The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN Harapan will enjoy tremendous support for at least two more years even if it fails to meet the promises in its manifesto, said Khairy Jamaluddin. 

The opposition Rembau MP said PH could rely on public goodwill to get over its inability to fulfil the 10 promises of its first 100 days. 

“Even though they are not be able to fulfil 10 out of 10 (promises) and therefore they have not met the KPI in the first 100 days. I think they will still enjoy a tremendous amount of goodwill from the Malaysian public. 

“When you contextualise that with the choice that they have – PH or Barisan Nasional – I think they’re willing to give PH the benefit of the doubt, and that will be the case for at least the next year or two. 

“There will be a lot of goodwill and a lot of leeway given, simply because it’s a new government. Simply because BN was in government for a long time before it,” Khairy told The Malaysian Insight in an interview.

PH yesterday marked 100 days in Putrajaya.

The former Umno Youth chief said Putrajaya would employ a lot of “optics” to make Malaysians think they had made the right choice in the 14th general election.

Khairy said these include stunts like seizing RM1 billion yacht the Equanimity and hauling former prime minister Najib Razak to court.

“Crucially, a lot of ‘optics’ will take place in the next 12 months to remind people, optically and psychologically, why they voted for PH in the first place. 

“And even if they screw up along the way, which they will because no government gets it 100% right, they will be able to continuously refer to (the reasons Malaysians voted for PH) “

The former youth and sports minister warned the new occupants of Putrajaya not to cancel the previous administration’s initiatives out of spite but to focus instead on making Malaysia a more progressive economy. 

“What has been happening over the past 100 days? There have been outflows, the ringgit has not strengthened, the composite index has been lacklustre. 

“They’ve not really convinced the economic and investment community.

“But at the end of the day, it is not about giving subsidised petrol and abolishing GST, it’s most importantly about growing the economy because that’s how Malaysia works. Malaysia is an open economy, Malaysia is an economy that depends on the private sector as a key engine of growth.”

BN lost power after 60 years when Dr Mahathir Mohamad led PH to victory in the May elections. 

PH has delivered most of its 10 promises in the first 100 days, which include abolishing the goods and services tax and stabilising fuel prices. – August 18, 2018.