several foreign participants as well as Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose. Yesterday, the opposition pact launched 1 manifestos for the 13th general election (GE13) which included offering free education beginning from the pre-school stage right up to university level, the membership cards of the DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS to be used at any toll plaza for exemption from paying toll, as well as the reduction of excise duty for motor vehicles in stages with the purpose of eliminating them within five years.
Awang Adek said that this contrasted with the Barisan Nasional (BN) government which had been proven to be able to develop the country even when there was economic uncertainty elsewhere in the world.
“The BN government has the experience in tackling whatever situation and when other nations had to face economic pressure and submitted to the IMF (International Monetary Fund), we succeeded in overcoming it. Following this experience, we were able to boost the national economy to 5.6 per cent. This was a major success,” he said.
“I have some experience and fear the political promises made that can destroy our tradition in maintaining good management,” he added.
Meanwhile in KUALA LUMPUR, Deputy Minister of Information Communication and Culture Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz reminded the young generation not to be easily influenced by all the promises made by the opposition pact in its manifesto. He said this was because the opposition had been known to make various promises in its manifesto which were not fulfilled.
“The opposition manifestos are merely gimmicks for the 13th general election (GE13). Even from before they (opposition) said so many things but never fulfilled them. We can look at Selangor, for example, (where there are) damaged roads, clogged drains, floods and so on.
“That’s why we hope the young generation will think and evaluate before believing any manifesto made,” he told reporters after the launching of the film, Ops Kossa Dappa-3 “The Final Dappa”, here today. The opposition pact yesterday launched its GE13 manifesto which, among other things, offered free education beginning from the pre-school stage to the university level, membership cards of the DAP, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) and PAS can be used at any toll plaza for exemption from paying the toll and a business aid of RM10,000 to every entrepreneur registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
Maglin said the gimmick by the opposition pact in its manifesto also showed that they were running out of ideas in wooing the voters.
BERNAMA
