Some of the pledges fulfilled
The other promises remain a work in progress or not fully tackled
PETALING JAYA: It’s report card day today for Pakatan Harapan after completing its first 100 days in power as the federal government.
It made 10 pledges to be met within its first 100 days in office, and has so far fully delivered on four.
The rest remain either a work in progress or have not been significantly tackled.
The ones that have come through are abolishing the Goods and Services Tax (GST); stabilising petrol prices; and introducing and postponing the repayment of the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans to all graduates earning up to RM4,000 a month.
Those that remain on Pakatan’s to-do list include setting up a health scheme for the poor, easing the debt woes of Felda settlers, and fully enforcing the 1963 Malaysia agreement.
Responding to criticisms about the progress, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government will work on all the pledges although some can only be completed later.
The Prime Minister said Pakatan’s manifesto was based on what they knew about the things the previous government had done at the time.
Only after taking office did the new government realise that the country’s financial situation was much worse than earlier thought.
“While we made the promises to be achieved in 100 days, the most we could do is to get things moving.
“It will take a little more time to fulfil the promises,” Dr Mahathir said after launching the Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
He said that the coalition found itself working in an environment that was not conducive.
“We need to remove people, and all these hinder progress.
“Also certain things need to be passed by Parliament, and this takes time. You have to draft the law and things like that,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, meanwhile, said that Pakatan does not need to apologise for not being able to deliver all its 10 promises within 100 days.
“I am being truthful, it seems we are not achieving what we wished to do in 100 days. We have tried our best,” she told reporters at the Parliament lobby.
Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) Centre of Public Policy chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said Pakatan deserved the nation’s collective admiration and appreciation for doing its best to fulfil and deliver on its ambitious pledges.
“I believe that Pakatan did not expect so many challenges in implementing these big promises.
“Maybe it did not think it would win GE14, and so its leaders composed these high aims and targets but to their credit, they have struggled and worked very hard to realise these huge goals within a small and short time frame,” he said, adding that he strongly commended Pakatan’s efforts and achievements to date.
Ramon said if he were to score Pakatan based on its first 100 days, he would give it an excellent score of 90% although the targets were not fully met.
He added that Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent statement that he will give more priority to Malaysian development rather than bumiputra development was also very encouraging.
“The poor and underprivileged come from all racial, religious and geographical sectors. So let’s help all deserving Malaysians in the new Malaysia,” said Ramon.
Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa said Pakatan has no one to blame but itself for failing to deliver on all 10 promises within its first 100 days.
He believed the government had only delivered on a quarter of its promises, and said this has dented the confidence of foreign investors in Malaysia.
“Pakatan never gets bored of playing up sentiments that the main reason they cannot deliver their promises is because of mismanagement by the previous government.
“The rakyat are fed up of such excuses,” said Annuar.
PAS deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man gives Pakatan a “D” for failing to deliver.
“A non-government organisation had rated on social media that Harapan managed to fulfil only between 20% and 30% of its promises for the first 100 days.
“As such, PAS gives a low rating to Pakatan of between 27 and 30 marks,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby, adding that this was equivalent to a “D” grade.
Check out The Star’s special 100day pullout, and for a more interactive experience, go to https://sites. thestar.com.my/ph100/