The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN Harapan, should it be installed as the new government, will implement five key policies to show it deserves the continued support of the people, said Invoke founder Rafizi Ramli.

Rafizi said “low hanging fruit” policies were those that the people could immediately relate to and benefit from.

“First, I think we really have to stabilise the ringgit, because we import a lot of foodstuffs. 

“Second, we can afford petrol subsidies and we must get back to this in the next government. We can administer the subsidies by using the MyKad to track the subsidised consumption per month.

“Third, all direct transfer types of aid, including BR1M, should be combined into a single welfare department, to centralise every necessary resource and manpower to track everything and avoid confusion,” said Rafizi at the the soft launch of his book, “Bina Semula Negara” at Empire Hotel Subang today.

Fourth and fifth were a national plan to reduce Malaysia’s dependency on imported foodstuff, and the removal of the excise duty on vehicles to lower the retail price of imported vehicles, said the Pandan MP.

The 39-year-old first-term politician said the 35% undecided voters will make up their mind when they are presented with policies that they can easily understand.

“Hardly any of them will care if you talk about the attorney-general. And not many understand the terminology to define whether the prime minister is a public servant or not.

“You have to talk about salaries and how you are going to increase their wages,” he said.

The first of a series of three books by Rafizi highlights policies to address bread and butter issues such as fair wages for all, government reforms and anti-corruption initiatives, and how to tackle the rising cost of living.

Rafizi said he believed that the policy manifestos should be released before the general election.

“Usually people say you shouldn’t release your policies before you win the general election, because others will copy it.

“But I say that if the policies (in my book) are copied today and are carried out, by whichever party, it will be a win-win situation for the people and the party.”

He said an Invoke survey carried out recently showed that 70% of Malaysians want labour market reforms. – May 14, 2017.