Give New Government Time To Fulfill Election Promises - Malaysian Deputy PM

By Kamarul Irwan Alias and Suziela Che Mat KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- “Give us space and time to fulfil the promises,” said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail on the implementation of Pakatan Harapan (PH or Alliance of Hope) manifesto after successfully forming the government following a stunning victory in the 14th general election (GE14). Realising that PH was now being ‘attacked’ by the opposition demanding that promises in the GE14 be implemented immediately, Dr Wan Azizah said the government was working on it. She said the PH government had just taken over the administration of the country a month ago and there was still time especially in implementing the 10 initiatives to be delivered within 100 days. "We need a strong opposition for checks and balances, but it's only been 30 days, there are 70 days to go. “We still have some time … so be patient and just wait. God willing we will accomplish them to the best of our abilities,” she said in an interview with Bernama. However, Dr Wan Azizah said implementation of several initiatives had already begun, such as the zero-rated Goods and Services Tax (GST), which would later be abolished during the first session of the Dewan Rakyat (Malaysian Parliament) this year. “The price of RON95 petrol is stable and is no longer floating,” she said. Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, said the ministry was also working to realise the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) scheme for housewives. "At the moment there is a small snag because under Section 51 of the EPF Act the (11 per cent) contribution by employees cannot be touched, hence the husband cannot take two per cent out of the 11 per cent of his EPF contribution for the wife. We are looking at ways to overcome this,” she said. She said PH pledges were based on the estimated information obtained before winning the GE14 on May 9, adding that after taking over Putrajaya, Malaysia's federal administrative capital, only then did they realise the real financial situation and the previous government's weakness in corporate governance. Among the 10 PH promises to be delivered within 100 days of taking over the government are to stabilise the price of petrol and reinstate targeted petrol subsidies, to postpone the repayment of the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) for all graduates earning below US$1,003 (RM4,000) per month, to abolish unnecessary debts imposed on Felda settlers and to equalise the minimum wage nationally. Felda or The Federal Land Development Authority is a Malaysian government agency that was founded to handle the resettlement of rural poor into newly developed areas and to organise smallholder farms growing cash crops. -- BERNAMA