PM Questions Opposition’s Sincerity and Speaks of Auta

(The Choice) – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has gone on the offensive, saying the Opposition will resort to dirty tricks to try winning the people’s support ahead of GE13.

He said the Opposition plans to hurl allegations against the government, twist facts, and even resort to fabricating issues to win over voters.

“I see a lot of the issues raised by the opposition are not based on fact but are “auta” (hot air). Unlike the Barisan Nasional (BN) government which is not in a popularity contest,” Najib told 30,000 guests at a 1Malaysia luncheon at Port Dickson.

He said the opposition had made wild allegations that the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) given to the people was “haram”, that the government was borrowing money to make the BR1M payments, and even that it was ‘political corruption’.

But when the register of BR1M recipients opened, opposition supporters had turned up in droves to claim the money, he said.

“But if you want to accuse the money is haram, don’t accept it…no shame! This why I say they are “auta”…”auta” BRIM. The government is giving back money to the people because we have administered the country well.

“As a caring government, we must do the best for the people,” he added.

Najib said that the people have seen the transformation brought about by the government in the last three years, with the government looking after the interests of rural and urban dwellers, low-income earners, as well as the middle class and high income groups.

He made it clear that the BN government would not make any promise that cannot be delivered.

But in comparison, if the opposition’s promises were to be implemented, the country would end up bankrupt, Najib said.

“To the opposition, selling promises are their weapons; but when we look at these promises carefully, we know that they cannot be delivered,” he added.

For example, Pakatan Rajyat claimed it would abolish tolls if it came to power. This, Najib said, was “absurd” as the country needed the tolls revenue.

“Then they said that the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan would be abolished immediately. When I asked the higher education minister about this, he said that if the PTPTN was to be abolished, we would lose RM40 billion. And after that we could no longer give out loans in the future,” he said.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the Opposition coalition could only make promises on spending, like tolls and PTPTN loans, but had not made any proposals on generating more income for the country.

As for leadership, Najib said Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not qualified to helm the nation because Anwar had lost credibility even among his own supporters.

Najib said a founder of PKR, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, who had left Anwar, had even said that it would be disastrous for the country if Anwar was ever made the prime minister.

“If we put up a billboard and paste the pictures of those who have left him, I think we are going to need a huge billboard because there are so many of them who have left him, from Chandra Muzaffar to his former private secretary Ezam Mohd Nor, to his press secretary Anuar Shaari and lawyer Zulkifli Nordin,” Najib said.

The Prime Minister has made a clarion call for performance and credibility to be the basis for judging which party to vote for.

By pointing out the Opposition’s failings, Najib has issued a clear challenge to Pakatan Rakyat: tricks and allegations are not going to help you in GE13, performance is key.