WIKILEAKS: US viewed Pak Lah’s reform a failure
His administration’s follow-up on vows for reform was ‘disappointing’, says a US cable leaked by WikiLeaks.
(Free Malaysia Today) – Washington felt the economic policies introduced by then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi were not successful while his reform measures were least convincing, according to a diplomatic cable leaked by whistleblower site WikiLeaks.
The US government also felt that Abdullah’s ascent to power improved Washigton-Putrajaya ties, calling him “a breath of fresh air after the long-serving and vituperative Mahathir Mohamad” who retired in late 2003.
According to WikiLeaks – published by Malaysia Today website today – the US government felt Abdullah’s effort to encourage a private sector-led growth amid ballooning national debt was a failure and his administration’s follow-up on vows for reforms “disappointing”.
“He is publicly committed to fighting corruption and reining in costly mega-projects, though his government’s follow-through has been disappointing.
“In his early days, PM Abdullah made rural development and control of government spending, partly as a means to encourage private sector-led growth, his top economic priorities. So far, only his reduction of the government’s deficit – now down to 3.8% of GDP – can be chalked up as a clear success,” read the cable.
Abdullah’s 9MP lacked initiative
The leaked cable also disclosed US scepticism towards Abdullah’s economic policies under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
“Abdullah’s partisans say that the Ninth Malaysia Plan (a five-year plan for economic policy and development spending) will be the vehicle for advancing his other economic goals, but the 9MP, unveiled on March 31, contained little in the way of drama or new initiatives,” read the cable.
