Barisan always delivers, says Zahid
DPM: Unlike BN, opposition party yet to fulfil most of its election pledges
KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional delivers on its pledges unlike the DAP, which has yet to fulfil its promises to the people of Penang, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
While Barisan has already implemented about 87% of the 13th general election manifesto pledges, the Penang government has not been able to do the same, said the coalition’s deputy chairman.
“What the DAP has promised Penang, most of it has not been fulfilled.... they will promise until election time and try to provide hope, but these are empty promises,” said Dr Ahmad Zahid when opening Gerakan’s 46th national delegates conference here.
Dr Ahmad Zahid pointed out that Barisan’s promise to manage the country’s economy well was not mere rhetoric.
He said it was clear that the economy was growing in a balanced way to benefit all segments of society.
The BR1M payment, aid for fishermen and farmers announced in Budget 2018 and infrastructure projects were among many examples of tangible results of successful Federal government programmes.
Commenting on the recent floods in Penang, Dr Ahmad Zahid said the state government cannot deny all responsibility from the severe floods.
While the state government has argued that the floods were not due to hillslope cutting or over development, he said a better planned development and care for environment on the island could have reduced the severity of the floods.
“Yes, for 17 hours the rain fell (causing floods), but if the development was planned well then we would not have seen such a (severe) flood,” he said.
Dr Ahmad Zahid pointed out that it had been said that the management of development in Penang was not done in accordance with advice from the Department of Environment, and that not enough priority was being given to protect the environment in the long term.
He said Gerakan can win big in the 14th general election and even wrest Penang from Pakatan Harapan if party members worked hard.
“It is not impossible for the pendulum (of political support) to swing back to Gerakan,” he said.