Isnin, 8 April 2013

Anwar Ibrahim

Anwar Ibrahim


Jelajah Pakatan Harapan Rakyat & Pengumuman Calon Wilayah Persekutuan Oleh Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Posted: 08 Apr 2013 04:10 AM PDT

10 April 2013 (Rabu)

8.30 – 12.00 Malam

Lokasi: Padang Bolasepak Jalan Jujur, Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur
Penceramah:
i. YB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim

ii. YAB Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim

iii. YB Nurul Izzah Anwar

iv. YB Tien Chua

v. YBhg Dr Idris Ahmad

vi. YBhg Dr Tan Kee Kwong

vii. YBhg Ibrahim Yaacob

Malaysia’s Najib Unveils Poll Manifesto Similar to Anwar’s

Posted: 08 Apr 2013 04:08 AM PDT

bloomberg.com

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak pledged to fight corruption, bring down living costs and build a pan-Borneo expressway if his coalition retains power in elections due in a matter of weeks.

These were all policies mooted by opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim in his manifesto released six weeks earlier than the one Najib's governing National Front unveiled at a weekend rally in Kuala Lumpur. The Election Commission meets this week to set a date for polls after the prime minister dissolved parliament on April 3.

"They had the benefit of time to study our manifesto over the past month and incorporate some elements," Ong Kian Ming, a political analyst at Kuala Lumpur's UCSI University and an opposition election strategist, said by phone. "Unlike us, there's nothing in there about electoral reform. That's something a lot of people are concerned about."

In the lead-up to the polls, Najib has boosted government spending, distributed a second round of cash handouts to the poor, and raised salaries of civil servants, police and the military. He also delayed implementing a goods-and-services tax and froze plans to wind back state subsidies on essential items. The manifesto offers increased handouts for the poor, and lowered car costs and broadband fees.

"My sincere apologies to all Malaysians if we have done anything wrong," the prime minister said in a speech at the rally, broadcast live on national television. "At the end of the day, we are ordinary humans. If we are given a strong mandate, I can assure you that we will do better in the next five years."

Housing, Health

Najib promised more specialist graft courts and greater public disclosure of government contracts if the National Front is allowed to extend its 55 years of unbroken rule. Among the pledges are more affordable housing, and improved health care and transportation, including a high-speed rail link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

"A lot of the ideas have already been mooted by the opposition, like lowering car prices, cheaper Internet and a pan-Borneo highway," James Chin, professor of political science at the Malaysian campus of Australia's Monash University, said by phone yesterday. "Najib talked mostly about things that are popular with the people. He didn't give details on macro- economic issues like implementing GST and cutting state subsidies."
Worst Performer

To stay in power, Najib, 59, must see off a resurgent opposition led by Anwar, a former deputy prime minister. Brokerages including Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Citigroup Inc. expect an even closer election result than in 2008, when the National Front retained power by its narrowest margin since Malaysia's independence from Britain in 1957.

The risk of the ruling coalition losing seats in the election has helped make the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index Southeast Asia's worst-performing benchmark in 2013. The stock gauge is down 0.3 percent this year, compared with a 14 percent gain in the leading index in Indonesia and a 7 percent increase in Thailand's benchmark gauge.
The KLCI was trading 0.2 percent lower as of 9:58 a.m. in Kuala Lumpur today, while the ringgit was little changed to the dollar at 3.0564.

Najib, who inherited a country in recession when he replaced Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as leader mid-term in 2009, wants a mandate to complete his economic and government reforms started less than three years ago. He's focusing on his track record in boosting investment and improving incomes as he seeks a popular mandate for the first time.
Fighting Corruption

Malaysia's economy has shown resilience in the face of the global slowdown, expanding by more than 4 percent for each of the 13 quarters to the end of 2012, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Private investment has tripled since Najib began his economic-transformation program in September 2010, rising 25 percent last year to 139.5 billion ringgit ($46 billion), according to government data.

Almost half of the voters surveyed in a poll by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research said fighting graft is a more pressing issue for the next government than taming inflation or boosting foreign investment. The survey of 1,021 voters was conducted from Jan. 23 to Feb. 6 on the country's peninsula and had a margin of error of 3.07 percent.

While Malaysia moved to 54th from 60th place among 176 countries in Transparency International's Corruption

Perceptions Index last year, it was ranked last for bribery among 30 nations surveyed. About 3,000 executives from 30 countries were asked whether they'd lost a contract in the past year because competitors had paid a bribe. In Malaysia, 50 percent said yes, the Berlin-based advocacy group said.
Anwar's Allies

The National Front is "committed to doing much more to combat the scourge" of corruption, according to its manifesto, which emphasized its experience in government and urged voters not to "gamble away" the future.

Anwar's three-party People's Alliance opposition coalition comprises his own multiethnic People's Justice Party, the Chinese-majority Democratic Action Party, and the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which wants to expand Shariah law.
The People's Alliance won control of five of Malaysia's 13 states in the 2008 election. The National front later won back Perak state when several lawmakers defected.

The opposition currently holds 75 of 222 parliamentary seats, while Najib's alliance has 137, according to the Malaysian parliament website. Anwar predicted a minimum 10-seat majority for his alliance in a March 8 interview.

Najib's manifesto said Malaysia would seek a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council to play a greater role in regional peace, promoting moderate Islam and inter-faith harmony. A National Front government would support the establishment of a Palestinian state, and humanitarian efforts in Gaza, the West Bank, southern Thailand and Mindanao in the Philippines, it said.

KENYATAAN MEDIA: Maklumbalas Dan Analisa Manifesto Barisan Nasional

Posted: 07 Apr 2013 11:27 PM PDT

Apabila politik nasional lebih banyak berkisar kepada persoalan dan perdebatan dasar (bukannya politik perkauman, kebencian dan cacian peribadi), rakyat berpeluang untuk menilai sendiri perbandingan program ekonomi dan kerajaan yang ditawarkan oleh parti-parti politik.

 Justeru, saya menyambut baik peluncuran Manifesto Barisan Nasional dan ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk membentangkan analisa perbandingan di antara Manifesto Rakyat dan Manifesto Barisan Nasional.

 

TEMA

 

 

  • Manifesto Barisan Nasional yang bertemakan "Menepati Janji, Membawa Harapan" secara jelas dan tanpa segan silu menciplak tema "Pakatan Harapan Rakyat" yang telah lama diluncurkan oleh Pakatan Rakyat.

 

 

  • Saya mengambil pendekatan positif dan berpendapat bahawa pemikir Barisan Nasional pun menerima hakikat bahawa agenda ekonomi rakyat yang bersabit dengan penurunan harga barang, kempen #Turunkanhargakereta, pendidikan percuma, hapuskan tol dan lain-lain yang dibawa oleh Pakatan Rakyat akhirnya diterimapakai oleh Barisan Nasional.

 

 

  • Ini kerana mereka juga sedar bahawa agenda ekonomi rakyat ini telah menjadi harapan rakyat yang bakal digalaskan kepada kerajaan baru yang dipilih.

 

 

  • Oleh itu, PRU13 adalah persoalan parti manakah yang lebih wibawa dalam mengotakan harapan rakyat ini – sebab itu Barisan Nasional tidak ada pilihan kecualilah menggunakan perkataan "harapan" seperti mana Pakatan Rakyat, untuk memberi isyarat mereka juga faham dengan harapan yang telah disuarakan rakyat.

 

 

PENDEKATAN DASAR

 

 

  • Barisan Nasional kontang idea dan tidak berjaya membawa program baru. Manifesto Barisan Nasional ditulis secara umum, tanpa sasaran khusus yang boleh meyakinkan rakyat berbeza dengan Manifesto Rakyat yang jelas mekanisme, tempoh masa dan sasarannya.

 

 

  • Contohnya, apabila Barisan Nasional berjanji untuk menarik pelaburan bernilai RM1.3 trilion dan mencipta 3.3 juta peluang pekerjaan baru – mekanisme dan pelan khusus untuk mencapai sasaran ini tidak dinyatakan, berbeza dengan Manifesto Rakyat yang secara jelas menumpukan usaha menambah kemahiran pelajar lepasan SPM yang tidak melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat lebih tinggi untuk mengambil alih 1 juta pekerjaan yang kini diusahakan oleh pekerja asing. Strategi mewujudkan peluang pekerjaan yang dibawa oleh Pakatan Rakyat adalah lebih jelas, berbanding janji kabur yang dibawa Barisan Nasional.

 

 

  • Semakan ke atas keseluruhan Manifesto Barisan Nasional menunjukkan bahawa tidak ada sebarang perubahan dasar ekonomi, politik dan sosial yang akan dilaksanakan untuk mengotakan janji-janji Barisan Nasional.

 

 

  • Ini bermakna Barisan Nasional masih menggunakan kaedah dan pendekatan yang sama tetapi berharapkan keadaan menjadi lebih baik.

 

 

  • Tanpa perubahan dasar yang merubah struktur ekonomi, politik, pendidikan dan sosial negara, Malaysia akan terus bergelumang dengan rasuah, ketirisan, ketidakcekapan ekonomi, penguasaan monopoli kroni, harga barang yang ditentukan oleh pihak tertentu dan mutu pendidikan yang semakin merosot.

 

 

  • Manifesto Barisan Nasional akhirnya hanyalah senarai janji-janji tanpa membentangkan kaedah dasar dan pelaksanaan untuk merealisasikan janji-janji itu.

 

 

PERBANDINGAN PROGAM: KONTANG IDEA BARU, CIPLAK IDEA PAKATAN RAKYAT

 

 

  • Analisa terhadap janji-janji Barisan Nasional menunjukkan bahawa sebahagian besar dari janji-janji yang dimasukkan bukanlah idea baru, tetapi diciplak dari Pakatan Rakyat atau adalah idea yang sama yang kini digunakan di oleh Barisan Nasional.

 

 

  • Janji-janji berikut diciplak dari Pakatan Rakyat (walaupun pelaksanaannya tidak akan memenuhi harapan rakyat kerana tidak dilaksanakan sepenuhnya):

 

 

  1. Menurunkan harga kereta dengan penurunan 20% – 30% secara berperingkat

  2. Menyeragamkan harga barang keperluan asas di antara Semenanjung dan Sabah Sarawak

  3. Menggunakan dana kerajaan melalui penglibatan terus kerajaan untuk menambah rumah mampu milik sebagai usaha mengawal harga rumah

  4. Memperbaiki perumahan estet dan memastikan perumahan selesa bagi bekas pekerja estet

  5. Memperkenalkan skim sewa dan milik untuk perumahan rakyat

  6. Menambahbaik perkhidmatan bas untuk digunakan secara bersepadu untuk mengurangkan penggunaan kenderaan awam

  7. Memberikan permit teksi individu

  8. Melaksanakan rangkaian rel berkelajuan tinggi (high speed rail)

  9. Membina Lebuhraya Pan Borneo

  10. Mengurangkan bayaran tol secara berperingkat-peringkat

  11. Reformasi percukaian untuk mengurangkan beban cukai pendapatan kepada golongan bawahan

  12. Meneruskan bayaran tunai khas dan pemberian dana mengikut peratusan perolehan minyak

  13. Peruntukan khas kepada semua jenis sekolah

  14. Menawarkan status sekolah bantuan penuh kerajaan bagi sekolah-sekolah Tamil

  15. Penekanan kepada pendidikan kemahiran dengan menaiktaraf sekolah vokasional menjadi kolej

  16. Menyediakan bantuan kewangan dan peluang pendidikan untuk golongan berpendapatan rendah tanpa mengira kaum

  17. Mewujudkan mahkamah khas untuk menangani isu-isu tanah pribumi

  18. Mewartakan semua tanah adat

  19. Menjana pendapatan dari pembangunan tanah wakaf

  20. Mempromosikan kebajikan imam, pegawai masjid dan guru KAFA dengan menyediakan pakej penggajian yang lebih baik

  21. Menaikkan bantuan kewangan kepada Sekolah Agama Rakyat dan Sekolah Pondok

  22. Memastikan keseimbangan kaum yang lebih adil di dalam perkhidmatan awam

 

 

  • Tindakan Barisan Nasional menciplak idea-idea asal yang sudah pun sinonim dengan Pakatan Rakyat seperti menurunkan harga kereta, menghapuskan tol dan lain-lain mengesahkan bahawa negara mempunyai kewangan yang kukuh selama ini untuk melaksanakan program-program ini.

 

 

  • Alasan yang diberikan selama ini hanyalah dolak-dalih politik, tetapi oleh kerana tekanan yang kuat dari rakyat akhirnya Barisan Nasional tidak ada pilihan lain kecuali menciplak idea-idea ini.

 

 

PERBANDINGAN KEBERKESANAN PROGAM: PENDEKATAN BARISAN NASIONAL TIDAK AKAN MERUBAH KEDUDUKAN RAKYAT

 

 

  • Keseluruhan kempen Barisan Nasional kini disandarkan kepada pemberian BR1M yang selepas ini akan dibuat setiap tahun pada kadar yang lebih tinggi, iaitu RM1,200 untuk keluarga dan RM600 untuk individu bujang.

 

 

  • Jumlah ini bersamaan dengan RM100 setiap bulan untuk keluarga dan RM50 sebulan untuk individu bujang, pada ketika Barisan Nasional tidak mengemukakan apa-apa cadangan untuk menurunkan harga barang.

 

 

  • Akhirnya, inflasi dan kenaikan harga barang akan melunturkan kesan pemberian wang terus ini kepada rakyat yang dijangka akan menelas belanja RM7.2 bilion dalam tahun pertama. Mengambil kira pertumbuhan penduduk sebanyak 2% secara purata dan inflasi pada kadar purata 2% untuk tempoh sedekad dari sekarang, menjelang tahun 2023 jumlah pembayaran BR1M akan mencecah RM11 bilion.

 

 

  • Pendekatan ini kurang bijaksana kerana ia menelan belanja yang besar tanpa mengubah struktur ekonomi, sedangkan peruntukan RM7 bilion hingga RM11 bilion setahun itu lebih berkesan jika digunakan untuk menurunkan harga barang, menghapuskan tol, menurunkan harga kereta dan lain-lain.

 

 

PERBANDINGAN JANJI-JANJI UTAMA PAKATAN RAKYAT DAN BARISAN NASIONAL

 

 

  • Membantu meredakan tekanan sara hidup – Pakatan Rakyat mencadangkan reformasi menyeluruh untuk merubah struktur ekonomi dengan menghapuskan monopoli yang akan menurunkan harga barang keperluan, berbanding Barisan Nasional yang menawarkan RM100 sebulan

 

 

  • Menurunkan harga kereta – Pakatan Rakyat berjanji menghapuskan terus cukai eksais secara berperingkat supaya harga kereta adalah separuh dari harga sekarang dalam tempoh 5 tahun, berbanding Barisan Nasional yang hanya akan memotong cukai sebanyak 20% – 30% sahaja secara berperingkat tanpa disebut jangka masanya

 

 

  • Menghapuskan tol – Pakatan Rakyat berjanji menghapuskan tol bermula dengan lebuhraya yang sudah mendapat pulangan modal, berbanding dengan Barisan Nasional yang hanya akan menurunkan tol secara berperingkat tanpa disebut jumlah dan tempoh masanya

 

 

  • Menghapuskan PTPTN dan menawarkan pendidikan percuma – Pakatan Rakyat akan menghapuskan PTPTN dan menawarkan pendidikan percuma, berbanding Barisan Nasional yang tiada cadangan balas

 

 

  • Caruman Wanita Malaysia untuk surirumah tidak bekerja – Pakatan Rakyat akan mewujudkan skim caruman seperti KWSP untuk surirumah tidak bekerja dengan caruman minima RM720 setahun, berbanding Barisan Nasional yang tiada cadangan balas

 

 

  • Menurunkan harga minyak – Pakatan Rakyat komited untuk menurunkan harga minyak, berbanding Barisan Nasional yang tiada cadangan balas

 

 

  • Memberikan royalti 20% kepada negeri pengeluar minyak – Pakatan Rakyat berjanji mengembalikan royalti 20% kepada negeri pengeluar minyak, berbanding Barisan Nasional yang meneruskan pendekatan membelanjakan wang minyak sebagai peruntukan pusat

 

Saya akan terus mengemukakan analisa khusus terhadap isu perumahan, ekonomi dan lain-lain sepanjang minggu ini melalui penulisan dan video agar rakyat dapat membandingkan kedua-dua manifesto.

 

 

RAFIZI RAMLI

Pengarah Strategi

Ahli Jawatankuasa Dasar dan Manifesto Pakatan Rakyat

Annual BR1M Cost Will Balloon to RM11b in Public Fund

Posted: 07 Apr 2013 11:24 PM PDT

The Malaysian Insider

Barisan Nasional's (BN) pledge to pay out the People's 1 Malaysia Aid (BR1M) annually would cost taxpayers as much as RM11 billion a year by 2023, and not solve the woes facing lower-income households, PKR said today.

It added that the pledge to make the popular cash handout a permanent policy also signalled a failure to understand the underlying problems affecting Malaysia's economy.

"This approach is not that smart because it will lead to big spending without changing the economic structure when this RM7 billion to RM11 billion spent yearly can be used to reduce prices, abolish tolls and reduce car prices," party strategy director Rafizi Ramli (picture) told reporters here.

Rafizi said estimates show that BN's aim to increase BR1M to RM1,200 from the current RM500 would cost RM7.2 billion in the first year of its distribution and RM11 billion by 2023.

"It is not going to solve their problems or elevate their economic standing," said Rafizi in an immediate response to BN's elections manifesto unveiled on Saturday.

Jelajah Pakatan Harapan Rakyat & Pengumuman Calon Oleh Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim Di Pahang & Terengganu

Posted: 07 Apr 2013 12:38 PM PDT

9 April 2013 (Selasa)

1) 8.00-11.00 mlm – Ceramah & Pengumuman Calon PKR Pahang

Lokasi: Megaview Hotel, Kuantan
Penceramah:
i. Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim

ii. YBhg dato' Fauzi Abdul Rahman

iii. YB Fauziah Salleh

iv. Kepimpinan Pakatan Rakyat Pahang

2) 8.30-12.00 mlm – Ceramah & Pengumuman Calon PKR Terengganu

Lokasi: Taman Jakar Jaya, Cukai, Kemaman
Penceramah:
i. YB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim

ii. YB Azan Ismail

iii. YBhg Rafizi Ramli

iv. Lt. Jeneral (B) Dato' Abdul Ghafir Abdul Hamid

v. YBhg Ust Ismail Harun

Najib on a Knife Edge

Posted: 07 Apr 2013 12:27 PM PDT

Wall Street Journal
Malaysia’s PM faces a struggle to stay in power.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak dissolved parliament Wednesday, setting the stage for the country’s 13th general election, probably at the end of the month. According to the constitution the polls could be held no later than June 27, so Mr. Najib’s move was no surprise. The fact that he waited as long as he did is one of many signs that the Prime Minister faces a struggle to stay in power.

Part of the challenge comes from within his own party. After five decades in power, the United Malays National Organization is riddled with corruption and complacency. In the 2008 election, Mr. Najib’s predecessor Abdullah Badawi barely held on to a parliamentary majority, and afterward the opposition almost succeeded in tempting enough MPs to cross the aisle to form a new government.

That set the stage for Mr. Najib to take over the party leadership and premiership in 2009. He shored up his coalition by pursuing a program of economic and political reforms that tackled many of the issues that the opposition championed in 2008. This government deserves credit for responding to the public’s dissatisfaction with corruption, lack of domestic competition and repressive laws left over from the colonial period.

However, these reforms were limited, and while they were good for the country, they may not translate into a victory for Mr. Najib. The population is young and increasingly urban, and many of these voters think the pace of reform has been too slow, especially in reforming the system of affirmative action for the ethnic majority Malays. Meanwhile, the Malays out in the villages who benefit most from the preferences and cash handouts find the changes threatening.

The conservative Malay constituency is well represented by nationalist politicians within UMNO, including Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein and Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. Both are potential challengers for Mr. Najib’s position, so it’s no coincidence that his policies have been undermined from within the party.

The opposition coalition has its own cohesion problems that will probably come to the fore if it wins this election. But it has done a creditable job of ruling the four states under its control, undermining the government’s argument that only it has the chops to keep Malaysia stable and growing.

Malaysia’s system of holding back the dynamic Indian and Chinese minorities has turned it into a bastion of mediocrity in a fast-growing region. The country’s best and brightest leave because the cronyism and racial quotas in education and employment hold them back.

Mr. Najib probably recognizes the need to move faster, but he can’t afford to alienate his Malay base. In the coming weeks, UMNO’s list of candidates will tell the electorate much about internal party politics. If the Prime Minister doesn’t move aggressively to sideline the Malay nationalists and put his own reformers in place, voters may reasonably conclude that it’s time to give the opposition its chance to overcome Malaysia’s feudal past. A competitive economy ultimately demands plural politics.

PRESS RELEASE : Barisan Nasional Manifesto Lacks The Spirit Of Reforms

Posted: 07 Apr 2013 12:11 PM PDT

On behalf of KEADILAN, I welcome the launch of the Barisan Nasional Manifesto which took place with much glitter and fanfare Saturday night, ahead of the nomination day. As generally acknowledged, Pakatan Rakyat clearly has the upper hand for launching its Manifesto for the 13th General Election (GE13) much earlier on 25 February 2103, blazing the trail of a healthy political competition landscape. I wish to congratulate Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak and Barisan Nasional for demonstrating openly their “endorsement” of Pakatan Rakyat’s initiatives and proposed measures of late. We are really flattered that even the theme of the Barisan Nasional Manifesto i.e. "Bringing Hope", (Membawa Harapan) bears a striking resemblance to "Pakatan the People's Hope" (Pakatan Harapan Rakyat).

Nevertheless, while labels are good as sound bites, I am convinced that political competition in particular during the election campaign period must revolve around policy matters and the people's programmes, apart from issues of the candidate's credibility and track record. As has been stressed by Pakatan Rakyat all along, the contest of ideas and policies should rightly be taken to a higher level through open debates that can be witnessed by the public in mainstream media to enable fair assessment by the people from all walks of life.

In this regard, Dato' Seri Najib's refusal to take up this challenge to a public debate on policies has greatly blemished his image as a credible leader and dampened the legitimate people’s expectations of a healthy political competition culture through a spirited discourse on issues and policies.
Barisan Nasional's persistent disregard for ethics and best practices of a caretaker government was further made obvious in last night's launching of their manifesto which was broadcast live via the nation's television and radio networks while Pakatan Rakyat’s rights to such media space have been denied. This constitutes a blatantly unfair electoral practice and an outrageous misuse of public resources by a caretaker government.

Nevertheless, I remain resolved to ensure that the GE13 will be a battleground for the contest of ideas and policies within the framework of achieving healthy political competition. I have perused the BN Manifesto and will present KEADILAN's relevant views from time to time. I have also directed KEADILAN's policy team to fully review it and present their feedback by tomorrow, 8 April 2013.
In general, I am not convinced that the BN Manifesto can comprehensively resolve the people's economic, political and social concerns and move the Malaysian economy forward to the next level of development.

Much to the chagrin of the people, the most obvious absence in the BN Manifesto is the spirit of reforms which is crucial to rehabilitate and reconstitute the current absolutely outdated system with a lot of defects and malfunctions. Let me reiterate the failure of the Barisan Nasional’s policy framework in recognising the importance of broad-based and holistic reforms from the socio-economic, structural, institutional, political, governance and law perspectives. In fact, Dato' Seri Najib still has not got it: Without a comprehensive reform agenda, efforts to raise Malaysia’s long-term competitiveness globally to be on par with other developed nations will be constantly constrained.

The BN Manifesto also lacks new ideas and is very short on details since many programmes have been rehashed and repackaged into something with a new look, in contrast to our People's Manifesto. More than 90% of the programmes listed are already known to the people and remain too general and lacking in specifics.

The absence of fresh ideas was so disastrous that Dato' Seri Najib had to swallow the bitter pill and plagiarise Pakatan Rakyat's proposals to be incorporated into the BN Manifesto in particular the lowering of car prices through a gradual elimination of excise duties by revamping the National Automotive Policy; issuance of individual taxi permits directly to taxi drivers and the price uniformisation of basic necessity items nationwide, one of major issues for the people in Sabah and Sarawak. It is clear that the BN Manifesto is half-baked and borne out of desperation while ours was crafted based on a sincere and earnest desire to alleviate the burden of the people. Committed to a taxation system which is fair and just as proposed by Pakatan Rakyat, I am convinced that what the people want eventually is a total abolition of car excise duties. As such, up to a 30% reduction as promised in the BN Manifesto is too little and too late.

The BN Manifesto is still cast in the perverse and outdated belief that the hearts and minds of the people can be bought. The major thrust of the Barisan Nasional campaign whether in the form of existing initiatives or manifesto offerings centres on the Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) which is to be upgraded into an annual payment of RM1,200 for families and RM600 for those unmarried. This proposal will cost RM7.2 billion a year that I am certain will continue to rise every year, consistent with the natural population growth and the Barisan Nasional’s constant failure to increase the household income beyond the qualification levels of RM3,000 for families and RM2,000 for unmarried individuals.

While I am not against any measures that will bring financial relief to the people, direct transfer payments such as the BR1M, Baucar Buku 1Malaysia dan Bantuan Persekolahan as contained in the BN Manifesto clearly constitute a short-term economic policy measure akin to vote buying without any solid proposals to solve the people’s fundamental socio-economic problems for the long-term (such as monopolies which cause market distortions and price hikes; wastages, leakages and corrupt practices in public finance management that reduce allocations to enhance the people’s well-being as well as other lopsided, oppressive and discriminatory public policies). Sadly, these costly cash handouts will prove to be an economic policy failure without effectively liberating the people from the shackles of economic hardship in the long run while increasing the burden on the nation’s coffers every year. .I am concerned that if this culture of overdependence continues over several decades, all efforts to boost the country’s productivity, value-add and competitiveness will be meaningless.

Proposed measures of war against corruption to eventually weed it out of the system in the BN Manifesto clearly form the nation’s butt of jokes as a source of public entertainment. Equipped with strong political will without any vested interests, only the Pakatan Rakyat administration for a new federal government will be able to significantly eradicate the corruption disease through its Dasar Banteras Rasuah Negara (DEBARAN) as detailed out in its manifesto.

I will continue to give constructive views in this matter and submit to the people's assessment and judgment as to which manifesto is better to bring about the much needed change. This process of comparing and contrasting ideas and policies will be the main platform of KEADILAN's campaign for the GE13, to be carried out by the entire leadership, election machinery and all our candidates.

DATO' SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM
KETUA UMUM

KENYATAAN AKHBAR:Manifesto Barisan Nasional Tiada Roh Reformasi

Posted: 07 Apr 2013 12:06 PM PDT

Mewakili PARTI KEADILAN, saya mengalu-alukan pelancaran Manifesto Barisan Nasional yang dibuat semalam sebelum berlangsungnya penamaan calon. Sebagaimana umum sedia maklum, Pakatan Rakyat telah X mendahului Barisan Nasional dengan melancarkan Manifesto bagi Pilihanraya Umum ke-13 (PRU13) pada 25 Februari 2013 yang lalu, sekaligus merintis jalan ke arah landskap persaingan politik yang sihat. Saya juga ingin merakamkan setinggi-tinggi penghargaan kepada Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak dan Barisan Nasional yang nampaknya banyak bersetuju dengan langkah dan cadangan Pakatan Rakyat mutakhir ini, sehinggakan tema Manifesto Barisan Nasional ("Membawa Harapan") pun menyadur tema Pakatan Harapan Rakyat yang digunakan oleh Pakatan Rakyat.

Pun begitu, saya yakin bahawa persaingan politik khususnya semasa kempen pilihanraya perlulah berkisar kepada persoalan dasar dan program untuk rakyat, selain kredibiliti dan rekod calon yang ditampilkan. Seperti mana yang ditekankan oleh Pakatan Rakyat selama ini, persaingan idea dan dasar harus diangkat ke tahap yang lebih tinggi melalui perdebatan terbuka yang boleh disaksikan umum di media arus perdana untuk diadili sepenuhnya oleh segenap lapisan masyarakat.

Justeru, keengganan Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak untuk berdebat secara terbuka mengenai dasar mencacatkan imej beliau sebagai pemimpin berwibawa dan merencatkan budaya persaingan politik sihat yang dituntut oleh rakyat. Lebih-lebih lagi apabila Barisan Nasional tidak mempedulikan langsung etika Kerajaan Sementara ("caretaker government") dengan menyalahgunakan ruang masa penyiaran di platform media awam untuk membentangkan manifestonya sedangkan Pakatan Rakyat telah dinafikan hak yang sama. Ini jelas merupakan suatu amalan pilihanraya berat sebelah dan penyalahgunaan harta benda awam oleh sebuah Kerajaan Sementara.

Walau bagaimana pun, saya nekad untuk memastikan PRU13 ini menjadi medan persaingan idea dan dasar dalam kerangka membentuk persaingan politik sihat. Saya telah meneliti Manifesto Barisan Nasional dan akan membentangkan pandangan KEADILAN dari semasa ke semasa. Saya juga telah mengarahkan pasukan dasar KEADILAN untuk mengkajinya secara menyeluruh dengan tujuan memberi maklumbalas segera pada hari Isnin, 8 April 2013.

Secara umumnya, saya tidak yakin Manifesto Barisan Nasional secara menyeluruh dapat membebaskan negara dan rakyat dari kesempitan ekonomi, politik dan sosial sedia ada yang begitu mencengkam dan menghimpit. Yang paling ketara adalah Manifesto Barisan Nasional tidak mempunyai roh reformasi yang amat diperlukan untuk merubah sistem yang bobrok dan penuh kepincangan, seperti yang diharapkan oleh rakyat. Sangat jelas bahawa reformasi menyeluruh dan holistik dari segi sosio-ekonomi, struktur, institusi, politik, urus tadbir dan perundangan tiada tempat dalam kerangka polisi Barisan Nasional. Ingin saya tegaskan bahawa tanpa sebarang agenda reformasi yang komprehensif, usaha meningkatkan keberdayasaingan jangka panjang Malaysia di peringkat antarabangsa supaya setanding dengan negara-negara maju lain akan terus dikekang.

Pada masa yang sama, Manifesto Barisan Nasional ketandusan idea baharu dan kontang perinciannya yang mana banyak program telah dipakej semula, berbanding gagasan segar yang dibawa oleh Manifesto Pakatan Rakyat. Lebih 90% dari program-program yang disenaraikan sudah pun diketahui rakyat dan berbentuk terlalu umum tanpa sebarang perincian khusus.

Ketandusan idea baharu bermakna Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak akhirnya terpaksa menelan hempedu dan menciplak beberapa dasar utama Pakatan Rakyat untuk disuntik ke dalam Manifesto Barisan Nasional terutamanya cadangan penurunan harga kereta melalui penghapusan cukai eksais secara berperingkat dengan merombak Dasar Automotif Nasional, pemberian permit teksi individu secara langsung kepada pemandu teksi dan penyeragaman harga barangan keperluan di seluruh negara yang menjadi salah satu isu utama di Sabah dan Sarawak. Berpegang teguh kepada prinsip percukaian adil seperti yang disarankan oleh Pakatan Rakyat, maka saya yakin harapan rakyat mahukan penghapusan langsung duti eksais kereta, bukannya dipotong pada kadar 30% sahaja seperti yang dijanjikan di dalam Manifesto Barisan Nasional.

Manifesto Barisan Nasional masih mencerminkan mentaliti lapuk dan kepercayaan usang Barisan Nasional bahawa hati dan pemikiran rakyat boleh dibeli. Tunjang kempen Barisan Nasional jika diteliti inisiatif sedia ada dan pakej tawaran manifestonya jelas berpaksi kepada Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) yang mahu ditingkatkan bayaran tahunnya kepada RM1,200 bagi keluarga dan RM600 bagi individu bujang. Cadangan ini akan melibatkan peruntukan sebanyak RM7.2 bilion setiap tahun yang saya yakin akan terus meningkat saban tahun sejajar dengan pertumbuhan semulajadi populasi dan kegagalan berterusan Barisan Nasional meningkatkan pendapatan bulanan isirumah. melebihi paras kelayakan sebanyak RM3,000 bagi keluarga dan RM2,000 bagi individu bujang.

“Direct transfer payments” seperti BR1M, Baucar Buku 1Malaysia dan Bantuan Persekolahan yang terkandung dalam manifesto Barisan Nasional jelas merupakan langkah dasar ekonomi jangka pendek untuk meraih undi tanpa cadangan ampuh untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan sosio-ekonomi asas rakyat untuk jangka masa panjang seperti monopoli yang menyebabkan herotan pasaran dan kenaikan harga; ketirisan, pembaziran dan amalan korup dalam pentadbiran kewangan kerajaan yang mengurangkan peruntukan bagi kebajikan rakyat serta dasar-dasar kerajaan lain yang berat sebelah, menekan rakyat dan bersifat diskriminasi. Yang lebih mendukacitakan ialah apabila pemberian tunai berkos tinggi ini akan terserlah sebagai suatu polisi ekonomi yang gagal tanpa membebaskan rakyat dari belenggu kesempitan hidup secara efektif pada jangka masa panjang sedangkan beban kepada perbendaharaan negara akan terus meningkat saban tahun. Saya khuatir sekiranya budaya kebergantungan berlebihan ini dibiarkan berterusan selama beberapa dekad, maka segala usaha untuk meningkatkan produktiviti, nilai tambah dan keberdayasaingan negara akan menjadi sia-sia.

Tawaran langkah-langkah untuk memerangi dan seterusnya menghapuskan gejala rasuah di dalam Manifesto Barisan Nasional jelas merupakan suatu lelucon atau lawak jenaka sebagai bahan hiburan rakyat. Berbekalkan kesungguhan politik yang jitu tanpa kepentingan peribadi, hanya pentadbiran Pakatan Rakyat bagi kerajaan pusat yang baharu sahaja yang mampu membanteras secara signifikan wabak rasuah melalui Dasar Banteras Rasuah Negara (DEBARAN) seperti yang diperincikan dalam manifesto PRU13nya.

Saya akan terus menghuraikan kritikan membina mengenai perkara ini dan menyerahkan kepada rakyat untuk mengadili keupayaan Manifesto Pakatan Rakyat dalam melaksanakan agenda perubahan seperti yang diimpikan rakyat berbanding Manifesto Barisan Nasional. Proses perbandingan idea dan dasar ini akan menjadi platform utama kempen KEADILAN di dalam PRU13 dengan melibatkan keseluruhan pimpinan, jentera pilihanraya dan semua calon.

DATO' SERI ANWAR IBRAHIM
Ketua Umum

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