Holes in Pakatan manifesto

PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Rakyat manifesto has excluded certain promises, including DAP’s call to hold local government polls and for politicians to declare their assets.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the manifesto did not mention local government elections although the DAP planned to bring the Federal Government to court over the right to hold the polls.

“They also talk about asset declaration but it is not in the manifesto either,” Dr Chua said in a statement yesterday.

He said the Opposition’s manifesto marginalised the Indians and the disabled as there was nothing for them.

“Compare this to what Barisan Nasional has done for the Indians, such as allocating RM100mil for Tamil schools and setting up a special quota for Indians to study in matriculation colleges and polytehnics.”

He said there was no promise to build more Chinese independent schools.

“Pakatan only promised RM220mil for all vernacular schools, mission schools and religious schools, whereas under Barisan, everybody gets RM100mil a year, and they have been receiving it since last year.”

Dr Chua said the projected economic growth of 7% was “highly optimistic”.

He also questioned how Pakatan was going to fund all its promises as it would cost RM200bil.

On Feb 25, Pakatan revealed its common manifesto which, among others, promises to increase the monthly household income to at least RM4,000 within its first term.

In LABIS, Dr Chua also warned the Chinese to be wary of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim becoming the Prime Minister.

He said the Chinese community’s views about Anwar had been coloured by the DAP, which had done a great job of promoting and packaging the Opposition Leader.

“He (Anwar) projected himself as a Malay hero with a strong Islamic foundation while in Umno,” he said during a meeting with villagers at Chaah yesterday.

He said DAP was among those that strongly criticised Anwar then.

“However, its stand on Anwar changed completely when he quit Umno and joined the Opposition.

“Anwar has now become clean to them and is now the right man for the Prime Minister’s post.”