2020 is the year that PH will have to start delivering on the remaining 40% of PH General Election Manifesto promises in time for the next general elections in 2023 to witness institutional reforms that uphold principles of democracy and rule of law; fight corruption and establish a clean government; support a smooth transition of power; as well as better living standard for Malaysians in the economy, education, employment and healthcare.
Even though PH has delivered up to 60% of our manifesto promises, it is the remaining 40% of the promises that is most visible to the rakyat, who sees it as a test on whether this is the same party they voted for in power in the 2018 general elections and deserve another chance to continue for another term. Political parties in PH should stop their internal infighting for power, or cause political instability by continuing to question the transition of power between Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, that has already been decided by Tun Dr Mahathir will happen after the APEC Summit in Kuala Lumpur on November 2020.
For more than 40 years in opposition, DAP leaders stood firm through all the trials and tribulations to promote these reforms for a better Malaysia. Having lost our freedom, our parliamentary status even our own family’s economic welfare, whilst in opposition to pursue these ideas and ideals that benefit Malaysia, DAP leaders will never forget our members’ sacrifices to put in place what we fought for in opposition – a Malaysia belonging to all citizens regardless of race, religion, geography or demography.
To regain power the racists and religious extremists lost through corruption and economic mismanagement, UMNO and PAS leaders have targeted non-Malays and non-Muslims. Using a dangerous, divisive and destructive formula UMNO and PAS has opposed funding for vernacular schools with some even calling for it to be closed down, boycott non-Muslim products and businesses, bar non-Muslims from becoming Cabinet Ministers; dispossess Indians and Chinese the right to vote, show outright contempt for the religious practices of non-Muslims and spread vicious lies against non-Muslims that is justifiable just because they are non-Muslims.
Countering Racism, Religious Extremism And Lies With Performance
DAP and PH are being hated because we practiced moderation seeking to represent all Malaysians, not one community or one religion. Let us show our love and loyalty to the party by remembering our remarkable fighting spirit in opposition, to stand together against those who wish to destroy PH and DAP, and our country’s racial and religious harmony.
We counter the hate and threats from our opponents with compassion and good governance. Despite PAS vilification of DAP leaders, when the Kelantan state government sought financial aid from the Federal government twice, to help pay the salaries of the civil servants unpaid due to their economic incompetence, I immediately approved a loan amounting to RM192 million so that civil servants in Kelantan will continue to collect their salary.
We counter our political opponents not by being more racist or more extremist. We will not lie shamelessly like our opponents, especially Opposition Leader Ismail Sabri claiming that the halal certification has been transferred and now decided by the Finance Ministry and me. Or Bukit Gelugor Umno division chief Datuk Omar Faudzar lies that DAP is registering phantom voters from citizens in China and India, without showing any proof or that I am destroying the Malay community’s economic strength and financial livelihood by selling off government-linked companies (GLC).
Omar and UMNO leaders know very well that I have not approved the sale of government assets and that GLCs are under Khazanah Nasional Bhd, which is chaired by the Prime Minister and that I am not even a director of Khazanah. Police reports have been lodged by DAP leaders against such desperate lies, and the authorities must act to stop those inciting hatred amongst the different ethnic groups in Malaysia.
The authorities must also understand the unhappiness of the non-Malays or non-Muslims that they are unfairly targeted. The recent singing of Negaraku by primary school students in Mandarin raises questions why a full police investigation is necessary but not when Negaraku is sung in Arabic. Students were only following the textbooks issued in 2014 and used in 2015.
DAP agrees that Negaraku should only be sung in Bahasa Malaysia. Since students were given the translated text in Arabic or Mandarin, then a reminder that Negaraku be sung only in Bahasa Malaysia and not other languages is sufficient. There is no need to warrant a full police investigation. Just leave our kids alone and keep politics out of schools.
Listen More, Work Harder
We need to counter these racists and religious extremists with performance and results especially in delivering more business opportunities, more jobs, better education and an adequate health care. Increases in allocation in the
2020 Budget proves the government sincerity, including the RM6.5 billion Malaysians@Work initiative to give wage incentives to both employers and employees to create 350,000 jobs for the unemployed over the next 5 years, on top of the million jobs created by the private sector. This is part of the 2020 Budget’s RM50.3 billion incentives, grants and guarantees over 5 years to promote digitalisation by putting Malaysia back to business and Malaysians back to work.
Apart from abolishing the GST and returning RM19.4 billion of GST refunds held back by the previous administration, PH has delivered on our promises to reduce the price of petrol from RM2.20 per liter to RM2.08 per litre and also benefited more than 120,00 public transportation users by cutting their expenses with My100 monthly travel passes providing unlimited travel on all rail and bus services under RapidKL and RM50 Pas Mutiara in Penang bus and ferry services.
For Penang, we can see the record foreign investments as a result of joint efforts for the first time in history of both the Federal and state governments. When I went to the US in October, USD1.5 billion in investments from Penang were secured. Cabinet had set up a National Committee of Investments jointly chaired by both the Minister of International Trade and Industry Darrel Leiking and myself, meeting monthly to speed up approvals. I have additional good news that at our last meeting on 12 December, 4 investments valued at RM5.4 billion was approved, of which nearly half is from Penang.
Joint efforts of both the Federal and state government has seen the Penang International Airport expansion to finally be approved and also future announcements for the Penang Port under the new leadership of Sdr Jeffrey Chew. There is also a RM100 million allocation to help the state government build a new cable car on Penang Hill.
Further, in the 2019 and 2020 Budget, the Federal government has abolished the toll rates for motorcycles and reduced the toll rate for Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge or Penang Second Bridge for has been equalised with that of the First Penang Bridge to RM7 for passenger vehicles from the current RM8.50/- beginning from 1.1.2020. 2020 Budget development allocations for Penang has also increased from only RM547 million in 2017 Budget and RM608 million in 2018 Budget under BN, and RM857 million and RM980 million in the 2019 budget and the 2020 budget.
We must also make Malaysians proud of their country which is democratic and just, clean and free from corruption. PH and DAP must remind Malaysians that we are intent on delivering on our promises made in the PH 2018 General Election Manifesto, even though it may take some time due to the huge losses, caused by the financial scandals of the previous government amounting to RM150 billion.
The time has come for party leaders to be brave to stand up and be counted to explain government policies and defend the party. DAP leaders will need to listen more and work harder but we would also need to explain the steps taken to fulfil these promises. After all the PH government faces many challenges, as shown by the refusal of government civil servants to obey the directive of the Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas not to appeal against the acquittal of PKR Vice-President Rafizi Ramli by the Shah Alam High Court.