The Malaysian Insight

THE rising cost of living was the chief topic of the Jelajah Semarak mega ceramah in Bertam, Kepala Batas in Penang, as opposition leaders addressed the issues close to the people’s hearts.

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng spoke about the economic growth that was little felt by regular folk.

The Malaysian economy is reported to have grown by 5.8% in the April to June quarter, from the year before.

“The economic growth means little to the people because of the financial pressure faced by the people is even higher than the growth itself,” said Muhyiddin, who was sacked as deputy prime minister by Prime Minister Najib Razak in 2015.

He said he had personally spoken to traders and hawkers, who had complained about the cost of living and how difficult it was to do business.

“I had visited markets, spoken to hawkers, traders, and shop owners. They say it is tough. Goods are expensive. Sales are down. The ringgit is down, so devalued that the Thais won’t take it anymore.”

Muhyiddin said he recently visited a night market in the other Kepala Batas in Kubang Pasu, Kedah, and heard from traders how they were unhappy with the rising cost of living that had reduced the people’s spending power.

“A trader asked me when is the next election. He was upset that he could not sell his produce. He said people were struggling with rising costs.

“Another trader who sold imported coconuts from Indonesia at RM3 each told me he could not sell at a lower price because of the currency exchange rate.

“Maybe you don’t see the link between these issues and the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal. You don’t see how this crisis and financial scandal – the worst ever in the world – is linked,” he said at the ceramah attended by a few thousand people at the Seberang Prai Municipal Sports Complex.

The opposition has been using the 1MDB scandal to attack the BN administration under Najib, who allegedly received funds siphoned from the sovereign fund in the billions.

Muhyiddin said the impact on the nation’s economy was huge, as the government could not pay its 1MDB debt and the national debt that had reached almost RM1 trillion.

“When Dr Mahathir was PM, I think the national debt was under RM200 billion. But under Najib who has ruled for a few years, the debt is almost a trillion. 

“Just imagine how many years the government will take to pay off the debt with interest – even at 2% to 3% a year. In the end, the people will shoulder this burden,” he said.

Muhyiddin also said the country’s finances was in bad shape as the government announced subsidy and budget cuts, affecting civil servants; and new ways of collecting revenue from the people.

Among the examples he cited were the scrapping of allowances for trainee teachers and the new RM1 levy to be charged on air travellers departing Malaysian airports as early as next year.

Muhyiddin said if the government was honest and administered the state based on the people’s will, rejected corruption and other abuses, refrained from stealing the people’s money, surely Malaysia could change.

“These problems can be solved. Give Pakatan a chance when the election comes. Our programmes to help the people are ready. We will also unveil our manifesto soon.

“The combined years of experience in government Pakatan has is more than the years they (BN) have over there,” he said.

Lim also spoke about the cost of living, promising to do away with the goods and services tax (GST) within 100 days of Pakatan rule, should the opposition managed to take Putrajaya.

“They said our economy in the second quarter expanded 5.8% (from a year earlier). The government says it is good, but I ask you (the people) if things are good. Is business good?” he said and was answered by a resounding “no” from the audience.

“How can things be good when there is GST? The tax only saved Najib, not the country,” the DAP secretary-general said.

Earlier, PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Malaysians merely wanted good and affordable healthcare services, quality education, job opportunities, affordable homes, security, and unity among the races.

He said racial politics should no longer have a place in Malaysia, attracting cheers.

Also present were DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, Penang Bersatu chief Marzuki Yahya and dozens of Bersatu central and state leaders. – August 19, 2017.